
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR FUTURE LAND USE TOWN OF PORTER, INDIANA Prepared by James M. Mandon, P.E. Planning Consultant May 1, 2004 TOWN OFFICIALS Town Council Sandy Boothe Paul Childress Jennifer Granat William Sexton Sandi Snyder Clerk-Treasurer Carol Pomeroy Plan Commission Lorain Bell Dave Babcock Paul Childress James Eriksson Michael Liebert Sandi Snyder Kenneth Timm Town Attorney David Hollenback Plan Commission Attorney Patrick Lyp Town Engineer Tim Haas, P.E. Director of Public Works Scott Guy Building Commissioner Dave Babcock Planning Consultant James M. Mandon, P.E. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER TITLE PAGE 1 Intent and Purpose . 1 2 Community Description ............................................................ 5 3 Physical Environment ............................................................ 14 4 Employment and Income ...................................................... .17 5 Population Projections ............................................................. 26 6 Existing Land Use .................................................................... 32 7 Thoroughfare Plan ................................................................... 41 8 Growth Trends ......................................................................... 49 9 Downtown Revitalization .......................................................... 60 10 Community Facilities and Public Services ............................... 63 11 Educational Facilities ............................................................... 68 12 Housing ........................................................................... 76 13 Parks and Recreation .............................................................. 89 14 Conclusions/Recommendations .............................................. 90 LIST OF TABLES TABLE TITLE PAGE 1 Total Population ....................................................................... 10 2 Population Characteristics ....................................................... 11 3 Predominant Ancestry ............................................................. 12 4 Citizenship . ........................................................................... 13 5 Labor Force Status .................................................................. 19 6 Occupation. ........................................................................... 20 7 Class of Workers ..................................................................... 21 8 Household Income ................................................................. 22 9 Household Income by Type ..................................................... 23 10 Worker Statistics ...................................................................... 24 11 Commuting to Work ................................................................. 25 12 Population Comparables ......................................................... 29 13 Population Projection Summary .............................................. 30 14 Persons Per Household ........................................................... 31 15 Existing Land Use Acreage...................................................... 40 16 Summary of Residential and Commercial Growth ................... 52 17 Single Family Homes, 1993 - 2002 .......................................... 53 18 Comparison of Residential Permits ......................................... 54 19 Multi-family Unit Permits .......................................................... 55 20 Tax Rates ........................................................................... 56 21 Assessed Valuation ................................................................. 57 22 Comparative Tax Rates ........................................................... 58 23 Comparative Assessed Valuations .......................................... 59 24 Educational Data ..................................................................... 71 25 School Enrollment Capacity ..................................................... 72 26 Enrollment of School Facilities ................................................. 73 27 Enrollment By School Type ..................................................... 74 28 Assessed Valuation Per Student ............................................. 75 29 Family By Type ........................................................................ 79 30 Occupancy ........................................................................... 80 31 Units per Structure ................................................................... 81 32 Housing Characteristics ........................................................... 82 33 Housing Suitability Characteristics ........................................... 83 34 Age of Housing Stock .............................................................. 84 35 Length of Tenure ..................................................................... 85 36 Selected Topics Relating to Substandardness ........................ 86 37 Housing Value - Owner-Occupied ........................................... 87 38 Selected Housing Financial Information .................................. 88 LIST OF GRAPHS NO. DESCRIPTION PAGE 1 Population Comparison ............................................... 29a 2 Arithmetic Progression ................................................ 30a 3 Graphical Extension Method ....................................... 30b 4 Population Estimates Based on Building Data ............ 30c 5 Population Estimates Based on Growth Data ............ 30d 6 Persons Per Household .............................................. 31a 7 Existing Land Use ....................................................... 40a 8 Year 2000 Comparative Densities .............................. 40b 9 Building Permit Valuations .......................................... 52a 10 New Residential Units Built 1990-2002 ....................... 54a 11 Total Tax Rate ............................................................ 56a 12 Total Assessed Valuation ........................................... 57a 13 Comparative Tax Rates 1993 & 2002 ......................... 58a LIST OF MAPS NO. DESCRIPTION PAGE 1 Vicinity Map. 92 2 Existing Land Use ................................................................... 93 3 Thoroughfare Classification .................................................... 94 4 Thoroughfare Plan .................................................................. 95 5 Land Use Plan ........................................................................ 96 CHAPTER 1 INTENT AND PURPOSE Introduction Planning in Porter is mandated to be a continuing process through which the local government decides land use questions. Zoning, and to a lesser degree subdivision controls, are the recognized legal mechanisms for implementing its' comprehensive plan. The Plan Commission understands that how well the Town of Porter functions fifty years from now will depend upon the foresight of Porter's planners in the understanding, and application of the growth management and control process, today. The process of growth management in the Town of Porter is seen as the most important component, similar to the town's zoning land use restrictions, subdivision design standards, or industrial performance standards, as a means for carrying out community goals, objectives and policies for a better quality of community life in Porter. The framework for the Town's planning process is driven by the Town of Porter Comprehensive Plan, and is implemented by the Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Control Ordinance, and depicted on the Official Town Maps. In addition, a decade of diminishing federal and state funding participation has led community leaders to institute economic improvement programming in the form of a redevelopment authority utilizing an innovative funding device, (Tax Increment Financing) to capture additional tax revenue to fund necessary public improvements. The Plan The plan once adopted: 1) informs property owners and development interests of the Town's position with respect to public and private development; 2) guides public response to specific rezoning and subdivision applications; and 3) provides insights for citizens, property owners, and others who might be contemplating investment or development activities in the future. This comprehensive plan, and the recommendations contained therein, is intended to assist planners in the important decision-making process that guides the Town's investments in capital improvements, and promotes equal and fair application of subdivision design and land use policy. This body of information was developed through the completion of a number of studies and surveys, including the following: -existing land use survey 1 -population study -community facilities study -housing analysis -natural resources study -thoroughfare study There is widespread agreement among planners that data ought to be collected as exhaustively as possible, and that it should be presented graphically whenever feasible. Thus, the physical features of the community should be depicted on maps supplemented by graphs and charts. The following types of maps, charts and other data are normally prepared in a comprehensive planning program: 1. Existing Land Use Map - This map should include a narrative statistical summary of existing land use relationships. Such an inventory can reveal many of the community's physical assets and potentials, and point to various deficiencies or problems resulting from incompatible land uses. This will help provide a base from which logical
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