Comprehensive Plan for South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana April 2002 Prepared by TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... ES-1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1-1 THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ........................................................................................................... 1-1 THE 1973 TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE PLAN .................................................................. 1-1 THE PROCESS FOR UPDATING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN................................................... 1-3 FORMAT OF THE PLAN ...................................................................................................................... 1-4 KEY ASPECTS OF STATE PLANNING LAW.................................................................................... 1-4 PRINCIPLES OF SMART GROWTH ................................................................................................... 1-5 CHAPTER 2: INPUT INTO THE PLAN .............................................................................................. 2-1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 2-1 PUBLIC INPUT ...................................................................................................................................... 2-1 CONCLUSIONS FROM PUBLIC INPUT............................................................................................. 2-5 PUBLIC FOLLOW-UP........................................................................................................................... 2-6 CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY STUDY .................................................................................................. 3-1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 3-1 REGIONAL CONTEXT......................................................................................................................... 3-1 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT................................................................................................................ 3-2 BUILT ENVIRONMENT ....................................................................................................................... 3-9 PROJECTIONS..................................................................................................................................... 3-25 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS ........................................................................... 4-1 THE FUNCTION OF TRANSPORTATION.......................................................................................... 4-1 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ISSUES AND CONCERNS............................................................... 4-1 TRANSPORTATION EXISTING CONDITIONS................................................................................. 4-3 THE 2025 TRANSPORTATION PLAN ................................................................................................ 4-8 IMPACTS OF LAND USE PLAN.......................................................................................................... 4-9 CHAPTER 5: POLICY PLAN................................................................................................................ 5-1 CHAPTER 6: LAND USE PLAN ........................................................................................................... 6-1 INTRODUCTION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES................................................................................ 6-1 LAND USE NEEDS................................................................................................................................ 6-1 LAND USE PLAN.................................................................................................................................. 6-4 DESCRIPTION OF LAND USE PLAN ................................................................................................. 6-7 CHAPTER 7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................................... 7-1 FOLLOW-UP STUDIES AND ACTION PROGRAMS ........................................................................ 7-1 INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM ........ 7-5 STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRAM ................................................................................................. 7-6 CHAPTER 8: RESIDENTIAL AREA POLICY ................................................................................... 8-1 LIST OF TABLES PAGE CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY STUDY .................................................................................................. 3-1 SOIL ASSOCIATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 3-3 AGRICULTURAL CENSUS FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 3-4 DATA FROM AGRICULTURAL USE STUDY................................................................................... 3-5 RESULTS OF AGRICULTURAL STUDY ........................................................................................... 3-6 POPULATION TIME SERIES............................................................................................................... 3-9 HISTORICAL POPULATION TRENDS ............................................................................................ 3-10 ST. JOSEPH COUNTY HOUSEHOLD AND DWELLING UNIT TRENDS..................................... 3-13 URBANIZED AREA COMPARISONS............................................................................................... 3-15 LAND USE (ACRES)........................................................................................................................... 3-16 COMPARISON LAND USES .............................................................................................................. 3-17 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PERFORMANCE 1999-2000 SCHOOL YEAR ........................ 3-19 CHAPTER 6: LAND USE PLAN ........................................................................................................... 6-1 RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 6-2 PLANNED LAND USES........................................................................................................................ 6-7 CHAPTER 7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................................... 7-1 FOLLOW-UP STUDIES AND ACTION PROGRAMS ........................................................................ 7-1 INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM ........ 7-5 STRATEGIC PLANNING PROGRAM ................................................................................................. 7-6 CHAPTER 8: RESIDENTIAL AREA POLICY ................................................................................... 8-1 AREA ACTIVITY MATRIX.................................................................................................................. 8-5 LIST OF CHARTS PAGE CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY STUDY .................................................................................................. 3-1 POPULATION TIME SERIES............................................................................................................... 3-9 EMPLOYMENT IN ST. JOSEPH COUNTY AND STATE OF INDIANA........................................ 3-11 OCCUPANCY AND TENURE COMPARISONS............................................................................... 3-12 RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMIT ACTIVITY.............................................................................. 3-13 POPULATION PROJECTIONS........................................................................................................... 3-26 EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS ........................................................................................................ 3-27 List of Figures FIGURE # CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY STUDY .................................................................................................. 3-1 TOPOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................... 3-1 SOILS...................................................................................................................................................... 3-2 WATER RESOURCES........................................................................................................................... 3-3 NATURAL HABITATS ......................................................................................................................... 3-4 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS....................................................................... 3-5 HISTORICAL LAND USE..................................................................................................................... 3-6 EXISTING LAND USE.......................................................................................................................... 3-7 URBAN SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS.............................................................................................