ADOPTED 3.21.2017 INTRODUCTION 03 COMMUNITY PROFILE 07 VISION, ISSUES, & GOALS 33 RECOMMENDATIONS CONTENTS 39 APPENDICES 65 The Plan Organization PART ONE: INTRODUCTION PART THREE: VISION, ISSUES, & WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A COMPREHENSIVE GOALS PLAN? VISION THE PLANNING PROCESS KEY ISSUES THE PLAN ORGANIZATION GOAL ICONS Part One serves as the introduction to the Town GOAL STATEMENTS of Syracuse Comprehensive Plan. It identifies the Part Three identifies the key issues and goals that the purpose of comprehensive planning, the planning Syracuse Comprehensive Plan seeks to solve. This process that was used in order to create the plan and section will identify the overall community vision, the the plan organization. common key issues heard throughout the process, and the goal statements that the community must PART TWO: COMMUNITY PROFILE strive to achieve. HISTORY, DEMOGRAPHICS PART FOUR: RECOMMENDATIONS LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION AND CONNECTIVITY TRANSPORTATION & CONNECTIVITY UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSING AND INCOME HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOODS ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMUNITY SERVICES & FACILITIES PARKS AND RECREATION ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IDENTITY & TOURISM COMMUNITY IDENTITY AND TOURISM SPECIAL DISTRICTS Part Two identifies the characteristics of the community. This section will explain the history and past planning Part Four is a long-term strategic guide to help the efforts that have led up to this document. It will also community achieve its desired goals. The objectives explain the current demographic environment and the and strategies listed for each goal topic in this section existing conditions of many aspects of the community. will serve as a toolbox for future policies and decisions made in the Town of Syracuse. PART SIX: APPENDICES EXISTING CONDITION MAPS PUBLIC INPUT SUMMARIES PAST PLANS Part Six of the plan will include all additional reports, plans, data, materials, and maps not included as part of the body of the plan. TOWN MANAGER Henry DeJulia TOWN COUNCIL Larry Siegel | President Paul Stoelting Tom Hoover Larry Martindale William Musser Paula Kehr-Wicker | Town Clerk FOCUS GROUP MEMBERS Kim Blaha Jill Boggs Bob Carlson Lorena Carlson Kimberly Cates Jim Evans Sylvia Gargett Heather Harwood Mary Hursh Chad Jonsson Andrea Keller James Layne Megan McClellan Tyler McLead Robin Merchant Jerry Riffle Kip Schumm Mickey Scott Heath Simcoe Paul Stoelting Alan Tehan Dave Van Lue CONSULTANTS ACKNOWLEGEMENTS INTRODUCTION TOWN OF SYRACUSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PAGE 4 TOWN OF SYRACUSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Plan Overview What is a Comprehensive Plan? The Syracuse Comprehensive Plan is a strategic Communities may adopt comprehensive plans as guide containing policy statements for effective described by Indiana Code “for the promotion of decision making in both private development public health, safety, morals, convenience, order, projects and community initiatives for the public or the general welfare and for the sake of efficiency good. The purpose of the plan is to guide the and economy in the process of development.” community through the realization of their vision. Indiana Code 36-7-4-500 series sets forth the A comprehensive plan is the vehicle with which a standards for developing and evaluating a community’s decision makers are able to control comprehensive plan. Required elements include the quality, quantity, and location of their growth. the following: It provides both a snapshot of the current point in • A statement of objectives for the future time and a vision for the future, guiding long-term development of the jurisdiction. investment, growth, and development. • A statement of policy for the land use A comprehensive plan assists policy, land use, and development of the jurisdiction. infrastructure decisions, and helps gather input from a variety of sources to build consensus around • A statement of policy for the development the plan. In its most effective form, it is a living of public ways, public places, public lands, document that will be updated as change occurs public structures, and public utilities. among land use, transportation, infrastructure, A comprehensive plan is not a rezoning document, resources, demographics, and priorities within the and the zoning classifications within the town do community. not change because of the recommendations set forth. Any future zoning changes within the Town, whether initiated by Syracuse or by a private land owner, must follow standard Indiana law and the County’s or local entity’s process for zoning and ordinance changes. It is not the only piece of the decision-making process and is not the solution for all the community’s challenges. Recommendations within the comprehensive plan may require further, in-depth studies in order to provide the best possible solutions to certain issues. So, Why Create a Comprehensive Plan? This comprehensive plan is necessary for the community to establish a clear vision, provide a set of strategies to help manage and facilitate stable and desired economic growth to realize that vision, and prepare for the future in the best possible manner. PAGE 5 TOWN OF SYRACUSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN What is the purpose of a Comprehensive Plan? The Syracuse Comprehensive Plan is a long-term strategic guide to help the community manage and facilitate stable and desired economic growth to achieve the desired community goals as described in this document. The plan is designed to showcase the existing conditions of the community, determine the desired future goals and objectives, and illustrate appropriate strategies to help achieve the overall vision. In addition to guiding local government officials, the plan also serves to guide other non- government community organizations, leaders, and all citizens in designing the future of their community. The plan is intended to be a living document that is utilized by public and private entities as they make decisions about the future. To remain applicable and effective, the plan document should be re-evaluated, updated, and adjusted annually or as major changes occur in the economy, demographics, land uses, and infrastructure. As growth or changes occur, this plan will provide a framework to further the welfare of the people of Syracuse and Kosciusko County by creating convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive environments for present and future generations to live. The Planning Process The last Town Comprehensive Plan was completed in 2006. Recommendations identified in this plan were used as the basis for this 2017 update. Over the last decade, many of the previous plan’s objectives and recommendations have been Syracuse completed. However, a handful of objectives and Comprehensive Plan recommendations that were not yet achieved May 2006 have been updated and carried over into this planning process. The process to develop the Syracuse Comprehensive Plan began with in-depth research to understand the current state of the town, including land use, transportation, demographics, the economy, and the environment to make an educated projection as to what the future holds. By understanding the starting point and the current strengths, weaknesses, and a vision, the community can then start to organize goals and strategies to achieve the vision. The process Prepared by: engaged local leaders and organizations as part Jeffrey M. Noffsinger, AICP Alan R. Clingan of the visioning process; without their input the Mary B. Haberman vision for the future of Syracuse would be unclear and potentially misguided. Bringing all these 2006 Syracuse Comprehensive Plan Cover individuals together had benefits beyond the creation of this planning document. It also resulted in an open line of communication amoung agencies and organizations that are related and should be communicating more frequently to work together more closely to achieve their common goals. Engaging these various groups allows the plan to be relevant and meaningful to many people. It also creates some accountability between the general community and the City leadership. PAGE 6 COMMUNITY PROFILE TOWN OF SYRACUSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PAGE 8 TOWN OF SYRACUSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN History of Syracuse Evidence shows that the first Syracuse inhabitants A more recent history archaeological discovery were nomadic Paleo-Indians who lived in the area was made in 1959 when a native dugout canoe at the end of the last glaciation. Throughout the was exhumed from the bottom of Syracuse Lake. years, artifacts have been discovered proving that Found by Ed and Richard Jamison, the vessel was the land and lakes played host to cultures which made from a yellow popular tree and showed memory has forgotten. In the 1930s, remnants hatchet marks and evidence of burring. This was of Ice Age animals were found southeast of a common method used by Native Americans Cromwell during an archaeological dig organized to hollow out the inside of the canoe. (Lomax & by the Buffalo Museum of Science and Natural Vanderford Garceau, 2014) History of New York. (Lomax & Vanderford Though no evidence could be found as to who Garceau, 2014) A complete mastodon skeleton owned the canoe, it can be narrowed down to was excavated, and in 1918, a mastodon tooth the three primary native tribes located in the area. was unearthed from Wawasee Lake. Evidence of Belonging to the Delaware, Miami, and Potawatomi Paleo Indians was found while land at Cedar Point tribes, the early inhabitants