Preliminary work was done on an update to the county comprehensive plan (cost around 37K). The update process was limited to two public meetings at different locations, on the same day and a survey.  Link to the draft and current version below: 

1. Third Draft 3 Brown County Comprehensive Plan
2. Current Version – Revised 2011 Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)

Commissioners declined to approve the Draft without more community engagement to include identifying “communities” within the county. Coud developing and perhaps testing an agenda for future public meetings be helpful to identify the scope of desired changes?

 2025 Comp LMI by Census Tract  (communities) – LMI average is 40.4%.  To quality for OCRA planning grants, LMI needs to be 51% or higher. (The higher the LMI, the lower the income).

Requirements and Expectations – Comprehensive Plan – Public meetings – Residents know the following:

1. The purpose of a Comprehensive plan (allows a county to manage zoning).
2. How their property and area are zoned.
3. What Zoning District (s) are applicable to their property and area
4. What type of development is allowed within their district
5. The process for how zoning is changed

Brown County — Historical, Cultural and Economic Context

• • History — Rural, Brown County State Park, Artist Colony, Bedroom Community

• • Brown County is a bedroom, retirement, work from home county with tourism where residents desire a more rural lifestyle.  (We have 4 stoplights in the county (the 4^th was just added last year).

  •  

    Residents want to live here but generate their income (77%) from outside the county.  Tourism accounts for around 21 million in gross wages. The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of all residents is over 510 million. 

  •  

    Our tax policy is high income (among the highest in the state) and low property (among the lowest in the state.).  Our GDP is around 362 million and the total for surrounding counties is around 30 million. Tourism accounts for around 40 million in GDP. 

  • “What are best bets for future of local economy?”  Sara Clifford, Brown County Democrat, Dec 28, 2016. Summary from the Community Readiness Initiative (CRI) facilitated by Ball State. 
    
    
  •  A New Path for Brown County. A Hypothesis for a Modern Plan for growth and Economic Development in Brown County, Indiana, By Chris Schneider – December 5th, 2024
    
    
  • Small Communities in Brown County

APC 2025_04_22 Presentation and Enclosures – Decision Criteria 

• • IC 36-7-4-603, Reasonable regard for the following by the Plan Commission and the Legislative body:

1. 1. The comprehensive plan;  Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
   2. current conditions and the character of current structures and uses in each district;
   3. the most desirable use for which the land in each district is adapted;
   4. the conservation of property values throughout the jurisdiction; and 5.responsible development and growth.
2. Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
   1. Four Main Principles (Elements). It is important that this comprehensive plan explain the principles (elements) that should be followed when making decisions and also the relative importance of each principle, as this will help those who must make difficult decisions.  This will be especially important in those situations where a decision must balance competing principles. (Ref: Brown County Comprehensive Plan, 2011 Revision).
      
      
   2. “Criteria” (Four Main Elements (Principles)
      • Preserves – Natural Features and Way of Life
      • Discourages Economic Decline (One Side of the Coin)
      • Fosters Economic Development (Other side of the Coin)
      • Enhances the desirability of Brown County as a place to live in retirement should also be protected, when possible

3. Need: Decision Criteria – Weighted Decision Matrix – to assess (score)  “Relative Importance of each principle.”

• • Examples – Decision Criteria —   2025 Comp APC Apr 22, 2024 Encl 250419