WIP Notes – 2026 Updates – Comprehensive Plan

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Last updated Jan 11, 2025

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 to include decision criteria.

References:

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 4th was just added last year (2025).

    • 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. 

      • Lower property tax supports second homes and tourist rentals.
    • Schools. Declining enrollment has been systemic. 
    • Home Costs and Affordability.  Demand and availability of buildable land have increased median home values that exceed what is affordable fort those at the more modest income levels. Affordability defined as spending no more than 30% of pre-tax income on housing.
    • “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
      • 10 Secluded Towns Lost in the Hills of Indiana’s Rugged Brown County Region:  Elkinsville, Cornelius, Gatesville, Stone Head, Trevlac, Gnaw Bone, Helmsburg, Bean Blossom, Story, Nashville, 
      • Not included: Cordry and Sweetwater Lakes
    • Jobs:
      • Total (2023): 3840; Tourism Related: 1,026
      • Total Tax Returns Filed: 7,302 (2023).
        • Residents paying tax – no job: 3,462.
    • Wages:
    • Economic Development – Subsidies, Abatements, Tax Increment Financing.
      • The county has not had to subsidize a developer for a project. An abatement (400K) was offered (never used) to the previous owner of the Little Opry to help finance wastewater treatment for a new music venue.  Rebuilding the Little Opry with private money was not feasible.   
      • An Economic Development Area (required) for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) was developed for Helmbsurg. A TIF was not needed. Private, not public, funding was used to revitalize the area. Habitat for Humanity also built three homes in the area.
      • The state did approve a 39 million dollar concept to provide sewer service along a corridor that runs from Lake Lemon, Trevlac, Helpmburg to Bean Blossom and Woodland Lake. Priority is service in Bean Lossom (about 200 homes), a new plant in Helmbsurg, and then extending service to Lake Lemon.
  •  :
  • Sewer Service:

Broadband. Analysis of FCC data:

    • Fiber is available to 90.31% of Brown County. Individual fiber providers cover:
      • Sci Fiber: 67.84% of the county
      • Mainstream Fiber Networks: 33.29%

Water Services.  Avaialble in 75-95% of the county?  

APC 2025_04_22 Presentation on a Zoing  Change and Enclosures – Decision Criteria 

    • IC 36-7-4-603, Reasonable regard for the following by the Plan Commission and the Legislative body: 
      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.
    • Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
      • 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).
      • “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.” 

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