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About the West Jefferson Comprehensive Plan

The West Jefferson Comprehensive Plan is a strategic framework designed to guide the growth and development in our community. The plan serves as a roadmap for decision-making in areas such as land use, public investments, and capital improvement programs. The strategies developed through this process balance the need for economic development with the preservation of community identity, creating a pathway to offer new options to long-time residents and families moving to West Jefferson.

Comprehensive Plan Components

The key components of the plan are listed below. This is a tentative list of topics that the plan intends to cover, these may evolve over the course of the planning process.

 

  • Land Use and Zoning: Establishes guidelines for the development and use of land, ensuring that growth is managed in a way that is consistent with the community's vision and goals.

  • Economic Development: Focuses on strategies to attract and retain businesses, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth while maintaining the city's unique character.

  • Housing: Addresses the need for diverse and affordable housing options to accommodate residents of all income levels and life stages.

  • Transportation: Plans for a comprehensive transportation network that improves connectivity, reduces congestion, and promotes alternative modes of transportation.

  • Public Services and Facilities: Ensures that public services and infrastructure, such as water, sewer, and emergency services, are adequate to meet the needs of a growing population.

  • Natural and Cultural Resources: Emphasizes the protection and enhancement of the city's natural landscapes, historic sites, and cultural assets.

  • Community Engagement: Encourages active participation from residents, businesses, and stakeholders in the planning process to ensure that the plan reflects the community's values and priorities.

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Community Engagement

The West Jefferson Comprehensive Plan should ultimately be a document that serves the community’s needs. To achieve this, robust community engagement is a key component of this process.

The team developing the plan utilizes multiple methods to engage with the residents and business owners within the community. Engagement efforts for the plan include:

  • Stakeholder Sessions: Meetings with residents, local leaders, and business owners to gauge the community's needs going forward.

  • Public Engagement Events: Open houses and attendance at community events to give residents opportunities to speak with the project team and voice their opinions.

  • Community Survey: A publicly available online survey with questions aimed at understanding what people love about Harrison and what they would like to see improved.

  • Steering Committee Meetings: Regular meetings with a set steering committee comprising a representative cross-section of Harrison where collective decision-making guides the plan drafting.

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How the Plan is Implemented

The West Jefferson Comprehensive Plan is guide to be implemented over the next 10-20 years. The village should evaluate the plan regularly to gauge progress towards successful implementation.

 

The plan will develop goals for the community and provide strategies to achieve these goals. Some strategies will be designated as Critical Path Strategies, which will be accompanied by detailed information on who should lead their implementation and the steps to do so. Critical Path Strategies can be implemented shortly after the plan's adoption and enable community champions to begin achieving the plan's goals. These strategies will be one of the last items drafted when developing the plan.

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THE PROJECT TEAM

West Jefferson has partnered with American Structurepoint to develop the Comprehensive Plan. American Structurepoint is a multi-disciplinary engineering, architecture, and planning firm with clients across the country. The project team for the West Jefferson Comprehensive Plan are located in the Indianapolis, Indiana headquarters and Columbus, Ohio office and is listed below.

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MATT O'ROURKE

Planning + Economic Development Group Leader

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Trevor Traphagen

Project Manager

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 Ashley Newnam

Senior Planner

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