Plan Commission forwards updated Lebanon comprehensive plan to council, citing LEAP-driven housing demand

The Lebanon Plan Commission voted during its April meeting to forward a revised 2025 comprehensive plan to the Common Council with a favorable recommendation.

Commission staff presented the draft plan and consultant MKSK gave a brief overview. Ben Coutts, a city staff member overseeing planning work, told commissioners that a county housing study and the LEAP innovation district’s projected employment growth were driving updated housing and infrastructure needs. “That’s more than twice what we’ve ever done in Lebanon,” Coutts said about the city’s near‑term housing production needs without indicating a specific adoption action by the council.

The recommendation matters because the comprehensive plan is the city’s long‑range guidance document for land use, utilities, transportation, housing and economic development; it informs zoning and future development decisions though it is not itself zoning. MKSK associate principal Aaron Kowalski described the firm’s role and scope: the update covers the city limits and surrounding township, aligns with Indiana legal requirements for comprehensive plans, and will be available as both a printable document and a website. Carly Lemon, MKSK project manager, outlined the plan’s structure: an introductory section with community background and engagement; six plan elements (Housing and Neighborhoods; Land Use and Development Character; Transportation and Utilities; Downtown; Quality of Life; Economic Development); and an implementation matrix listing initiatives and action items.

Commission staff and MKSK emphasized demand projections from a Boone County housing study and LEAP district analyses. Coutts summarized the county forecast presented by the study: a baseline county population of about 77,000 in 2025, with demand projections that could require tens of thousands of additional residents and thousands of housing units over the next 25 years. Staff said MKSK reviewed those projections and shaped the comprehensive plan update to help the city respond to increased demand for housing, utilities and transportation capacity tied to LEAP and other regional changes.

Commissioners asked several clarifying questions during the presentation. One commissioner asked whether specific issues such as setback or sidewalk adjustments would be addressed in the comprehensive plan; staff and consultants replied those are more appropriately handled in zoning ordinance updates and corridor‑level studies. Another commissioner asked about “gateways” and the appearance of southern entrance corridors; MKSK said the plan includes a gateways section and recommended further corridor‑specific study or redevelopment strategies for targeted areas.

A required public hearing on the draft plan was opened and closed with no public comments. The commission then voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the Common Council for adoption of the comprehensive plan update (Docket 25‑10). The vote was carried by voice vote.

Next steps noted by staff: the Plan Commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the Common Council, which may adopt the plan by resolution following council consideration; staff also said they will update the public website to publish the finalized document and implementation resources.

Ending: The Plan Commission’s recommendation begins the formal legislative step toward adoption; the Common Council will consider the plan in its ordinance/resolution process and may request changes before final adoption.