HWC Engineering presents comprehensive-plan refresh to Richmond advisory board

HWC Engineering presented a draft refresh of Richmond City’s comprehensive plan at the Richmond advisory board meeting on Sept. 24, asking commissioners to review the 78-page document and return any edits before staff prepares an adoption draft for the plan commission and common council.

The presentation, led by Rachel Christiansen and Jennifer Barclay of HWC Engineering, summarized the update process, noted accomplishments since the city’s 2019 plan, and identified new critical-path strategies and changes to the future land use map. "My name is Rachel Christiansen," Christiansen said, and she provided HWC’s business address. Jennifer Barclay reviewed state requirements and the draft’s policy guidance: "It does have legal requirements. 3 things in Indiana code: objectives about future developments, policies for land use, and policy for development of public ways, public land, and public utilities," she said. Barclay also cautioned that "Use is not the same as zoning. ... This is a guide to help in that decision making."

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan guides rezoning and capital planning but is not itself a zoning ordinance. The refresh summarizes what the city has achieved since 2019, updates the vision and goals, and creates an action-focused set of critical-path strategies intended to guide near-term city decisions and partnerships.

Key points from the HWC presentation - Scope and process: HWC said the work began in May and included four steering-committee meetings, stakeholder workshops and a public workshop. HWC reported 23 stakeholders were invited and 13 people attended the public workshop. The consultant expects three presentations to the planning commission and the common council as the draft moves toward adoption. - Changes to goals and framework: HWC retained the Grow–Connect–Protect–Celebrate organizational framework from the 2019 plan, made slight updates to the vision statement and retired two goals that consultants reported were largely complete (community identity and certain economic/workforce development objectives). Two new goals labeled economic development and quality of life were added to replace those items. - Critical-path strategies: HWC introduced a new set of practical strategies intended for near-term action, including targeted recruitment of a grocer for underserved areas, youth and adult leadership programming, ongoing review of the city’s unified development ordinance (UDO), streamlining permitting, boosting marketing to raise Richmond’s regional profile, and strengthening the transportation network. - Future land use map updates: The consultant highlighted an expanded urban mixed-use designation along Fifth Street (pink on the draft map), a larger traditional-neighborhood area along State Road 40 (orange), and a growth in industrial-designated area to the city’s north and west (purple). HWC noted specific commercial activity near I-70/State Road 40, citing an existing Love’s travel stop and a forthcoming Speedway project as context for changing the map from agricultural to commercial in parts of the corridor. - Document logistics: HWC told commissioners the draft is roughly 78 pages long and said staff (Dustin) will distribute electronic copies and make hard copies available on request. The firm asked commissioners to submit edits and public feedback within about a month so HWC can prepare an adoption draft for plan commission consideration and later for the common council.

Questions and clarifications from commissioners Commissioners pressed HWC to point out color changes on the map for clarity and asked who would be responsible for implementing the critical-path strategies. HWC said the report identifies potential partner organizations and city departments but emphasized that no single entity will carry all items; many recommendations are collaborative and some require further city action or external partners. On the commercial designation north of I-70, HWC said that area already includes commercial uses and an industrial park of roughly 600 acres, and the map update reflects development that has occurred over recent decades.

Next steps HWC asked commissioners to review the draft and return requested edits within the month so the consultant can prepare an adoption draft for the plan commission and common council to consider. Staff committed to sending the draft electronically and supplying paper copies to commissioners who request them.