WARSAW – The Forward Kosciusko County planning team will host a series of three open-house workshops to solicit input from the public on the County’s comprehensive planning effort.

The comprehensive plan is a guidance document for future growth and development that frequently focuses on the next 10 to 20 years. It serves as a roadmap for effective decision-making in both private development projects and community initiatives for the public good.

The county’s current comprehensive plan was last updated in 1996. The comprehensive planning process provides the people of Kosciusko County with the opportunity to guide land use and development to meet the future needs of our County and your local community, especially in terms of public health, safety, and infrastructure.

In addition to the comprehensive plan, the individual communities of Claypool, Etna Green, Leesburg, Mentone, Milford, North Webster, Pierceton, Silver Lake and Syracuse will also receive their own long-range planning document. This collaborative planning effort will allow these communities to leverage their unique assets and identify a strategic plan for growth, improvement and continued prosperity.

The public workshops will allow residents to review project data and, through a series of interactive exercises, provide ideas and input on local existing conditions, future growth and connectivity and future priorities for both the County and their local community. Since updating the comprehensive plan is a public process and the County wants to involve as many citizens as possible, the FORWARD Kosciusko County team is hosting three open-house workshops: one in each of the three county commissioner districts. Each meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will be an open-house format where the public can gather and share their opinions in an informal setting.

The meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, June 3, The Roost at Creighton’s Crazy Egg Café, 4217 W. Old Road 30 Warsaw, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 8, Silver Lake Lions Club 108 N. Harrison Street, Silver Lake, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• The third workshop will be scheduled for later in June and details will be shared as soon as the location and date are finalized.

Forward Kosciusko County is intended to encourage cooperation, collaboration and continued, shared investment amongst all implementation partners. The process, and final plan, is intended to represent all of us and will be OUR tool to build a better future together.

Additional information on the project, including digital engagement opportunities, can be found here.