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Zoning Ordinance Update Project (ZOUP)
About the Project

The Zoning Ordinance Update will streamline and simplify the Borough’s zoning ordinance, making it easier to understand and enforce. It will also codify the vision for Indiana Borough’s development and land use as presented in the Indiana 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Tomorrow Together, into the zoning code. This project is being conducted by the Borough of Indiana as a stand-alone project but is related to many of the goals in the Indiana 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

Holiday Beer + Water Street2.png

Storefronts of Asphalt: Standards for parking do not have a form-based requirement, causing many parking lots to front commercial corridors. Setbacks or parking in front create the impression of a wide street, which encourages cars to speed, compromising pedestrian safety.

Existing Conditions

Current Zoning Map of Indiana Borough

PROJECT TIMELINE

Spring 2024 Field Tour

On May 15, the Borough and Steering Committee organized a Field Tour of Indiana as part of the Zoning Ordinance Update project. The goals of the Field Tour were to:

  • Understand the existing conditions of the built environment in Indiana Borough.

  • Observe how residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional areas interact on a typical business day.

  • Convene stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns on-site.

  • Inspect key redevelopment sites and corridors in Indiana Borough.​

 

​The Field Tour’s format consisted of traveling to several key destinations, discussing their importance, and co-developing ideas and concepts for future development. Discussions were led by a mix of Borough staff, Dr. Kevin Patrick, Professor of Planning at IUP, or the Michael Baker team. The Michael Baker team conducted live-sketching and mock-ups on a tablet computer to illustrate potential development scenarios in real time.

 

During the tour, the following locations were considered: Philadelphia Street's Downtown core and periphery, Horace Mann Elementary School, Wayne Avenue and Locust Street (a gateway to IUP and the Borough), N 6th Street, Brown Hotel, Eisenhower Elementary School, and Traverse Commons (located in White Township). The existing conditions of these sites were assessed, and comment was provided by tour participants. 

Project Team

The Zoning Ordinance Update is led by the Borough of Indiana. An advisory Steering Committee provides guidance and recommendations on the project. The Steering Committee consists of a wide variety of stakeholders including residents, small business owners, and institutional stakeholders. Michael Baker International, a consulting firm, was hired by the Borough to assist with the technical drafting of the zoning ordinance language, public engagement, and general project coordination.

nEXT sTEPS

The Borough and Michael Baker team will utilize the feedback from the Field Tour to make zoning recommendations to Borough staff and the project Steering Committee. These recommendations will be workshopped in an iterative process before being translated into a rewritten ordinance.
The ordinance is expected to be presented to Borough Council for approval in late 2024. A public comment period and public advertisement will provide notice to residents about the presentation, and the public will have the opportunity to give formal feedback on the project.

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