The Vanderburgh County Commissioners, Evansville-Vanderburgh County Area Plan Commission (APC), and Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization (EMPO) have partnered to create the University Parkway Corridor Management and Land Use Plan. They will host the first in a series of public meetings to engage our community in the creation of the University Parkway Corridor Plan. The meeting will be held on Monday, September 18th, 2017 from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm at the Griffin Center Great Hall, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47712.
There will be an informative presentation at the beginning of the meeting that explains the purpose of this plan and the planning process. Â Participants will then be broken down into small work groups to brainstorm ideas and discuss a vision for the future of the corridor. The project team will facilitate this discussion.
Due to growth anticipated from the planned extension of sanitary sewers and the many tracts of undeveloped land in the area, the goal of the corridor plan is to prepare for the future by coordinating appropriate, planned development with transportation and other infrastructure investments over time. The project area includes over 9 square miles and is bounded by State Road 66 to the north; State Road 62 to the south; Schutte Road, Peerless Road, and Church Road to the east; and the Vanderburgh/Posey County line to the west.
The corridor plan will offer specific land use recommendations on future development, preserving the corridor’s resources, and amending the Zoning Ordinance to ensure that future development meets the vision and intent of the Plan. Since the Parkway serves as a critical thoroughfare in western Vanderburgh County providing access to the University of Southern Indiana, the transportation component of the Plan will focus on protecting the Parkway for the efficient and safe movement of traffic, and identifying any future road improvements needed.
County Commission President Bruce Ungethiem encourages the public to participate in this planning process for the future of the University Parkway corridor. He stated, “We want this plan to reflect our community and for there to be buy-in from all interested parties. The only way for that to happen is if we can get lots of ideas from the public and we all work toward consensus on a vision for the corridor. New development should be properly planned, fit in its surroundings and enhance the area. We have a nice parkway out there, and the County should protect its investment.â€Â He also offered a reminder that “New developments will be around for generations, so we want to do this right.â€
For those who wish to provide input on the plan remotely, the project team encourages community members to comment through the project’s website at www.universityparkwayplan.com.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Blaine Oliver, Assistant Director at 812-435-5226 or email atUniversityparkwayplan@gmail.com.
