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Increasing Local Fundamental Planning Capacity

This section of the toolbox presents the most fundamental ways for communities to improve their local planning capabilities.  These tools will help communities increase their technical, managerial, financial and political abilities within local government. Generally, these tools will be more helpful for communities with a capacity level of one or two to begin the planning process.  For more information on assessing a community's local planning capacity, refer to the Building Local Planning Capacity discussion.

Many of the tools described in this toolbox require a certain level of planning capacity according to Indiana Code.  For example, a plan commission and board of zoning appeals is required in order to implement planning techniques such as creating a comprehensive plan, zoning, etc.

As a community’s planning capacity increases, they become more capable of tackling increasingly complex and involved planning issues as well as being able to better influence their future.  Planning initiatives should come from leaders within the community; however, when additional guidance is needed, it may be obtained through external resources.  As communities grow, the planning qualifications within community leadership should increase. Additional training and hiring of planning professionals eliminates the need to outsource simple yet important planning tasks. In addition, communities can gain many advantages from partnering with other local governments on providing certain services. For example, if a small town and rural county partner to provide planning services, they could benefit by hiring one planning director instead of duplicating this service in each government entity.

* Tools Under Construction