Planning involves the complex intersection of many different aspects of a community: land use, infrastructure, environmental issues, existing resident desires, the supply and demand for certain types of real estate, and more. It also has implications that are not always easy to see: impacts on human and environmental health, a community’s tax base and ability to provide high-quality public services, the ability of a place to evolve and retain its value, and the ability of our residents to access housing, jobs, education, and health care.

The People’s Planning Academy was a free training program consisting of 6 workshops that provided participants with basic knowledge about city planning and the foundational goals that came from the Plan 2020 Bicentennial Agenda – to make Indianapolis healthier, more resilient, more inclusive, and more competitive. Participants learned how planning can help us to achieve these goals. The Academy trained participants on how to use the Land Use Pattern Book, which is the written component of the Marion County Land Use Plan. It outlines land use types and the conditions used to determine where different land uses are appropriate. Participants who completed the People’s Planning Academy were invited to join the Land Use Plan Stakeholder Committee during the mapping phase of the Plan. The program was open to all residents, property owners, or business owners in Marion County.

Videos and the workbook from the Academy are archived online here.

In Fall 2019, the City of Indianapolis is hosting a followup People’s Planning Academy 2.0, focused on how transportation shapes our city.  Learn more and register here.

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