Berne Comprehensive Plan

The City of Berne, Indiana engaged American Structurepoint to update its comprehensive plan. The current previous plan was approved in 1966. Our planners set out to develop a plan celebrating Berne’s vibrancy, history, and resiliency while also identifying key issues and goals, guiding future land use activities, and developing policy objectives. The plan contained an existing conditions analysis covering topics such as land use, government and fiscal capacity, public facilities and services, placemaking, economic development, housing, transportation, agriculture, natural resources, and parks and recreation. Public information sessions and online surveys were conducted to collect input from Berne residents regarding plan components and their vision of the city’s future.

While our team has embraced technology as part of its public outreach approach, it’s not always the best tool for the job. One group we encountered was the Amish community of the City of Berne, Indiana, who make up a significant portion of the City’s population. They take immense pride in their Swiss heritage and strictly adhere to their way of life, leaving their wagons uncovered in the winter and forgoing the use of telephones and the internet. Our team knew that educating them about the City’s new comprehensive master plan and gathering feedback would be a challenge. By combining our outreach efforts with a parallel master park plan for the city, we had an unlikely ally to accomplish this: the Witch’s Hat (a piece of playground equipment). Despite the danger surrounding it, there was a great sense of nostalgia toward it, and the people who grew up in Berne continuously suggested bringing it back. Our team managed to find a safe alternative to replace it, and the excitement that arose from that was a significant factor in spreading the word about both plans.