Welcome to the Virtual Community Open House!

Below, you can review key elements of the draft comprehensive plan and provide comments. The full draft plan can be viewed and downloaded at this website's Resource Center. Culminating from two years of planning and community engagement, this plan (Greenfield in Gear) will act as the community's roadmap to:

1. Provide pathways to achieving the community's Vision and Goals,
2. Guide land development, infrastructure, and public policy decisions, and
3. Open up the city to additional state and federal funding opportunities.

It takes about 30 - 45 minutes to review and complete the virtual open house. You are welcome to stop and come back anytime! Keep in mind that the public comment period is open until May 30, 2025. After that date, content on this page will still be viewable but activities will be closed for comment. This is done in order to incorporate your feedback into the final plan and answer any questions in a timely manner. Please feel free to email planning@reasite.com, if you have additional comments after viewing the open house.

Thank you for participating in this important public process to plan Greenfield's future!

This section contains a summary of parts of Chapter 1: Our Vision for 2055 and Chapter 4: Action. The full draft plan is available here.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A comprehensive plan is a citizen-drive, long-range plan (around 30 years) for the future development of the community. This plan will help city planning staff, policymakers, and other local government officials identify goals and objectives, as well as the kind of policies and projects to pursue. The plan works to prioritize the needs and values of the community by creating a vision with the community that establishes a set of shared values that provide direction and purpose for planning and development in the future. With this vision, goals and objectives are defined for the Greenfield's infrastructure, future land use patterns, transportation, utilities, and quality of life aspects like parks and environment features.

The City maintains and updates the Comprehensive Plan for three main reasons:

1. To provide a guide for future development in the City that is reflective of community wants/needs in housing, economy, and population;
2. To have a prioritized list of and rationale for policies, projects, and programs that City staff, elected officials, and partner organizations to pursue;
3. To allow the City to access regional, state, and national grants/funding/technical assistance for economic development, environmental restoration, infrastructure improvement, and more -- a comprehensive plan (sometimes called a community plan) is often one of the requirements in an application.

Greenfield in Context

Click on the glowing dots below to learn more about how Greenfield has changed and is currently developing.

Adoption Process

The pathway to this plan's adoption started with the in-person open house on April 30, 2025. A public comment period is open for 30 days until at least May 30, 2025. During this time, the public can review, ask questions, and provide feedback/comments on the plan. Revisions to the plan are made as necessary pending public comments. Finally, the completed plan will be considered and voted on by both Greenfield's City Council and Plan Commission over a span of three official public hearings (approximately two months): one Plan Commission meeting and two City Council meetings.

Post-Adoption Initiatives

Once the plan is adopted, there are several initiatives recommended for the City to pursue immediately or near immediately. These initiatives lay the groundwork for much more effective action on the plan's implementation. These initiatives are:

When to Use This Plan:

1. Policy Decisions:
   • Creating/updating land use regulations, zoning ordinances, housing policies, etc.
   • During budget planning for infrastructure, parks, transportation, etc.
   • As applicable, during public meetings/hearings for City Council, Plan Commission, Park Board, and the City various other boards/commission.
2. Development Review:
   • When evaluating zoning/rezoning petitions, site plans, or subdivisions. Projects should align with the plan's Vision and Goals.
3. Community Engagement:
   • Reference the plan's Vision, Goals, Objectives, Future Development Map, etc. at community engagement events for public projects and investments.

How to Use This Plan:

1. As a decision-making framework:
   • Use the plan to evaluate if policies or projects move the community toward its goals.
2. To guide zoning and land use:
   • While now law itself in Indiana, a comprehensive plan supports revisions to the City's zoning maps and ordinances. Changes should generally be consistent with the plan.
3. Coordination among departments and local partners (Hancock County, Main Street, etc.):
   • Public works, parks, schools, and economic development agencies can align their projects (design, function, etc.) and priorities.
   • The plan can unify or guide partnerships between the City and private/nonprofit organizations.

Part 1 of 3 Completed! Feel free to take a break, grab a coffee, or keep going!

This section contains a summary of parts of Chapter 1: Our Vision for 2055 and Chapter 2: Our Goals and Objectives. The full draft plan is available here.

Vision and Goals

Vision Statement

A vision statement, or vision, captures broad, overarching ideas for what the community wants to stay as/become by 2055. In other words, it is the desired outcome of and rationale for planning and community development over the next 30 years.

Our Roadmap to 2055 envisions Greenfield as:

• An authentic American city respectful of our heritage and intentional with our future
• A vibrant, accessible, and connected array of gathering places
• A resilient economy that supports a variety of business and employment opportunities
• A street network with enhanced connectivity and mobility
• A place with diverse and multi-generational housing options
• A community focused on safety and well-being
• A flourishing arts and cultural scene
• Continued high-quality education opportunities for all life stages
• Robust civic engagement and pride
• A harmonious relationship between nature and development

You can comment on the vision statement below.

Goals and Objectives

Goals break down the Vision into broad, thematic focus areas. Naturally, they are comprehensive in scope, accomplished over the lifetime of the plan (30 years), and guide general decision-making that advances the Vision.

Objectives describe how the community wants to achieve the plan's six goals.

Policy Direction

Guide Greenfield’s future growth in a way that is deliberate, thoughtful, and sustainable—ensuring development aligns with the community’s vision, capacity, and long-term resilience. Direct new investment to areas with existing infrastructure and planned expansion, while preserving the character of established neighborhoods, protecting natural assets, and supporting efficient service delivery. Balance economic opportunity with environmental stewardship and neighborhood vitality through coordinated planning, intentional decision-making, and strategic infrastructure investments. Embrace growth that reinforces a connected, inviting, and fiscally responsible future for all residents.

• Objective 1: Identify key focus areas to target investment and ensure growth to diversify the City’s tax base and bring new employment opportunities.
• Objective 2: Ensure safe, compact, well-connected, and orderly development patterns that are pedestrian- and bicycle-oriented.
• Objective 3: Preserve natural and sensitive environmental features through thoughtful design.
• Objective 4: Align development and UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) regulations with the future vision of the community.
• Objective 5: Develop a future annexation strategy.
• Objective 6: Create fiscally responsible budgets for necessary investments that support population and business growth.

Policy Direction

Enhance the ability for the city to retain, expand, and attract businesses. This should include opportunities for residents to achieve stability and upward mobility, enhance their financial well-being, and find prosperity. This can be achieved through a wide range of employment options, entrepreneurship, education and training, and access to resources by leveraging Greenfield’s unique qualities and location.

• Objective 1: Retain, expand, and support existing businesses that contribute to the local economy.
• Objective 2: Support education and workforce development.
  
• Objective 3: Attract new businesses that will invest in the community.
  
• Objective 4: Build a strong economy that can withstand economic shifts.
  
• Objective 5: Attract and retain a range of talents to meet local economic needs.
  

Policy Direction

Position downtown as the cultural, economic, and civic heart of Greenfield by fostering a vibrant, walkable, and active environment that honors its heritage while embracing innovation. Encourage a mix of residential, retail, office, entertainment, the arts, and public spaces that support round-the-clock activity. Promote adaptive reuse of historic structures, strategic infill development, and public realm enhancements to create a dynamic sense of place. Leverage regional connectivity, multi-modal access, and placemaking investments to attract residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors, ensuring downtown remains a destination and a driver of long-term prosperity. Downtown should contain: (1) a diversity of living options; (2) consistent pedestrian and bike traffic; (3) a wide range of activities available all day; and (4) the preservation of local history and small-town charm through architectural enhancement and a celebration of the arts.

• Objective 1: Support development and redevelopment that builds on the heritage and character of downtown.
• Objective 2: Encourage the development of mixed-use buildings and housing options downtown.
• Objective 3: Improve infrastructure within the downtown area to support increased density.
• Objective 4: Expand and diversify employment options downtown.
• Objective 5: Advance a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly downtown.
• Objective 6: Continue to support a wide range of activities and amenities for all ages.
  
• Objective 7: Streamline the approval process for downtown mixed-use projects.
  

Policy Direction

Promote a diverse range of housing options that are affordable to residents across all income levels, life stages, and occupations. Recognize that attainable housing is essential to sustaining workforce stability, economic competitiveness, and generational retention. Encourage the development and preservation of housing types—including duplexes, townhomes, accessory dwelling units, and small-scale multifamily—that meet the needs of teachers, first responders, young professionals, seniors, and service workers. Align land use policy, infrastructure investment, and incentive programs to support housing choice, lower cost burdens, and maintain the city’s family-friendly character.

• Objective 1: Support and increase the supply of a variety of housing and living options.
• Objective 2: Identify and address the barriers and gaps in available housing for varying socioeconomic and age groups.
  
• Objective 3: Encourage and enforce, when possible, maintenance of residential properties.
  
• Objective 4: Prioritize the development of housing in locations with pedestrian and bicycle access to local destinations.
  

Policy Direction

Deliver and maintain high-quality, resilient infrastructure and public services that meet the current and future needs of all residents and businesses. Ensure that investments in roads, utilities, digital connectivity, public facilities, and green infrastructure are efficient and aligned with community growth. Emphasize proactive planning, sustainability, and coordination across departments and partners to maximize long-term value, improve service delivery, and support economic competitiveness. Infrastructure and services should enhance safety, accessibility, and quality of life—building a strong foundation for inclusive, connected, and thriving neighborhoods.

• Objective 1: Construct an accessible and safe transportation network for multiple modes of transportation.
• Objective 2: Invest in utilities, and plan for expansion based on the Future Development Map.
  
• Objective 3: Maintain strong intra- and inter-governmental collaboration.
  
• Objective 4: Ensure adequate staffing of civil servants and public services.
  
• Objective 5: Strengthen community safety and security resources.
  

Policy Direction

Foster a city where public spaces and community programs inspire connection, creativity, and participation across all ages and backgrounds. Support the development of welcoming places—from parks and plazas to libraries and civic centers—that serve as hubs of social life, culture, and innovation. Invest in dynamic programming that reflects the city’s diversity, honors its heritage, and brings people together through shared experiences. Prioritize partnerships, flexibility, and design excellence to ensure public spaces are well-used, well-loved, and evolving.

• Objective 1: Foster accessible, active, and engaging community spaces, designed to support mental and physical health that is suitable for an array of events for all ages and abilities.
• Objective 2: Foster active use of community spaces through the arts, entertainment, and recreation.
  
• Objective 3: Promote design excellence and placemaking principles in all new and renovated public spaces.
  
• Objective 4: Incorporate community voices into the design, programming, and stewardship of public spaces.
  
• Objective 5: Partner with local organizations such as Main Street, Hancock County Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce to establish metrics and systems to track participation, community satisfaction, and programming diversity.
  

Part 2 of 3 completed!

This section contains a summary of Greenfield's placetypes (Chapter 3). See the full draft plan here for a deep dive into the placetypes.

Placetypes

What are placetypes?

• Placetypes are a major component of the Plan’s roadmap to 2055. Each placetype establishes a series of development recommendations based on the desired character of new development and redevelopment.
• They set forth how different parts of the Planning Area should be planned, developed, and/or conserved, as well as how different land uses can be mixed together to create vibrant neighborhoods and community spaces.
• The community’s Vision and Goals are the guiding principles with which these placetypes were created, with the intent to encourage well-designed places which will protect and enhance the community’s character, safety, and well-being.
• Additionally, the placetypes have been informed by existing conditions in the City and regional development trends affecting Greenfield.

A Space vs. a Place

Although these attributes (identity, purpose, meaning, etc.) are subjective in nature, the comprehensive plan seeks to encourage the development of places that people care about, which often relates to how people interact with the space. Are there areas to casually socialize? Do people go there because it’s necessary or because they want to? Do people live there out of necessity or by choice? Perhaps, there is a mix of both at play, but either way it’s a place that the community can be proud of. In this Plan, Our Roadmap to 2045, the role of placetypes is to define the desirable characteristics of future development and redevelopment, according to the Plan’s Vision and Goals, in order to build memorable and quality places to live, work, and play.

What is the Future Development Map?

The Future Development Map identifies where placetypes are or should be physically located in the community. It does not dictate when development occurs, rather it describes how development should look, feel, and function if/when it does occur. The process of making the map included:

• An analysis of the community’s trends in real estate development, population, economy, housing, environment, and more
• Public input gathered from workshops, the project website, and other events,
• Discussions with focus groups including elected officials, City staff from utilities, police, planning, fire, parks, local community organizations, and government partners like Hancock County.

Pennsy Trail Downtown

The redevelopment of the Pennsy Trail through downtown Greenfield is a unique opportunity to create mixed-use, trail-oriented development that will complement ongoing downtown revitalization. Within two blocks of Main Street, the vision for the Pennsy Trail redevelopment includes the creation of a multi-modal boulevard/ linear park that creates a series of linked, public spaces anchored by Depot Street Park on the west and surrounded by new buildings that incorporate parking structures clad with first floor retail, upper-level housing, and downtown hospitality opportunities. The vision is to create a walkable and vibrant district where people live, work, recreate, and contribute to the downtown atmosphere and economy.

Key Considerations

• Downtown Mixed-Use Placetype
• Trail-Oriented Development

Key considerations for establishing a successful Pennsy Trail redevelopment include dedication of a central right-of-way large enough to accommodate the trail, public space, vehicular traffic, parking, and development-adjacent sidewalks. New development should respect the architectural heritage of downtown. Destinations and amenities within the public space should be strategically located and designed to complement the desired, adjacent development. The public space and trail should be well-connected to adjacent development and street networks to promote connectivity to Main Street and the rest of the Greenfield community. Sidewalks adjacent to new, private development should be generous in width. New private development should develop with a zero-lot-line approach so that buildings are consistently located adjacent to the right-of-way which will establish a comfortable pedestrian corridor.

State Road 9 / Opportunity Parkway

Several undeveloped sites remain north of the SR 9 and Interstate 70 interchange and near the Elanco headquarters. This area has established roadways and utility infrastructure, as well as multiple established parcels. Development within this area should be focused on additional convenience, office, and commercial space near SR 9 and multi-family residential and hospitality development further west of SR 9. The primary vehicular access to the area is from the intersection of SR 9 and Opportunity Parkway which is envisioned to receive intersection improvements, including a roundabout, to promote increased vehicular safety, pedestrian safety, and connectivity to development east of SR 9.

Key Considerations

• Employment Hub Placetype
• State Road 9 Corridor Study

Key considerations for establishing successful development in this area include extension of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to increase connectivity to Brandywine Creek and the city’s trail system to the east. Multi-modal paths should be a minimum of eight feet wide. Additionally, surface parking lots should be maintained internally or to the rear of new private development, encouraging the buildings to be located along the roadways. New buildings should be limited to four stories and the structures should be a maximum size, utilizing design principles such as building step-backs to help reduce their perceived scale and to help promote walkability.

Part 3 of 3 completed!

If you would like to view and/or download the entire draft plan, head over to the Resource Center! Once there, you can also view/download the presentation boards from the in-person open house. Thank you for participating in the virtual community open house! We encourage you to share this with your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers in Greenfield! If you have any questions about the draft plan that weren't covered in the open house, please email planning@reasite.com.