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Project Scope

Welcome to the New Harmony Comprehensive Plan website. Here you'll discover our journey to shape the future of this historic and vibrant town. Rooted in history, New Harmony continues to thrive as a unique community full of history, culture, and nature. Join us as we plan for the next 20 years, ensuring New Harmony remains a place where people want to be—to live in or to enjoy—for generations to come.

The New Harmony Comprehensive Plan is a visionary project aimed to guide the town over the next two decades. Building on New Harmony's rich history—from its founding by the Harmonie Society in 1814, to the intellectual and social reform of Robert Owen and William Maclure, and the cultural renaissance led by Jane Blaffer Owen—this plan will incorporate community feedback to address current needs, preferences, and aspirations. Our goal is to create a framework and guideline for local officials that honors the town's past while embracing its future to ensure New Harmony remains a unique and thriving community.

Planning Process

Planning Process Steps: 1. Discovery 2. Visioning 3. Framework 4. Action

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Discovery

    The Discovery phase involves gathering data on New Harmony's demographics, physical conditions, and community needs. It includes a kickoff meeting, community engagement strategy development, and a comprehensive analysis of current conditions.

  • Timeline item 2 - active

    Visioning

    Following the Discovery phase, the Visioning phase focuses on developing a 20-year vision for New Harmony. This phase involves public workshops and focus groups to identify key community values, goals, and objectives to help form the plan's foundation.

  • Timeline item 3 - incomplete

    Framework

    In the Framework phase, the insights and data from previous phases are distilled into detailed plan elements. These include transportation, utility infrastructure, economic development, housing, land use (or how and where land can be developed), and other essential areas.

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Action

    The final Action phase focuses on developing implementation strategies and drafting the Comprehensive Plan. The plan will be reviewed by the community and stakeholders, refined based on feedback, and prepared for adoption.

  • Timeline item 5 - incomplete

    Post-Adoption

    Final deliverables will be delivered after the plan has been adopted in April 2025.

    After adoption, town officials will carry out the Comprehensive Plan through implementing various projects, initiatives, and programs. The Comprehensive Plan will include a chapter that outlines benchmarks and suggested enforcement.

Project Documents

Mapping Exercise

Resident Survey

Visitor Survey

Steering Committee

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee 2024/2025 was created by the Town of New Harmony to oversee the process, participate, and provide direction on policy and design frameworks, support public engagement efforts, review project deliverables, and provide any additional assistance required during the project.


Steering Committee members include:

  • James Alsop
  • Connie Armstrong
  • Michael J. Axton
  • Charles Bandy
  • Christine Crews
  • Michael Guard
  • Eric Janik
  • Docey Lewis
  • Jeanne Maudlin
  • Cesar Olivarez
  • Allison Pinnick
  • Diane Sanders
  • Teresa A. Archer-Smith
  • Johnathon Webber
  • Zachary L. Weinzapfel
  • Dawn Worman

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