The Packard Area Planning Alliance was formed in 2005 with the creation and adoption of the first Packard Plan. The original area comprised seven neighborhoods but has expanded over the past decade to grow into 18 neighborhoods working together.
In 2019, the Packard Area Planning Alliance approached the City of Fort Wayne Community Development Division to develop a new strategy for the neighborhoods moving into the next decade. With the collaboration of neighborhood leadership, residents, and the City, PACKARD 2030 is a neighborhood plan of action that guides future growth and investment in the area. The goal is to complete and adopt the plan by Summer 2022 as a part of the new All In Allen Comprehensive Plan.
PACKARD 2030 includes the following neighborhoods:
| Broad River | Courts of Woodhurst | Creighton Home | Fairfield | Fairfield Terrace Belmont | Fairmont |
| Foster Park | Harrison Hill | Hoagland Masterson | Illsley Place | Oakdale | Poplar |
| Sherwood to Pettit | South Wayne | Southwood Park | West Rudisill | Williams Woodland Park | Woodhurst |
WHY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IMPORTANT?
You may ask, why is a neighborhood plan important? The neighborhood planning process offers local stakeholders the opportunity to come together and shape the future of your neighborhood. Neighborhood plans do a lot for a community, including (1) engaging residents and businesses in identifying a future vision for the area and providing strategies and recommendations for achieving that vision, (2) providing detailed recommendations for the neighborhood to ensure neighborhoods grow as envisioned by the plan, and (3) provide a level of analysis, detail, and guidance on issues affecting local areas that a citywide plan cannot.
WHO IS INVOLVED IN CREATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN?
In short, everyone! This plan involves anyone who lives, works, worships and participates in the neighborhoods that are located in the Packard Area, and we want to make sure your voice is included. Direct involvement from the neighborhood's stakeholders and residents is central to the process of developing a neighborhood plan. Opportunities to get involved have and will continue throughout the planning process, including both in-person and online events.
To ensure that the neighborhood planning process goes smoothly, a team of steering committee members, made up of residents and business owners in the Packard area, meet regularly to provide feedback and guidance in the plan development process.
WHAT IS THE PLAN TIMELINE
A typical neighborhood plan can take anywhere from 18 to 24 months to complete, and in the midst of our engagement was the COVID-19 Pandemic. Even though most of the in-person engagement was limited, the Packard Area neighborhoods stepped up with online and paper survey distribution unlike any other neighborhood plan completed in Fort Wayne in recent years. The project team was able to pivot and effectively engage over 1,000 residents through various methods of outreach. The plan is on track to be reviewed, approved, and adopted by Summer 2022.
QUESTIONS?
We love answering questions, please feel free to reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Community Events
Packard 2030 has held a number of community events, and below is a summary of what we've heard from residents.
Draft Guiding Principals, Goals & Policies
The Packard 2030 Steering Committee has created a series of DRAFT Goals and Policies for the new neighborhood plan. These goals and policies are created based on community feedback from the survey completed in Fall 2020.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
| GOAL ONE | Support growth of neighborhood-oriented economic development opportunities for the Packard Area |
| POLICY A | Support the continued growth of existing neighborhood businesses |
| POLICY B | Support business growth through the development of educational programs and marketing strategies |
| POLICY C | Make the Packard Area a hub for entrepreneurs and start-up businesses |
| POLICY D | Increase business development opportunities for marginalized populations in the Packard Area |
HOUSING
| GOAL ONE | Support the development of additional and affordable housing units in the Packard Area for both renters and homeowners |
| POLICY A | Support mixed-use development in commercial areas along major corridors to increase housing availability in the Packard Area |
| POLICY B | Encourage developers to build a variety of housing types through infill development projects |
| POLICY C | Support the expansion of homeownership programs in the Packard Area |
| POLICY D | Build and rehabilitate housing that can be acquired at affordable rates |
| POLICY E | Prevent displacement through innovative housing solutions |
| POLICY F | Encourage the development of relationships between tenants, landlords, and City departments throughout the Packard Area |
| GOAL TWO | Encourage the rehabilitation of existing housing units in the Packard Area |
| POLICY A | Promote the benefits of historic housing in the Packard Area |
| POLICY B | Support the expansion of programs that assist homeowners with the installation of energy-efficient home improvements |
| POLICY C | Increase housing security by removing barriers and supporting necessary repairs of existing housing |
CULTURE AND IDENTITY
| GOAL ONE | Celebrate neighborhood culture and identity |
| POLICY A | Encourage the development of community events, to foster intergenerational and multicultural relationships that celebrate neighborhood diversity |
| POLICY B | Foster diversity and inclusivity in the Packard Area Planning Alliance and its member neighborhoods |
| POLICY C | Enhance the appreciation of arts and culture opportunities in the Packard Area |
| POLICY D | Promote the Packard Area’s Role as a cultural and artistic hub of the City |
| POLICY E | Strengthen relationships with institutions that exist or interact with the Packard Area to enhance the quality of life and cultural value for the residents |
| GOAL TWO | Enhance community corridors within the Packard Area in order to improve community identity |
| POLICY A | Support the development and implementation of strategies that enhance the major corridors through the Packard Area Planning Alliance |
LAND USE AND ZONING
| GOAL ONE | Enhance, improve, and protect neighborhood character through the use and enforcement of Zoning Ordinance provisions |
| POLICY A | Support and encourage commercial uses that are compatible with adjacent residential properties on corridors and in existing commercial and mixed-use buildings |
| POLICY B | Support and encourage a variety of residential uses that are compatible with existing levels of neighborhood housing density |
| POLICY C | Support the adaptive re-use of vacant and underutilized commercial, institutional and industrial buildings and vacant land for residential, commercial, or mixed-use purposes |
| POLICY D | Encourage momentum in bringing non-conforming uses to a conforming status |
| POLICY E | Support installation and maintenance of adequate and functional screening and buffering between incompatible or conflicting land uses |
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION
| GOAL ONE | Cultivate a stronger and more equitable Packard Area Planning Alliance to increase civic engagement and build an empowered community that works to implement Packard 2030 |
| POLICY A | Strengthen the Packard Area Planning Alliance as an organization in order to effectively implement Packard 2030 |
| POLICY B | Encourage neighborhood associations, local government, and other applicable organizations to adopt, review, follow and assist in the implementation of Packard 2030 |
PARKS AND RECREATION
| GOAL ONE | Parks, playgrounds, and open spaces in the Packard Area should add to neighborhood value and promote healthy lifestyles resulting in improved quality of life for area residents |
| POLICY A | Ensure that existing parks, playgrounds, and open space are upgraded and maintained to a high standard |
| POLICY B | Ensure that all Packard Area residents have access to quality programming and recreational opportunities in existing parks, playgrounds, and open spaces |
| POLICY C | Ensure parks, playgrounds, and open spaces are physically accessible to all modes of travel from adjoining neighborhoods, schools, and corridors |
PUBLIC SAFETY
| GOAL ONE | Packard Area neighborhoods should aspire to provide a sense of safety and security for residents and businesses |
| POLICY A | Support community-led efforts that promote safe neighborhoods by developing social trust, norms, and networks that residents and businesses can draw upon to solve common problems |
| POLICY B | Work to ensure the physical and built environment promotes a sense of safety in neighborhoods |
| POLICY C | Partner with City public safety divisions to monitor and communicate safety issues in the neighborhoods |
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
| GOAL ONE | Enhance multimodal safety and access through improvements to existing transportation and infrastructure systems |
| POLICY A | Promote and support the implementation of quality transportation and traffic improvements in the Packard Area neighborhoods |
| POLICY B | Support the development of long-term improvement strategies to existing transportation, water, and sewer infrastructure, and utilities |
| POLICY C | Encourage the continued maintenance of neighborhood alleys including the preservation of brick streets/alleys |
| GOAL TWO | Provide inclusive and accessible transportation options throughout the Packard Area |
| POLICY A | Establish safe, clearly marked pedestrian and bikeway routes to better connect neighborhoods, schools, downtown, parks, and other destinations in and around the Packard area |
| POLICY B | Improve the Packard Area’s access to public transportation in order to increase mobility options |
| GOAL THREE | Ensure that the Packard Area meets the current and future needs of electric vehicles and other green transportation technologies |
| POLICY A | Encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at both private businesses and public amenity sites |
| POLICY B | Ensure the benefits of automated mobility are equitably distributed across all segments of the Packard Area and that negative impacts of automated mobility are not disproportionately borne by traditionally marginalized communities |
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
| GOAL ONE | Promote, maintain, and enhance the neighborhood's historic character |
| POLICY A | Support the designation of National Register Districts, Local Historic Districts, Conservation Districts, Heritage Districts, and Commercial/Institutional Landmark properties |
| POLICY B | Ensure that any Community Development Corporation, neighborhood association, or similar entities that operate in the Packard Area are particularly aware and sensitive to historic preservation issues and the appropriate rehabilitation of historic properties |
| POLICY C | Encourage historically appropriate infrastructure as neighborhood improvement projects occur where applicable |
| GOAL TWO | Collaborate with community development groups to promote the value of preservation for all |
| POLICY A | Educate both residents and building owners about the areas historic assets, and historic preservations social and economic value to the Packard Area |
| POLICY B | Promote and foster partnerships between agencies involved in the preservation of the community’s historic assets |
| POLICY C | Ensure the practice of historic preservation and protection of community assets is for everyone |
| POLICY D | Promote programs that fund historic preservation and rehabilitation and/or adaptive reuse of historic structures |