DeKalb County planners present 'DeKalb 2040' comprehensive plan ahead of Feb. 18 public hearing
February 11, 2026 | DeKalb County, Indiana
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HWC planning staff on Feb. 11 presented the draft DeKalb 2040 comprehensive plan to the DeKalb County Council, summarizing a year-plus planning process and broad public engagement that the consultants said will guide land-use and long-term local investments.
"A comprehensive plan is a document that helps guide the development and long-term community investments," Rachel Christiansen, HWC planning studio lead, told the council. She said the process included a steering committee, background research, public engagement phases and a public draft now available for review.
Project manager Jen Barclay described the document’s structure and key recommendations, noting chapters on land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, trails and economic development. Barclay cited survey results presented in the plan: 68% of online respondents opposed converting agricultural land for large-lot housing and 65% supported allowing higher-density housing to preserve farmland and limit scattered growth.
HWC staff reported the public-engagement metrics included roughly 2,000 unique visits to the project website, about 62 focus-group participants, nearly 600 online survey responses and two public workshops with about 75 attendees. The presenters said common themes were protection of farmland and natural assets, support for thoughtful growth and a focus on quality-of-life amenities.
The consultants described the plan’s role as a policy guide — including a future land-use map that is separate from zoning — and outlined implementation steps and timelines in the plan’s final chapter. They asked council members to review the public draft before the Feb. 18 Plan Commission recommendation and the March 2 county-commissioners adoption meeting.
Council members thanked the HWC team for the presentation and for extensive staff time on the project. One council member asked whether recent state-level bills affecting agricultural zoning had altered the plan’s approach; HWC staff said zoning categories still exist locally and that any statutory changes would be considered as the plan proceeds through adoption.
Next steps: the plan commission will hold a public hearing Feb. 18; county commissioners are expected to consider adoption March 2.
"A comprehensive plan is a document that helps guide the development and long-term community investments," Rachel Christiansen, HWC planning studio lead, told the council. She said the process included a steering committee, background research, public engagement phases and a public draft now available for review.
Project manager Jen Barclay described the document’s structure and key recommendations, noting chapters on land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, trails and economic development. Barclay cited survey results presented in the plan: 68% of online respondents opposed converting agricultural land for large-lot housing and 65% supported allowing higher-density housing to preserve farmland and limit scattered growth.
HWC staff reported the public-engagement metrics included roughly 2,000 unique visits to the project website, about 62 focus-group participants, nearly 600 online survey responses and two public workshops with about 75 attendees. The presenters said common themes were protection of farmland and natural assets, support for thoughtful growth and a focus on quality-of-life amenities.
The consultants described the plan’s role as a policy guide — including a future land-use map that is separate from zoning — and outlined implementation steps and timelines in the plan’s final chapter. They asked council members to review the public draft before the Feb. 18 Plan Commission recommendation and the March 2 county-commissioners adoption meeting.
Council members thanked the HWC team for the presentation and for extensive staff time on the project. One council member asked whether recent state-level bills affecting agricultural zoning had altered the plan’s approach; HWC staff said zoning categories still exist locally and that any statutory changes would be considered as the plan proceeds through adoption.
Next steps: the plan commission will hold a public hearing Feb. 18; county commissioners are expected to consider adoption March 2.
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