Project Description

Several adopted neighborhood and sub-area plans include recommendations to rezone an area to a more appropriate zoning district, often reflecting the actual land uses, or to encourage more compatible land uses and development patterns.

Many adopted neighborhood and sub-area plans include recommendations to rezone areas to a more appropriate zoning district for the actual land uses or to encourage more compatible land uses and development patterns. The City of Fort Wayne Planning and Policy Department and the Allen County Department of Planning Services have formed a Proactive Rezoning Work Group to rezone corridors and other areas identified as part of these neighborhood and community-based plans.

Staff will review and evaluate the rezoning recommendation and then meet with property owners and the public to discuss the rezoning changes. A rezoning request is then filed with the Fort Wayne Plan Commission following standard practices administered by the Plan Commission staff.

A formal public hearing is held before the Plan Commission for review of the request, at which time property owners and the public can provide input and ask questions. Letters and emails can also be sent to the Department of Planning Services before the public hearing. One week later, the Plan Commission will meet to make a recommendation to send to City Council. The council usually meets a few weeks later to make their final decision.

This rezoning satisfies the guiding principles and policies outlined in the Southeast Strategy Update adopted by Common Council in 2021. The rezoning area includes portions of Pontiac Street to UC/Urban Corridor, R2/Two Family Residential, and R3/Multiple Family Residential. The current zoning for this area includes I1/Limited Industrial, C3/General Commercial, C2/Limited Commercial, and C1/Professional Office and Personal Services.

Based on information from property owners within this area, a second smaller area of Pontiac (South side of 700 block of E. Pontiac Street - Hanna to Weisser Park Ave) was rezoned from C3 General Commercial and R2 Two Family Residential to UC Urban Corridor.

The Urban Corridor district is intended to recognize that certain commercial corridors have special importance to the community because of their collective, cohesive identity, historic character, urban development patterns, relationship to the surrounding neighborhood, pedestrian oriented streetscapes, and distinct urban architecture and form. In keeping with this intent, the UC district should allow for and encourage mixed uses with a focus on neighborhood oriented commercial and personal service uses at the street level. New development is encouraged to be compatible with the existing historic development patterns by locating buildings close to the street in order to enhance pedestrian activity along the corridor. New residential development is encouraged to locate on the upper floors of new and existing commercial structures. Parking standards in these areas should accommodate historic development patterns which typically allow for on-street parking, the use of alleys to access parking areas behind buildings as well as access to public transit routes and alternative transportation modes. Urban Corridor districts should generally be located along arterial streets in neighborhoods surrounding the core of the City.

The Two Family Residential district is intended to create areas for medium density residential uses on individual lots or tracts and to provide for a variety of areas for single family and two family residential development, along with certain additional uses.

The Multiple Family Residential district is intended to create areas for high density multiple family residential uses, as well as single and two family dwelling units and other compatible nonresidential uses where adequate public facilities are available.

East Pontiac Street Rezoning

Contact Us

Have questions about Proactive Rezoning, please contact us here:

Name Fort Wayne - Allen County Department of Planning Services
Phone 260-449-7607
Email acfwplancommission@allencounty.us