The City of Fort Wayne's Department of Neighborhoods is working with several Northwest area neighborhood associations, local organizations, and institutions to develop Northwest Neighborhoods 2035.

The expected outcome of this work is a 10-year neighborhood plan that provides a shared vision and direction for the neighborhoods, providing strategies for investing in growth, building community, and improving the quality of life for neighborhood residents, businesses, and organizations.

You may ask why a neighborhood plan is 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 "comprehensive" citywide plan cannot.

In short, everyone! This plan involves anyone who lives, works, worships, and participates in the Northwest Neighborhoods Planning Area neighborhoods, and we want to ensure your voice is included.

Direct involvement from the neighborhood's stakeholders and residents is central to developing a neighborhood plan. To ensure that the neighborhood planning process goes smoothly, a team of steering committee members, made up of residents and business owners in the Northwest Neighborhoods Planning Area, meet regularly to provide feedback and guidance in the plan development process.