WESTFIELD — Westfield city leaders have released a draft comprehensive plan that lays out a 20-year guide for the city's growth, outlining several priorities, including housing, trail development and road infrastructure.
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One key focus of the plan is to address missing middle housing, a category that includes duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and small apartment buildings.
Abby Pape, a Westfield resident, said she's on the fence about that strategy.
"I personally love communities and extended family homes, but also I understand there's a need, and it's hard to buy houses right now," Pape acknowledged.
Fellow resident Becca Kennedy said she'd be in support.
"I think it's nice to have both just because in the area it can be so expensive for people," Kennedy said.
According to Redfin, the median cost to purchase a home in Westfield was $488,500 in February, more than in the Indianapolis, Fishers and Noblesville areas.
City leaders say housing options beyond single-family homes could help attract young professionals and essential workers who may not be able to afford to buy a home in Westfield.
The comprehensive plan also calls for more development along trail areas.
"I love the idea of the trails and having things along the trails," Pape added. "I love even like downtown Carmel, like Midtown, how they have the Monon there, and then you have things going on. Love that. I feel like that would be an awesome way to develop the area."
The plan also addresses traffic and pedestrian safety, calling for an expanded road network on the west side of the city, both east-west and north-south, along with pedestrian safety features.
Resident Thomas Seabold told WRTV he's all for that mission.
"A lot of the roads just don't seem like they can handle the capacity at rush hour now, and so I worry about as more people come to the area and more development brings more people here, that's good for businesses, it's good for the tax bases, but I believe that we don't have the capacity," Seabold said.
You can find a link to the full comprehensive plan under the city's March 9th city council agenda packet by clicking here.
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Logan MacDonald is the In Your Community multimedia journalist for Hamilton County. He joined WRTV in 2025. Logan loves to tell stories that hold the powerful accountable and give a voice to communities in need. Share your story ideas and important issues with Logan by emailing him at logan.macdonald@wrtv.com.
