The city of Warren is seeking the city residents' input for a plan it has put together that is attempting to provide a blueprint for local decisions and the city going forward.

The long-term goals of the Warren Comprehensive Plan are to modernize and maintain infrastructure, attract, retain and foster new businesses, revitalize the downtown, focus on youth outreach and development and address underserved areas. The plan details a community’s vision, goals, and strategies for future growth, development, and preservation of the community, protection of community assets, and provision of services.

City officials worked with Trumbull Co. Commissioners, City Council, Warren City Department heads, Community Stakeholder Group, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, Trumbull County Historical Society, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and the Trumbull County Planning Commission.

The City of Warren Comprehensive Plan is a document that shares its plan and is divided into two main sections: inventory and strategy.

The inventory section of the plan compiles data to determine any deficiencies or needs and assesses the adequacy of the current services and development patterns to meet them. The plan section provides a blueprint for the orderly development of the city and provides guidance for growth.

The plan looks at various elements affecting the city and the county, including housing, labor force, road work, transportation, sewers, and water and also analyzes data from the community. It also looks at parks, and the vision going forward. 

Julie Green, the Director of the Trumbull County Planning Commission, said "The goal of a comprehensive plan is to provide communities with recommended actions relevant to the current and future needs of the area'

The Warren Comprehensive Plan includes an inventory of existing land use and zoning, water, sewer and transportation infrastructure, community facilities, demographics and the natural environment. 

The community has until June 23 to submit comments to the Planning Commission via e-mail.

"Community outreach and participation is also a major component of the planning process. Public officials, stakeholders, community groups and residents all provided feedback on their vision for the future of the City of Warren," Green added.

 The document, once adopted, is utilized by local officials in order to justify decision-making, local regulations, and capital improvement projects,  guide individual development approvals and open new funding opportunities and grants for community and economic development.

The comprehensive planning process has been in the works since 2016, involving the mayor, city council, the Trumbull Co. Commissioners, and the Planning Commission.

Warren's last comprehensive plan was completed in 1960.