Dunkirk Shifts from Buffer Zone to $80,000 Comprehensive Plan

From the City of Dunkirk Board of Works and City of Dunkirk City Council meetings on July 13, 2026

Dunkirk's $7,500 buffer zone review has expanded into a much larger planning effort. HWC Engineering representatives met with the mayor and recommended against proceeding with a buffer zone without a comprehensive plan, warning that adjacent jurisdictions — specifically the Jay County advisory board — could challenge Dunkirk's zoning decisions without one.

The estimated cost of a comprehensive plan is approximately $80,000. HWC is now pursuing economic development planning grants to fund it. The mayor mentioned possibly partnering with other Blackford County cities on the effort.

A council member noted that Blackford County is also applying for an OCRA planning grant to update its own comprehensive plan, which hasn't been updated since 1990-91 — more than 35 years ago.

The shift pushes the buffer zone timeline from weeks to potentially months or longer, depending on grant funding. The original 45-day HWC review timeline is effectively moot.

Source: Meeting transcript — City of Dunkirk - Board of Works Meeting - July 13, 2026; Meeting transcript — City of Dunkirk - City Council Meeting - July 13, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.