SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- GM's $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant is already drawing additional development to the county, with New Carlisle facing the most housing development it's ever seen at once.

Tonight, county leaders welcomed folks to a discussion on New Carlisle's future and how it plans to use what experts call "traditional neighborhood development".

Presenters said one of the focuses should be keeping commercial, industrial, and residential areas separate. Not just physically, but visually.

They are avoiding one central street funneling everything through so it doesn't create congestion.

Instead, they are opting for an interconnected street network.

About 50 people joined the discussion.

With all the development on the way, a presenter from "innovative communities" suggested people look at their zoning codes and be proactive to change those to meet the kind of community they want to live in.