Christy Langley embraces her new role as Deputy Mayor of Noblesville
Writer / Laurie Quinn
Photographer / Brian Brosmer
What is Urban Planning? Christy Langley, the new Deputy Mayor of Noblesville, asked this very same question when she enrolled in school at Ball State University. Entering Ball State her freshman year of college, she knew architecture was the line of work for her. She began in BSU’s College of Architecture and Planning which familiarized students with Architecture, Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture.
“While I loved architecture, I fell in love with Urban Planning as I could help to change a community, and it incorporated more of a human element versus just built space.” Langley divulged. Realizing her passion for helping communities would lead her into the public sector, she went and earned her Masters in Public Administration at Indiana University to advance her knowledge of public policy.
After serving a year in Sarasota, Florida, with the Neighborhood Planning Department, Langley came home to Indiana and started her career as Assistant Director of Economics in Noblesville. After five years, Langley moved forward with her career as City Planner Director.
As City Planner Director, she was responsible for a team whose job was to administer the policies, programs and regulations that manage the development of the Noblesville community. This department is tasked with safeguarding the management of Noblesville’s growth to protect its quality of life and its economic existence through comprehensive planning measures.
She served four years in this position and was just recently promoted to Deputy Mayor starting January 1. Langley was honored as one of IBJ’s 2014 40 Under 40 while serving as City of Noblesville’s Planning Director.
When Langley isn’t at work, she spends time with her husband, Chad, and her son, Harrison, in their Noblesville home. They enjoy the numerous amenities that their city has to offer such as the trails and the parks in the area. Langley also relishes in some of the perks of living in a hipstoriccommunity by learning the new skill of stained glass art.
Other activities she enjoys are meditation and playing the banjo. While Langley runs, she professes it is not because she enjoys running. She runs because she enjoys food, and Noblesville is filled with a variety of restaurants with divine cuisine ready to please any palette.
To add to her impressive portfolio, Langley also teaches Public Sector Planning at Ball State and Community Development at Indiana University. While her career involves a great deal of planning, planning her free time is not a priority. However, her career caters to her not having to plan her free time so much. Langley and her family can pick up and attend an event on Main Street last minute, or she can lace up her shoes and go for a spontaneous run with all the accessible trails in Noblesville.
Langley is very excited to step into her new office and start this new adventure in her life. In her new role as Deputy Mayor, Langley will support and assist the mayor in making sure all departments are working together toward the same goals and visions for the Noblesville community. She’ll also assist with managing daily operations and fill in for the mayor when needed.
The duties of the Deputy Mayor are multifaceted, but in short, she helps facilitate for the department directors and acts as a liaison between the City and other organizations and units of local and regional government. A few of the projects on her plate include downtown Noblesville development such as downtown infill and trails.
Downtown infill is taking empty lots and space and filling them with better usage for the city. Connectivity of trails is another project that is a priority for administration. Connecting the trails will enhance the experience of the residents and visitors who use the trails to get to work or attend events organized with the city or use them for exercise.
Quality of life initiatives are the highest priority on her list of investments for the Noblesville community. Just as her stained glass art classes increase her happiness, she wants to be able to offer equal quality incentives to the residents of Noblesville to make their lives more fulfilled.
