Iowa City 2030 Comprehensive Plan to be Released for Public Scrutiny Today

Media Release

This week, the public will get its first look at "Iowa City 2030," the proposed update to the City of Iowa City's Comprehensive Plan, the document that will guide City growth and development for the next 10 to 20 years. The proposed plan will be posted to the City's website at www.icgov.orgon Tuesday, March 5, for public review. Printed copies will also be available for viewing in the Planning & Community Development Department and at the Iowa City Public Library.

Later in the week, on Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m., the Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss the plan and take input from the public at the first of at least two public review meetings. It will be held in Emma Harvat Hall (City Council Chambers) at City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street. The second meeting is scheduled March 21. After the Commission completes its review, the plan will be forwarded to the City Council for final consideration and approval.

The Comprehensive Plan establishes a broad vision for the kind of community Iowa City residents want for the future, reflecting community values and laying a foundation for City policies and strategies that will guide change, development, and growth. The plan is used by the City Council, staff, and various boards and commissions to help set priorities and guide the City's development and investment.

The newest update, Iowa City 2030 (IC2030, for short), is the result of a community-wide planning process that has taken place over the past year, in which citizens and business owners were invited to share ideas on how to make Iowa City a stronger community and a more attractive place to live and work. Ideas and input were solicited through surveys and participation in workshops, as well as an online campaign called "Good Ideas" where citizens were encouraged to post ideas on a special web page. Other visitors to the site could vote in favor of ideas they liked, helping to foster support for specific ideas or projects and helping City staff determine which ideas were most popular with constituents.

The IC2030 plan that has subsequently resulted addresses goals for long-term economic, environmental, and social sustainability for the City, with topics that include land use and community character, economic strength and diversity, natural resource and energy conservation, arts and culture, parks and recreation, and transportation planning. The IC2030 proposed update was completed in tandem with the Downtown and Riverfront Crossings Master Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in January of this year. 

The City's last Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1997. That plan led to the creation of neighborhood district plans, planning documents that address the specific needs of individual neighborhoods within the city. The updated comprehensive plan will not replace those district plans, but is instead expected to build on those neighborhood planning efforts by addressing new opportunities and challenges. 

Residents of Iowa City who are unable to attend the Planning & Zoning Commission meetings but are interested in submitting comments may do so by mailing or dropping off written comments to Urban Planner Sarah Walz at City Hall, 410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240, e-mailing sarah-walz@iowa-city.org, or faxing 319/356.5217. All comments will be forwarded to the Planning & Zoning Commission. The deadline for comments to be received is noon on March 20.