Oskaloosa Comprehensive Planning Looks To Help Shape Community Into The Future
February 1st, 2022
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Looking into the future and deciding the best path forward is challenging and takes significant consideration. But, it’s that way for a person, a business, and a community.
The last such comprehensive plan was put into place in March of 2000, and since then, many things have changed in the way business is done and the places people want to call home.
In 2010, the census for Oskaloosa was 11,622, with the newest numbers showing a slight decrease to 11,558 in the latest count.
The City of Oskaloosa has tasked RDG Planning and Design to help lead the effort to develop the newest comprehensive plan to help steer the community for the next 20 years.
RDG was responsible for the comprehensive plan 20 years ago.
At that time, Tom Rielly was the mayor, and Dave Krutzfeldt, now mayor, served on the city council.
Joe Caligiuri was a planning and zoning commission member and now serves on the city council.
Along with dozens of community members, they developed an approximately 160-page document that has helped steer the decision-making process for the past 20 years.
A comprehensive development plan has historically had three fundamental purposes: land use regulation such as zoning and subdivisions.
To provide the vision for a community that its citizens aspire for their community and to develop a path forward to fulfill the vision outlined by the community.
RDG explained in the most recent public session that the process to update the plan started in the fall of 2021, and the process will provide other opportunities for the community to get involved.
RDG said that the 2000 plan was successful and that nearly 70% of the action items included within that document have been completed, while 30% “is pretty much things that are no longer relevant.”
This is also a time when the 2-mile zone around the city is also explored, and its future use is considered in that long-term planning process.
Things like parks, connectivity, housing, downtown development, and services are all being considered during the planning process.
The next public meeting for the plan will be on March 22-24 at the Oskaloosa Public Library, with the hours to yet be announced.
You can share your thoughts now by taking a survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PlanOsky
You can also visit a map being developed that allows individuals to share what they like, and provide suggestions about Oskaloosa. https://rdgusa.mysocialpinpoint.com/planosky/map#/
