2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

The Spencer Comprehensive Plan is an intense study into specific components that make the city work, including the physical growth and development of the community. Changes in land use patterns, infrastructure, transportation, municipal facilities and services, population, housing, and other features are very important in determining the current condition of the city. This information is useful in determining objectives and land use policies relating to the natural environment, built environment, land uses, and other such activities

Photo of Thunder Bridge in Spencer

that directly affect the physical aspects of Spencer. The plan’s overall goals and policies; and future land use designations are intended to be updated and amended as needed. As the community grows or changes from year to year, so will its needs. Therefore, the comprehensive plan should reflect recent changes and new objectives or policies intended for specific actions. Ideally, the comprehensive plan will be updated on an annual basis. Actions recommended by the planning and zoning commission and approved by the City Council can amend this plan to reflect current trends or simply a change in philosophy regarding one or more policy statements. According to Chapter 414, Iowa Code, if a city is to create zoning districts then “The regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan” . All cities involved in zoning and land use regulations need to have an updated plan to guide future development activities. In general, this comprehensive plan should and will contain sections regarding population and housing trends, socioeconomic data, transportation & infrastructure, hazard mitigation actions, parks & recreation, city services & community facilities, economic development, smart growth and future land uses. Once the working definition of planning has been internalized by those involved, the steps of the actual process should commence. According to the Iowa Land Use Planning Notebook published by Iowa State University Extension, a comprehensive plan serves the following functions for a community. ▪ The plan provides continuity . A comprehensive plan allows continuity within the city and provides successive public bodies a framework for addressing common land use issues. ▪ Balancing competing private interests . A thorough comprehensive plan can provide a balance between competing demands on land by establishing a plan for identifying future development patterns in an orderly and rational manner. A plan should be created to support the greatest benefit for individuals and the community. ▪ Protecting public interests . A comprehensive plan is also a means by which the city avoids costly infrastructure expenses on low priority or non-beneficial projects. It is much less expensive for a city to provide public services to well-planned, orderly, and phased developments versus a haphazard or scattered low density development that may only provide benefit to a few properties.

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NW Iowa Planning & Development