2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

along the Highway 71 and 18 corridors where zoned for such appropriate developments. Whenever possible, frontage roads should be recommended in conjunction with more intensive commercial uses or commercial business parks along high traffic corridors. Where frontage roads are not feasible, parking and access considerations need to be considered to help prevent traffic congestion. Much of the large intensive commercial uses are appropriately located along either Highway 71 or 18 corridors. There are two primary areas of highway commercial uses in Spencer. One being Highway Boulevard from the intersection with 18 th Street north to the northern city limits along Highway 18/71. The other highway commercial corridor is the South Grand Avenue corridor from 4 th Street SW to 11 th Street SW, which is also the Highway 18/71 corridor. This corridor continues to the west along 11 th Street SW from South Grand Avenue to 11 th Avenue SW. The south Spencer highway commercial corridors, especially along South Grand Avenue and 11 th Street SW is the greatest concentration of retail commercial uses in the community. Other smaller pockets of commercial uses are located sporadically throughout the community. According to a community planning survey, more than 57% of the survey respondents believe future commercial development will continue to develop along the city’s highway corridors. OBJECTIVE 4. Broaden the city’s base of its economy through the attraction of new business and retail development, which will serve to expand, strengthen and solidify the retail and service sectors in Spencer. Promote commercial development in areas conducive to the provision of highway commercial activities along with strengthening the retail stability of the central business district. Policy 4.a. – Provide for adequate and suitably zoned areas for commercial, retail and service sector expansion. Encourage development with the existing city limits when feasible, and ensure land use compatibility is reviewed for future commercial development. Policy 4.b. – Promote economic and commercial development through the use of all available and applicable forms of financial assistance including, but not limited to, tax increment financing (TIF), urban revitalization and tax abatement, state and federal financial grants and economic development assistance, along with local business development efforts such as the Spencer Chamber of Commerce and the Spencer Betterment Committee. Policy 4.c. – Continue revitalization and strengthening of the city’s central business district. Development and redevelopment within the downtown should be complimentary to existing businesses and buildings while also promoting Spencer’s unique 1930s Art Deco era historical architectural significance. The central business district should be planned as the focal point of the community through innovative planning, promotion, and land use controls. Policy 4.d. – Continue the Spencer Betterment Committee, of which the committee’s intended purpose is to promote and attract new retail businesses in the community. Policy 4.e. – Provide adequate land, infrastructure and incentives to promote future planned highway commercial developments and maximize opportunities that minimize traffic congestion, conflicts with other land uses, and promotes visually appealing commercial developments. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS for commercial land uses that guide the city in making appropriate decisions on the location of new commercial development include:

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NW Iowa Planning & Development