SICOG to help county with comp plan

Southern Iowa Council of Governments has been awarded a contract by the Adair County supervisors to update the county’s comprehensive plan.

The supervisors gave approval for the work during their Wednesday, July 9 meeting. The board has been discussing the pros and cons of possibly enacting a very limited form of zoning in unincorporated areas, but SICOG Senior Planner Jeremy Rounds advised them that a better first step would be to update their decades-old comprehensive plan.

The agreement states a modernized plan will meet the requirements of the Iowa Smart Planning Law. Ten principles to be considered that may be applied to planning and the final document include:

• collaboration

• efficiency, transparency and consistency

• clean, renewable and efficient energy

• occupational diversity

• revitalization

• housing diversity

• community character

• natural resources and agricultural protection

• sustainable design

• transportation diversity

The plan will also include smart planning elements such as:

• public participation

• issues and opportunities

• land use

• housing

• public infrastructure and utilities

• agriculture and natural resources

• community facilities

• community character

• hazards

• intergovernmental collaboration

• implementation

The plan will come at a cost of $16,000 out of the general fund. Certain cities around the county that don’t have comprehensive plans have an option to join the county in this project.

The four phases of the project are contracting and kickoff; public engagement; background research and drafting; drafting of land use maps and plans and more public engagement and drafting and adopting the final plan. From start to finish, it is expected to take a little over a year, with final payment due in October 2026.