Public input is key for Plan Osky
Oct. 11—OSKALOOSA — The City of Oskaloosa is in the process of updating its comprehensive plan. But, before any final decisions are made for Oskaloosa's future, citizens have the opportunity to provide public input.
Last week, two Plan Osky open houses were held in The Alley next to Smokey Row and the Mahaska County Iowa State University Extension Office to discuss Oskaloosa's future.
In September 2021, the city hired RDG Planning & Design to begin the process of developing a new comprehensive plan, which is a long-term planning document and future vision for Oskaloosa.
"It's the overarching document of everything that the city is going to do in the next 20 years," says Charlie Cowell, project manager at RDG Planning & Design. "Any decisions or any future plans or details should all align with this plan. It's very important."
Plan Osky serves as a guide for development policy, context for making key land use and public investment decisions and a tool to guide city priorities and directions, including capital improvement projects. It is important to note that Plan Osky is a flexible document that can change over time, and public input is also key.
"[Plan Osky] should be the public's view of the future," says Shawn Christ, development services director, City of Oskaloosa. "So not just elected officials or volunteer boards or commissions. It should be the public's [view] that should be recorded in this document to last a long time and be utilized [in the future]."
Key elements of Plan Osky include community spirit, parks and recreation, future land use, living and flourishing, mobility and accessibility, community support and economic prosperity.
For community spirit, the current "priority policies and actions" are to create a City Arts and Culture Commission; reevaluate the 2016 community entryway concepts; create a community ambassador city staff position; explore the option of creating neighborhood associations; foster relationships to retain William Penn students in the community; and continue to grow arts and culture in the city's 2019 Placemaking Action Plan.
For parks and recreation, priority policies and actions are to create park spaces that are "diverse, accessible, and meet the needs of current and future residents"; protect natural drainage and steep terrain for ecosystem, biodiversity, natural beauty, agriculture and recreation; improve transportation and wayfinding options to attract people from Lacey Sports Complex to other community amenities; create a unique park or recreation space east of 11th Street; improve trail access across 17th Street to University Park and Caldwell park; and create a more "inviting public space atmosphere" around Penn Central Mall.
For living and flourishing, some priority policies and actions include creating a vacant building registry with inspection procedures; developing and encouraging policy that will provide mixed-use neighborhoods; fostering private, county and regional partnerships to address housing shortages; and more.
For mobility and accessibility, a few recommended priority policies and actions are to complete the recreation trail loop; provide safe transportation routes from the outer trail system to downtown Osky, William Penn and other areas; and create an "active transportation corridor" on High Avenue with a wide path and streetscape features towards the downtown area, among others.
For community support, some priority policies and actions include the commission of a feasibility study and steps to create a City Parks Department; planning for a potential future airport location; constructing an updated Public Works yard for equipment storage and operations; and more.
For economic prosperity, the current proposals include completing a Downtown Master Plan; working with partners to fill upper-story downtown spaces; and leading improvements to support growth in the Southeast Industrial Park, among others.
Tentative plans for future land use and additional details for Plan Osky can be found at planoskaloosa.com.
The Oskaloosa Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the City Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall to consider adopting the plan.
Emily Hawk is the associate editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. She can be reached at ehawk@oskyherald.com.
