Prairie City Iowa Comprehensive Plan

 _{Comprehensive planning is an ordered process that determines community goals and aspirations in terms of community development. The end product is called a comprehensive plan, also known as a general plan, or master plan. This resulting document expresses and regulates public policies on transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing. Comprehensive plans typically encompass large geographical areas, a broad range of topics, and cover a long-term time horizon. The term comprehensive plan is most often used by urban planners in the United States. -Wikipedia}  

Last decade the State of Iowa adopted guidelines as part of the Iowa Smart Planning Act in 2010 that encourage local government to address the following elements when planning:

1. Public Participation
2. Issues and Opportunities
3. Land Use
4. Housing
5. Public Infrastructure and Utilities
6. Transportation
7. Economic Development
8. Agricultural and Natural Resources
9. Community Facilities
10. Community Character
11. Hazards
12. Intergovernmental Collaboration
13. Implementation

Prairie City is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,700 at the time of the 2020 census. It is twenty-two miles east of Des Moines.

Prairie City was founded by James Elliott in 1856, for whom it was originally named; it was later changed because there was already a town named Elliott in the state. The first resident was William Means, who built a tavern 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Elliot's cabin. The railroad first came through Prairie City in 1866. The first school in Prairie City was built on 1868 (The Plainsmen) ; the city's district remained independent until a merger with that of Monroe in 1990, brought about by the destruction by fire of Monroe's high school. The new school district is called Prairie City-Monroe ("PCM") Community School district, home of the PCM Mustangs.

Prairie City's Historical Society was established in 1995. The Prairie City Historical Museum is located at 109 S. Main Street and open by appointment. Many artifacts from Prairie City's history are housed in the museum including the Dowden Potato Digger, which was originally manufactured in Prairie City.

The city was the subject of Douglas Bauer's popular reminiscence of change in small town Iowa from the 1950s through the 1970s, Prairie City, Iowa: Three Seasons at Home.

• Entryway Park - Located Off the Highway 16 exit. Features include a bison sculpture, native prairie, rain garden, walking paths, picnic tables, and restrooms.
• Garden Square - Located in Downtown Prairie City. Features include a bandstand, veteran’s memorial, picnic tables, and benches.
• Community Park - Located at the intersection of South State Street and East Second Street. Features include a playground, disc golf, community building, and two open shelters.
• Prairie City Recreational Complex - Located on the Southwest edge of town on West Ashtyn Lane. Features include a playground, four baseball diamonds, two soccer fields, one-mile walking trail/bike path, and fishing pond.
• Red Rock Prairie Trail - A paved multi-use trail connecting the cities of Prairie City and Monroe.

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge 

The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is a federal national wildlife refuge located in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The refuge, formerly known as Walnut Creek, is named after Congressman Neal Edward Smith, who championed its creation. It seeks to restore the tallgrass prairie and oak savanna ecosystems that once covered most of Iowa. It has a herd of approximately 50 buffalo (bison) and 20 elk.

The core of the Neal Smith refuge was a 3,600-acre (1,500 ha) block of land originally acquired by Iowa Power and Light (now part of MidAmerican Energy) for a nuclear power plant. The Fish and Wildlife Service was able to acquire this land in 1990. Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has acquired about 6,000 acres more of the allocated 11,865 acres (4,802 ha).

Although the Neal Smith refuge includes a patchwork of small and seriously degraded native prairies, most of the refuge is the result of prairie restoration or reconstruction efforts. The restoration work has been done with local ecotype seed harvested from nearby native prairie remnants or from other restoration efforts that have used acceptable local ecotype seed.  -Wikipedia 

• Prairie City - City Hall, EMS, Police and Fire Department
• Prairie City Public Library
• United States Post Office
• Community Building
• Medical Clinic
• Prairie City Elementary School
• PCM Middle School
• Grace Alive Church
• Prairie City United Methodist Church
• First Reformed Church
• Prairie City Christian Church
• Christian Reformed Church

This map shows Prairie City's City Limits and the topography for the area. Prairie City is situated amongst the land from which it's name originated: a beautiful prairie, and surrounded by gentle water sources. There are no major natural threats to Prairie City such as flooding or extreme sources of natural erosion.

The City of Prairie City is located on the east side of the Des Moines Metropolitan Area Iowa on Highway 163, and Iowa Highway 117, in Jasper County, Iowa. The Neal Smith Trail connects the City of Prairie City to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, southwest of the community.

A community survey was available online and in person at Prairie City City Hall and Prairie City Library throughout the planning process. Feedback was utilized for development of the goals, strategies, and action items that will help shape the growth of Prairie City. Below is some of the survey data that shaped the goal development process. The remaining survey responses can be located in the "Additional Information" section of this plan.

A crowdsource mapping activity was used to identify areas of interest for the Prairie City Comprehensive Plan. Participants were asked to identify areas of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats of the community elements that comprise this plan. Below is a final visual of the crowdsource map. Responses and comments that built the crowdsource map can be found in the "Additional Information" section of this plan.

As we progress through the process, we will be developing a Vision for Prairie City in 2042. Additionally, we will use the engagement feedback and analysis of existing conditions to create Goals and Strategies in concert with Iowa Smart Planning Elements (see Planning 101 above for more info).

• Community Vision
  • Provide a safe, welcoming community for residents and visitors.
• Land Use
  • Establish a cohesive land use pattern that ensures compatibility and functional relationships among activities.
  • Identify and reserve land for future growth opportunities that will enhance the local economy and housing stock.
• Housing
  • Retain and attract people including young professionals, families, and retirees by supporting a range of housing options.
• Transportation
  • Enable safe, accessible, multi-modal transportation for residents and visitors.
• Economic Development
  • Encourage economic growth through local and regional opportunities.
• Agricultural and Natural Resources
  • Support the natural environment and reduce impacts of additional development throughout the City.
• Community Facilities
  • Continue to provide reliable, quality utilities and community services for residents.
• Hazards
  • Foster resiliency through disaster preparedness and recovery planning.
• Intergovernmental Collaboration
  • Maintain mutually beneficial partnerships with neighboring cities, counties, and municipalities and state and federal agencies.

Below you will find the draft Future Land Use Map for the City of Prairie City and corresponding Future Land Use Descriptions. The Future Land Use Map and the descriptions offer guidance to staff, officials, developers, stakeholders, and the community as the review growth and reinvestment proposals.

Prairie City's Comprehensive Plan will include a section that will assist the community in utilizing the plan as a guide for future growth. This section will also include a Action Plan matrix, used to continually assessing the plan's progress and successes!

In 2019 the Prairie City received a grant from Jasper County to review, update, and create several maps to assist with pursuing the community's economic development goals. The maps below were included in this effort. Please click on the following images to view enlarged versions.

In 2019 the city created a Strategic Plan for the City Council to help guide decision-making through the next five years. Click on the link below to view the  Prairie City's 2019-2024 Strategic Plan .

A community-wide master plan survey was administered online and in person at Prairie City City Hall and Prairie City Library to obtain meaningful feedback for the comprehensive planning process. The feedback was utilized for the development of the goals, strategies, and action items that will help shape the growth of Prairie City.

Click on the document below to view all of the community-wide master plan survey data: