Comprehensive Plan 2024

 Buffalo is working to develop a comprehensive plan and is working to put together a Steering Committee to participate in that project.  Members of the Planning and Zoning Committee and the Community Development Committee will be part of this Steering Committee, but we also will need members of the community to participate.   

A comprehensive plan is a city’s policy statement, a long-range planning document for a defined area with an emphasis on the physical environment.     The main purpose of a comprehensive plan is to serve as the basis for land use decisions in the community related to zoning, sitting public facilities and infrastructure.  

Here are the events and information for developing a comprehensive plan for Buffalo:  

Gena McCullough, from Bi-State Regional Commission, had presented information on a comprehensive plan to the Planning and Zoning Committee, (Buffalo Presentation - Planning and Zoning), as Buffalo does not currently have a city comprehensive plan.  The benefits of having a comprehensive plan could be used as a guidance documentation in court, encourage revitalization and housing diversity, assisting in grant funding, hazard mitigation and a transparent plan for the future.     

The Planning and Zoning Committee had recommended to develop a plan and seek approval from Community Development Committee to fund the project, which they and the council approved (Buffalo Comp Plan Agreement for Services). The plan will be to have at least 6 Steering Committee meetings, one initial public input meeting, one public meeting to solicit input on draft sections of the comprehensive plan and land use maps and one public hearing on the final draft of the comprehensive plan.  Bi-State will develop working draft text and maps for review by the Steering Committee and the final draft document.  

In the Buffalo Comp Plan Agreement, it mentions the City's 2013 Community Development Committee Plan.  Also, there was an article in the latest CityScape Publication, pages 22-24, that might be informative to you.   

Here are the requirements of the steering group members:   
  • Participate in six Steering Committee meetings to provide guidance to Bi-State staff on the plan development and interpretation of the public input.
  • Participate in one public input session (visioning and mapping exercise) to listen to and help draw out public comments on future development in Buffalo.
  • Select a Steering Committee representative to provide status reports to council, and planning and zoning commission if needed, and be present for the Steering Committee or Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing, and City Council public hearing on the final drafted comprehensive plan.
  Steering Committee Meetings for the Comprehensive Plan update, BI-STATE is anticipating up to 6 structured and facilitated Steering Committee meetings – 1 kick-off meeting, 1 after completing the Existing Conditions & Statistical Profile of Community, and before the visioning and land use mapping exercise to discuss vision/goals and land development, 2 as part of the Plan Elements, and 1 on Strategies for Implementation development and 1 for plan review.  These meetings will provide discussion of the plan status, assessment findings, and review of final draft recommendations.  If there are any changes to the draft comprehensive plan, an additional meeting will be held prior to the plan being recommended to the City Council for approval.  Each Steering Committee meeting is projected to run approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

If you are interested, you can contact mayor@buffaloiowa.org or buffalocityhall@mchsi.com for more information.  You can also be present on May 08, 2024, for the kickoff meeting.  

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