Comprehensive Planning 2024
Public Hearing Notice City of Buffalo, Iowa Comprehensive Plan
A public hearing will be held on 3, 2025 at 6:00p.m. at Buffalo City Hall, 329 Dodge Street, Buffalo, Iowa. Its purpose is to receive comments on draft Buffalo Comprehensive Plan by the Buffalo Plan and Zone Commission. Comments will be accepted up through the public hearing. A physical copy of the Comprehensive plan is available at city hall during regular business hours. On recommendation by the Plan and Zone Commission, the City Council will consider adoption of the Plan at the next scheduled meeting. A full copy of the draft Buffalo Comprehensive Plan can be found at: https://buffaloiowa.org/community-dev. The agenda for the meeting will be posted 12 days prior to the public hearing on the same website noted above. Public interested in participating can come to city hall council chambers, sign-in and indicate interest in providing comments during the public hearing. For any questions related to this notice, contact Tanna Leonard, City Clerk at (563)381-2226.
Buffalo Comprehensive Plan – General Information
What is a Comprehensive Plan? The comprehensive plan is composed of several elements including the community vision, goals, objectives, land use, infrastructure, services, and implementation strategies. It is a valuable document with the following purposes: legal, educational, guidance, coordination, and needs. The plan declares the community purpose and policies, as well as guides land use decisions and investments. Iowa Code requires that municipal regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan. It further states that regulations shall be made with reasonable consideration of the area character and suitability, as well as with consideration of smart planning principles. As a legal document to support land use decisions, the plan’s goals and objectives transform the community vision into achievable tasks. It provides the basis for decisions on land use, public infrastructure and services, public facilities, growth, development, and level of public investment needed to meet future community needs.
What is the Process and Public Comment Opportunities? A Steering Committee of City Council, Plan and Zone Commission and citizen representatives oversaw the plan development during 2024. Bi-State Regional Commission guided the Steering Committee through the plan development process to develop the draft. Public comment opportunities included Steering Committee meetings and a visioning workshop. A public hearing is scheduled to be held by the Plan and Zone Commission to take comments on the draft Comprehensive Plan. On review of the plan, the Plan and Zone Commission will make a recommendation for approval by the City Council. The City Council will take this recommendation and consider adopting the plan.