Home>Economic Development>Comprehensive Plan Update>Full Text of the Comprehensive Plan>Dev. Framework: Concept Plan

JUNE 2005

I1. COMMUNITY IMAGE AND IDENTITY

In order to strengthen and enhance the City’s image and self-identity, it is essential that a sense of community is established.

North Liberty’s basic character is that of a small, but growing community. Residents of the City have stated that the features and amenities that comprise North Liberty’s “small city” character should be preserved and maintained even though the actual population continues to increase.

There are two fundamental elements of “small city” character. They are residential neighborhoods, and a central community focus.

Previous residential development has resulted in neighborhoods being developed as individual units. These units respond to physical features and barriers. Within the “original town” area, these neighborhoods respond well to adjacent neighborhoods. More recent development, however, has not related as well to adjacent neighborhoods, particularly with layout, street connections, and a mixture of uses.

A central concept of the Development Framework should be the establishment of a strong relationship for each neighborhood within itself, as well as to adjoining neighborhoods, the community, and the entire region. This means ensuring new developments are connected to the existing community, through an inter-connected street system and sidewalks and trails. The City should ensure new developments are not separated from the existing community.

The main community focus within North Liberty has in the past been the original Central Business District (CBD) located in the Dubuque Street/Cherry Street area. This area and the surrounding neighborhoods contain a number of features that symbolize the community’s earlier days. This district and the “old town” area features have provided a strong focus for North Liberty that greatly enhances small city character.

Commercial development in recent years, however, has responded to changing transportation patterns and related more closely to Highway 965 than the Central Business District. This has somewhat diluted the community focus. In an attempt to take advantage of the commercial opportunities afforded by Highway 965, while preserving and enhancing the original Central Business District and the original town area, the City has choreographed the development of a central commercial area near the intersection of Highway 965 and Penn Street, along the Cherry Street extension.

In addition, the City is developing a streetscape plan that creates a link between the commercial center and the original Central Business District, as well as a revitalization of the CBD as the “town center”. The implementation of these plans will result in a Central Commercial Area that will provide a unified focus for the community. This planned unified commercial center, along with the redevelopment of the original CBD, and the inclusion of community facilities such as the City Hall/Fire Station, and community center will further enhance the small city character of North Liberty.

The Development Framework emphasizes neighborhood planning with the use of planning districts that focus on smaller neighborhood areas. Through the formulation of these districts, the ultimate land use concept will focus on improving the regional image of the City.

In addition, community activities and preservation of their natural and cultural amenities are important factors in enhancing the community’s image. Many opportunities exist for the inclusion of well planned modest and up-scale residential neighborhoods, expanded commercial and industrial and business park areas with high quality development standards, interconnecting park and trail facilities for multiple user types, and educational/cultural activities for community residents. Improvements in these areas should be explored and implemented to the greatest extent possible.

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