IISC supported and advised a collaboration between Manning, Iowa representatives and two recent Urban & Regional Planning graduates to design an innovative childcare campus facility. 

Authors: Jovana Kolasinac and Farnaz Fatahi

IISC Advisor: Travis Kraus

Community project lead: Dawn Meyer

URP students will partner with the City of Ottumwa to create a development plan for the Ottumwa Regional Airport Growth Area.  

The Ottumwa Regional Airport offers distinct multimodal advantages, including direct access to highways, proximity to rail infrastructure, and an inventory of adjacent industrial land. Fully realizing this potential requires coordinated planning and due diligence to align access, utilities, zoning, and site readiness with targeted industry needs and available federal and state investment opportunities. 

URP graduate students will partner with the City of Ottumwa to create a comprehensive downtown master plan that enhances Ottumwa’s historic core as a vibrant destination and community asset. 

Master of Public Affairs graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs will design an age-friendly community initiative for the Granger, Iowa community. 

Communities across the state and country, especially in rural places, are experiencing rapid demographic shifts. Aging will be an increasingly important issue in Iowa, particularly over the next couple of decades as the baby boomer generation enters late stages of life. 

Urban Regional Planning graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs will partner with the City of Granger to create a Parks and Recreation master plan that provides a comprehensive vision for Granger’s local park system, recreation facilities, natural resources, and other public open spaces. 

IISC will partner with Lyon County to conduct a comprehensive housing needs assessment and develop informed recommendations for county-wide housing policy.

County leadership recognizes the need for a data-driven understanding of housing demand, affordability, and development opportunities to support residents, employers, and long-term economic growth in Lyon County.

Students enrolled in Public Policy and Persuasion in the School of Planning and Public Affairs worked with the West Branch Community School District to develop policy briefs for issues currently facing the school district. 

Public Affairs graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs partnered with the City of West Branch and other community stakeholders on a multifaceted initiative to optimize the community’s historic assets as a catalyst for economic vitality, tourism development, and enhanced quality of life for residents. 

Public Affairs graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs partnered with the City of West Branch, a small but growing rural community, to assess and support local fiscal policy, budgeting practices, and capital improvement planning. 

Authors: Fern Bultema, Yihan Li, Allie Tubbs, Erik Woolsey

Instructors: Travis Kraus, Phuong Nguyen

Community project leads: Heidi Van Auken, Adam Kofoed

School of Planning and Public Affairs graduate students partnered with the City of West Branch to conduct a comprehensive housing needs assessment and develop informed recommendations for local housing policy and programming.

Urban Regional Planning and Sustainable Development graduate students partnered with the City of West Branch, Iowa to update the city’s long-range comprehensive plan. 

As West Branch experiences population growth and development pressures, city leaders sought to proactively plan for the community’s future in a way that balances small-town character with sustainable growth, economic vitality, and quality of life.

Public Affairs graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs partnered with the Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA), based in Maquoketa, Iowa, to explore strategies for improving coordination and service delivery among key economic development organizations in the county.