Oskaloosa
The City of Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County. Oskaloosa's economy centers on retails trade, agriculture, and an industrial park. With a growing economy and cultural scene, the community is facing its largest population, nearly 11,500 residents, since the 1970s. With the increase of residents, local officials are assessing how to sustain the growth in a sustainable manner.
Projects
Oskaloosa Downtown Master Plan and Historic Preservation Guidelines
For their capstone project, a team of graduate students in Urban and Regional Planning developed a comprehensive document to guide the future of downtown Oskaloosa, and updated the community historic preservations guidelines for the downtown district.
Oskaloosa, the county seat for Mahaska County, is a relatively small community of about 11,000 people located in south central Iowa. The downtown district, which features a historic county courthouse and iconic town square, serves as a retail hub and social gathering space.
First Step Oskaloosa Solid Waste
Due to Oskaloosa's increase in population, city officials were interested in recommendations that supported growth in a sustainable way. Students evaluated the economic and environmental impacts of the City's waste hauling system and made recommendations for developing a more environmentally friendly and economically sound program.