City of Burlington, Iowa Comprehensive Plan

Many thanks to the 1,000+ people who completed the Burlington Citizen Survey!  The results are summarized in Chapter 2 of the draft plan, and complete results are provided in Appendix B.  The most recent versions of both sections are available on the Documents page. 

Also posted to the Documents page are two new sections.  Chapter 3 – Issues and Opportunities is a preliminary compilation of the key concerns and ideas that have risen to the top through the planning process thus far.  Chapter 4 – Goals, Objectives, & Policies is the first draft of the heart of the plan.  It presents an initial set of policy statements and action ideas for four topics: Housing, Mobility and Transportation, Economic Prosperity, and Community Facilities and Services. 

These draft materials will be reviewed and discussed by the Advisory Committee during a public meeting on Thursday, March 15, 7:15 AM, City Council Chambers, City Hall.  Attendance is welcome, as are comments posted on the Documents page.

As portions of the Comprehensive Plan are completed and updated, we will be posting these drafts on the “Documents” page. Drafts will be posted a week prior to the Advisory Committee meeting at which they will be discussed. We appreciate your insights, so feel free to leave a comment on the website (make sure to indicate what document you are referencing!) or, if you like, attend an Advisory Committee meeting (third Thursday’s, 7:15 AM, City Council Chambers, City Hall).

In the past two weeks we have seen a great response to our request for viral marketing help.  About 50 people are taking the survey each day, and as of today about 2.5% of residents have taken the Burlington citizen Survey.  We’d like to see a 10% response rate, so we will be leaving the survey open until Monday, February 27th.

We still need your help!

If you haven’t already done so (or even if you have!), please send an email to your Burlington friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, etc. to encourage them to take the 10-minute on-line community survey. Ask them to forward the email to their networks too.  Your encouragement is more effective than ours – please use your influence to get people involved in this important civic process.

Thank you!

Thank you for visiting the website for the Burlington Comprehensive Plan!

We need your help with some viral marketing.  We don’t have a funny video of a kitten or political candidate to share, so instead we’ll have to rely on your civic pride. Please send an email to your Burlington friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, etc. to encourage them to take the 10-minute on-line community survey. Ask them to forward the email to their networks too.  We’re currently at about 1% participation, and we’re seeking 10%+, so we need your help!

We would also like to give anyone not able to attend the January 11 public meeting an opportunity to see the maps on display and complete the worksheet provided at that meeting.  The maps and worksheet are available on the documents page of this site.

The survey will only be open until January 31.
Public meeting worksheets are also requested by January 31.

The Community Survey is ready! This survey is an important opportunity for Burlington residents and other stakeholders to contribute their thoughts and opinions on a range of topics, and influence the future of Burlington.

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete.  At completion of the survey you will have the opportunity to enter a drawing to win up to $100 in Chamber Bucks.

To complete the survey, click here or you may pick up a copy at the Community Development Department at City Hall (400 Washington Street).

The City of Burlington is hosting a Public Visioning Meeting at the Public Library (210 Court Street) on January 11th from 6-8pm. Doors will open at 5:45 pm.  The meeting will include a brief introduction of the planning process at about 6:20, and facilitated activities to get feedback on important topics including community identity, land use and (re)development, transportation, economic development, and parks and recreation. These activities and discussions will occur in an open house format and participants may stay as long as they like.  All interested parties are encouraged to attend – please help us create a plan that truly represents the interests of the community!

In November 2010, the City of Burlington was awarded a $50,000 Smart Planning grant to update the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Much has changed since the previous plan was created in 1997, and we need your opinions on how the City should look and function.

Comprehensive planning is a highly public process and requires the input of every resident, business, and institution within the City, as well as the collaboration of our neighboring and partner governments.

This site has been created to provide information to and collect input from all those affected by the planning process and future development in Burlington. Please take a minute to glance over  the site and documents provided to familiarize yourself with the progress of the plan. Then help shape the future of Burlington by taking the online survey (available during January 2012), subscribing to updates, leaving comments or questions, and participating in the process’ public meetings.