JACKSON COUNTY, Iowa — Jackson County is looking for the public's ideas to help develop a comprehensive, long-term plan for the community.
The county is working with the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) to help guide development in the area over the next several years. The plan is not for any specific kind of project but looks at community feedback and statistics to get a broader idea of how the county can improve over the next 20 years.
Planners said that through in-person and online surveys they have already identified some trends. For example, residents are saying local amenities — like the county and state parks — are a big perk of the area and should be marketed more.
Additionally, one of the concerns people have is the housing market, especially younger residents looking to be first-time homeowners.
"Looking at the market now, it was a great time to buy — but it was a struggle to find what I wanted for my family," Bellevue resident Nic Hockenberry said. "We were lucky and found it, and are probably going to stick around for a while because it is hard to find the same house for the same price point."
Organizers are looking to finish gathering feedback by the end of 2023 and present a plan to county leaders in spring 2024. The online survey can be found here.
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