Neighborhood Planning Process

Frequently Asked Questions

What is neighborhood planning?
Who should participate?
What is the Neighborhood Planning Process?
Who Should Participate in the Neighborhood Planning Process?
What are the Goals of the Neighborhood Planning Process?
Why Use a Neighborhood Planning Process?
What are the Expected Outcomes of the Neighborhood Planning Process?
What will happen after the Neighborhood Planning Process is Complete?
How will a Neighborhood be defined during this Process?
What’s the difference between a workshop and an area meeting?
What are the Elements of an Action Plan?

What is neighborhood planning?  [Return to Top]

Neighborhood planning is a series of meetings and discussions between residents and city planning experts to identify needs and then develop action plans for the overall improvement of Cedar Rapids neighborhoods. The process begins January 10, 2009. Results will be shared with the City Council and the entire community in May 2009.

Who should participate?  [Return to Top]

Many Cedar Rapids neighborhoods are in a unique position to make drastic improvements as we plan, reinvest and rebuild from the flood. These plans and reinvestments will impact the entire city and therefore all neighborhood residents are encouraged to participate.  

What is the Neighborhood Planning Process?  [Return to Top]

• The Neighborhood Planning Process is Phase II of the River Corridor Redevelopment Plan.
• During Phase I, a Framework for Reinvestment and Revitalization in the Cedar River Corridor was created with the input of the community at three sets of open houses. This framework accomplished to following goals:
• To improve flood management
• To better protect homes and businesses
• To identify focal points for reinvestment
• Phase I established three main themes for future City planning:
• The creation of a flood management strategy to better protect the homes and businesses of Cedar Rapids
• Connectivity is knitting together the City and its neighborhoods via transportation improvements to public transit, trail systems, the street grid, rail operations and specific streetscapes
• Sustainable neighborhoods are targeted areas within the City that serve as opportunities to reinvest and redevelop to provide housing, strengthen neighborhoods, enhance the downtown business and arts communities and improve public facilities

• Phase II of the River Corridor Redevelopment Plan will detail, develop and define these three themes for neighborhoods.
• During Phase II, residents can be directly involved in neighborhood planning by participating in four Saturday workshops and four area meetings.

• The Neighborhood Planning Process will result in clear and specific action plans for the future of the City’s seven flood-damaged neighborhoods. 
• This process is designed to accomplish the following River Corridor Redevelopment Plan Goals:
• Rebuild high quality, affordable workforce housing and neighborhoods
• Restore full business vitality
• Preserve our arts and cultural assets
• Maintain our historic heritage
• Assure that we can retain and attract the next generation workforce
• Help our community become more sustainable

Who Should Participate in the Neighborhood Planning Process?  [Return to Top]

All Cedar Rapids residents are encouraged to attend and get involved in the Neighborhood Planning Process, whether they are a current or future neighborhood member, or a resident in the community from outside the River Corridor. The reinvestment plans created during this process will affect all neighborhoods in Cedar Rapids.

What are the Goals of the Neighborhood Planning Process?  [Return to Top]

The Cedar Rapids City Council set the following goals for this process on November 25, 2008:

• Link the RCRP to neighborhood reinvestment
• Guide neighborhood reinvestment
• Plans link to City vision and build a stronger community
• Flow from City vision, continue to repeat the message (Strategic communication) City Council Commitment
• Compliment EON initiative
• Private sector involvement/investment
• Stronger neighborhood governance
• Champions of the neighborhoods (current, former, or future)
• Keep open mind to all ideas (ex.  Community centers)
• Flood recovery and traditional neighborhood revitalization
• Effective use of media/communication
• Commitment from neighborhoods and broad representation
• Listening to all voices

Why Use a Neighborhood Planning Process?  [Return to Top]

• The process will allow residents to help determine what the neighborhoods will look like. The resulting area plans will:

  • Guide decision making
  • Establish reinvestment priorities
  • Provide clear roles and responsibilities for community stakeholders and the City of Cedar Rapids

  This will enable us to build a greater community for the next generation.

What are the Expected Outcomes of the Neighborhood Planning Process?   [Return to Top]

The Cedar Rapids City Council set the following outcomes for this process on November 25, 2008:

• Three Area Action Plans that incorporate the seven flood-damaged neighborhoods
• Establish neighborhood ownership
• Provide enjoyable living experiences
• Provide on-going resources to neighborhoods

What will happen after the Neighborhood Planning Process is Complete?  [Return to Top]

• Representatives from each Area will present their Action Plans to the Cedar Rapids City Council on May 13, 2009.
• After the City Council formally adopts the action plans, they will be used as a guide to secure funding and other resources to implement those plans.  
• Neighborhood Association members will be directly involved in securing those resources and implementing the plans.

How will a Neighborhood be defined during this Process?  [Return to Top]

There are many different ways of defining a neighborhood.  Some define neighborhoods in political terms – i.e. a voting ward or a census tract – or geographic terms – i.e. an area bounded by perceived barriers such as a river or highway – or social terms – i.e. a cluster of activity or uses surrounding a social institution such as a community center, school or a church. 

In Cedar Rapids, political, geographic and social boundaries all contribute to the perception of distinct neighborhoods. The Czech Village, for example, is physically defined as a low-lying area next to the river and socially defined as a group of houses centered on the 16th Avenue historic district. Culturally, it is defined as the hub of the Czech heritage in our community. Considered in this way, neighborhoods can have different boundaries to different people.

Successful neighborhoods, particularly within cities, greatly contribute to the quality of life by:

• Creating a strong sense of place and community
• Providing access to amenities, arts and cultural opportunities, public facilities and open space
• Fostering connectivity via streets, trails and transportation options

What’s the difference between a workshop and an area meeting?   [Return to Top]

Interactive workshops are day-long sessions that bring the community together to talk to one another about neighborhood revitalization. Area meetings are three-hour evening sessions focused on detailed information and feedback about specific neighborhoods and areas.

What are the Elements of an Action Plan?   [Return to Top]

While an Area Plan provides the overall vision of the future of the neighborhoods, an Action Plan contains the elements necessary to implement the Area Plan. An Action Plan will:

• Break down the overall vision into specific actions
• Specify a timeline for these actions
• Identify responsibility for actions
• Serve as an ongoing tool to monitor progress and report back to the community

Examples of Elements of an Action Plan could include:

• Preparing detailed housing replacement plan
• Planning for installation of new streets
• Establishing neighborhood networks on housing maintenance issues