Manchester 

In recent years, city officials and other local groups in Manchester, Iowa have been proactive about growing and improving their community. In particular, aggressive strategies to stimulate housing development and investments in tourism have started to pay off, as new housing subdivisions pop up and the recently-developed whitewater park in the middle of town attract visitors from throughout the region. 

 

One of the challenges facing the City of Manchester is the development of subdivisions outside of the city boundaries, which means that the City provides some services to county residents without receiving the full benefits of counting them in their population. Additionally, development that occurs just outside the city boundaries can inhibit the ability of the city to grow and, because Delaware County does not having zoning ordinances, could potentially be done in a disorganized manner with substandard results that is inefficient for extending city services (i.e. sewer and utilities) and can detract from first impressions of the community.

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For these reasons and more, the law allows for cities to regulate development a certain distance outside of their official boundaries. State of Iowa code states that zoning powers “may be extended by ordinance by any city to the unincorporated area up to two miles beyond the limits of such city, except for those areas within a county where a county zoning ordinance exists.”

In order to meet the needs of current and future residents, the City of Manchester seeks a multi-faceted growth management plan including, but not limited to, the following objectives:

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1. a “road map” and study for establishing extraterritorial zoning powers

2. a cost/benefit analysis for annexation of certain lands outside the city boundaries

3. a study of how infill development (such as pocket neighborhoods) can contribute to an overall growth management strategy

4. pocket neighborhood planning, siting, and compatibility with existing zoning and ordinances

5. growth and development must consider floodplain impacts and stormwater management

 

Because of the preliminary and sensitive nature of the study, input from the general public will be limited with respect to certain aspects of the plan- namely, extraterritorial zoning and annexation. Students will, however, engage the public, key stakeholder groups, and experts in order to inform their study and final recommendations. Students will also research local government financing, including the costs associated with expansion of municipal utilities to targeted growth areas.