DeWitt 2030: Envisioning Opportunity



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Part One

The first portion of the public participation process was very successful. Over 25 people submitted responses to the published questions. All responses received from the public were intelligent and insightful. The responses submitted by the public for each question are shown in the following table:

Public Responses

Questions

Responses

  1. What should be done to improve the City of DeWitt’s economy?

Attract More/New Commercial Options

Attract a New Hotel/Motel

Attract a Nice Family Restaurant

Revitalize Downtown

Attract More Jobs

Lower Business Interest Rates/Taxes

Create More Events to Attract Outsiders

Lower Property Taxes

Expand Crossroads Business Park

Concentrate Retail Development in Downtown



  1. How should the City of DeWitt improve its culture, recreation, and the arts for its residents?

More Community Events

Organize Literary Festivals

Organize Music Festivals

Organize Ethnic Festivals

Organize Craft Festivals

Organize Community Fun Runs

Create Get Fit Initiatives

Advertise/Market Community Events

Create More Park Amenities

Upgrade/Fix Parks Amenities

Create Campground

Expand Skeffington Memorial Trail

Create a Community Garden

Promote a Farmer’s Market

Promote Central Performing Arts Center (CPAC)


  1. What should be done to improve housing in the City of DeWitt?

More Senior Living Options

More Multifamily Housing

Rehabilitate Old/Bad Housing

More Affordable Housing Options/Programs

More Disability Accessible Housing

Require Universal Design Principles

Use TIF to Fund New Affordable Housing

Encourage More Middle Income Housing

More Single Family Housing


  1. What should be done to improve transportation within the City of DeWitt?

Increase River Bend Transit Services

Create Rail Road Quiet Zone

Reevaluate Casey’s Turn

No Parking on 17th Street

Improve/Expand Sidewalks

Create Bike Lanes on 6th and 11th

Limit Curb Cuts on 11th

Create Better Senior Public Transportation

Create Public Transportation

Attract a Taxi Service

Attract a Car Share Service

Perform an ADA Assessment and Plan

Repair Old and Broken Streets

Construct Wider Streets

More Downtown Parking

More Bicycle Parking

Promote Bicycling and Walking

Allow Community Golf Cart Use



  1. How should the City of DeWitt’s community and public facilities and infrastructure be improved or expanded?

Improve Drainage/Sanitary Sewer

Replace Outdated Streets and Curbs

Create Additional Park Benches

Update/Expand Fitness Center

Develop Free Public Wifi

Update/Expand Community Center

Update/Expand Library

Create Indoor Pool

Conduct ADA Transition Plan

Create More Green Space in Parks



  1. What should be done to make the City of DeWitt a better place to live?

Reduce Crime

Allow Outdoor Seating and Eating for Commercial

Attract More Business Variety

Foster Small/Family Oriented Community Feeling

More Handicap Accessible/ADA Compliant

Reduce Property Taxes

Better Senior Living

Create More Parking

Less City Spending

Hire Fewer Police Officers

Create Children’s Museum

Improved Snow Removal

Foster Retail/Tourism Oriented Community

Promote Historic Preservation

Create Bed and Breakfasts

Attract a Wine Bar

Attract More Retail Shops/Options

Promote/Teach the Arts in Schools

Create Community Art Groups




  1. Part Two

The second part of the public participation process consisted of a public vote on the submitted responses. This vote was a popular event, with 45 members of the DeWitt community coming to participate. This is a good turnout considering the severe storms that occurred on voting day.

Voters were asked to prioritize the issues that were most important to them. Voters were given blue, yellow, and green stickers to place on their first, second, and third choices, respectively. Votes were cast for each of the six questions. Graphs demonstrating the results of the voting are located in Appendix A.



  1. Priorities

Public participation is valuable due to how it helps set priorities for the future. The results of the vote provide a diverse and detailed set of information. The results not only show which responses were most popular, but also which responses were ranked the highest. This is valuable for using the results to set priorities.

The examination of results was overseen by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the DeWitt City Council. The results of the vote were presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the DeWitt City Council in a joint meeting on July 29th, 2014. Priorities were determined based on several factors, including the result of the vote and the success of past public policies.




Weight System

Vote

Weight

First Choice (Blue)

3

Second Choice (Yellow)

2

Third Choice (Green)

1
Voters expressed their priorities with three different types of votes. To try to take the voters’ preferences into account, the results of the vote were adjusted using a weight system. The number of first, second, and third votes for each item were multiplied by their assigned weights and then totaled. The adjusted totals for each question are shown in Appendix B.

The weight adjusted results of the vote for each question were compared to see which activities ranked the highest overall. The results were ranked in order of the total weighted score. The number of overall votes is also shown as a reference. The results of the public participation process suggest that the following issues are considered the most important issues by the people of DeWitt.



Public Input Summary: Top Results

Weighted Score

Rank by Weight

Activity

Number of Votes

Rank by Votes

80

1

Reevaluate Casey’s Intersection

35

1

78

2

More Sr. Living Options

28

2

66

3

Create More Retail Shops/options

28

2

56

4

Rehab. Old/bad Housing

26

4

55

5

Attract Nice Family Restaurant

23

7

51

6

Attract More Jobs

25

6

51

6

Promote CPAC more

21

9

50

8

Update/Expand Library

20

10

48

9

Promote Middle Income Housing

26

4

41

10

Repair Old/Broken Streets

22

8

41

10

Concentrate Retail in DT

20

10

38

12

Expand Trail System

18

12

36

13

Reduce Property Taxes

16

13

36

13

Improve Drainage/Sewer System

16

13

  1. Community Character

The City of DeWitt has the character of a small, Midwestern hometown. The relatively small population gives the City of DeWitt the feel of a close and connected community. The historic root of the City of DeWitt is its agricultural industry. The City of DeWitt has developed at an excellent access point to road and rail transportation. This has contributed to increased access to surrounding areas and markets, allowing the City of DeWitt to thrive.

As the City of DeWitt moves into the future, it should seek to preserve the small, connected, family oriented, and agricultural nature of the local community. There was notable public support for maintaining this character. The City of DeWitt should accomplish this by continuing to promote steady growth in the areas and industries that will be most suitable to promote this character. This will help ensure that the character of the community remains in its historic state, while still meeting the needs of the future.





  1. Housing

Housing is important for every urban area. Adequate housing is needed to provide people with homes and allow for further population growth. A diversity of housing should be provided to account for the different housing needs of everyone within the community. This includes houses of varying prices, affordable apartments, and senior living centers. Housing is typically the largest expense in the average person’s budget. This makes affordable and adequate housing an important issue.


  1. New Housing Over Time

    Year

    Dwelling Units

    2003

    32

    2004

    41

    2005

    32

    2006

    13

    2007

    15

    2008

    9

    2009

    4

    2010

    15

    2011

    11

    2012

    9

    2013

    6

    2014

    14
    Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is important because of the high proportion of people’s income which is credited to housing costs. Many low income people typically rent homes due to the high cost of buying a home. The City of DeWitt should work in coordination with local governments, non-profits, and for profit housing agencies to provide rental assistance and decreased housing costs to those in need. These efforts should include consideration of both owner-occupied and rental projects that would provide reasonable housing options to the working poor and other LMI residents.

The Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (EIRHA) has been very influential in providing assisted housing for the people of DeWitt. The Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (EIRHA) was established in 1978 to meet the housing needs of low to moderate income families and the elderly. EIRHA provides a variety of services, including rental assistance public housing, money and debt management, pre-purchase counseling, and home improvement and rehabilitation counseling.

The City of DeWitt should continue to work with EIRHA to provide affordable, high-quality housing for its low to moderate income and elderly residents. The housing programs implemented by the EIRHA have a major positive impact on the community by increasing homeownership, reducing debt and expenses for residents, improving quality of life, and decreasing homelessness.

The City of DeWitt should continue its efforts to rehabilitate old, dilapidated, and inadequate housing, specifically for low to moderate income households. Over 36% of homes were constructed before 1960. This shows that there is a significant portion of housing that may need repair/maintenance. The issue of rehabilitating old housing was also raised as a major issue in the public participation process. The primary way to rehabilitate a substantial amount of old housing is through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This program provides grants to revitalize areas that consist primarily of low to moderate income households. Housing should be improved to ensure that every residence can adequately serve its residents. Other grant and funding programs should be sought after in addition to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to ensure it is receiving as many funds as possible.

There are several obstacles for receiving federal funds and grants to improve housing for low to moderate income households. Low to moderate income (LMI) households are identified as households with 80% or less of the median Clinton County salary. Many federal funding opportunities, such as the CDBG program, have a strong preference that over 51% of the neighborhood receiving the funds consists of low to moderate income individuals. However, the distribution of low to moderate income households within the City of DeWitt is quite homogeneous. This means that there are no areas with noticeable concentrations of low to moderate income households. Not having a high concentration of low to moderate income households is beneficial for preventing the creation of slum areas within the City of DeWitt; however, this quality also makes it especially difficult to qualify for federal funds to help low to moderate income households located within the City limits.

Tax incremental financing (TIF) plays an important role for funding low to moderate income housing projects. Since 2008 the City has worked with developers to promote single family market rate housing development. This has included entering into Residential TIF rebate agreements with developers. All of these agreements have a component required by the State that mandates that the City capture 39.3% of the “new incremental” tax revenue and use that revenue only for the benefit of LMI households. This looks to be a steady source of revenue that the City can use to leverage other State and Federal Funds (such as CDBG) to stabilize older housing stock owned by LMI households.



The majority of housing units within the City of DeWitt are owner occupied. Approximately 71.1% of DeWitt residents are homeowners and 28.9% are renters. For homeowners, there do not appear to be any vacated homes within the City of DeWitt. This means that almost every owned home is occupied by a resident. The renter vacancy rate is approximately 7.4%. This means that about 7.4% of rental properties are not being rented by a resident at any given time.

Residential development has had steady growth over time. New homes continue to be built within the City of DeWitt, primarily in the northwest portion of the City. The continued development seems to suggest that people want to locate in the City of DeWitt. There is also a low vacancy rate for homes, as well as rentals. Homes within the City of DeWitt vary widely in value. The median house value is approximately $135,900. The median monthly rent for a residence in the City of DeWitt is $442. These seem to be reasonably priced for the area. Public participation has suggested that increasing the amount of middle income housing available within DeWitt should be a priority, as well as providing additional housing options for LMI residents. In all cases the City should be a proponent Universal or accessible building standards, which refers to broad-spectrum ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to older people, people without disabilities, and people with disabilities. These standards provide housing that meets the needs of permanently or temporarily disabled individuals.






  1. Senior Housing

Housing should be made available for all members of the community, regardless of income, disability, or age. There are many seniors who have different housing needs than the general population. Some seniors require assisted living or nursing homes in order for their needs to be met.

There appears to be a shortage of senior living options within the City of DeWitt. More senior living options was identified as a top housing priority for most of the public participation voters. The need for additional housing options appears evident within the City of DeWitt. A study released in February of 2013 concluded that anywhere from 10-37 dwelling units of assisted senior living and 25-44 dwelling units of independent senior living are needed. The study suggested a Financial Feasibility Study to determine more details about the scope, price, and size of any future senior living project. Since the release of the study results, the City of DeWitt has been in contact with developers in an effort to attract more senior living options to the area. Thus far, no major new senior living development has been brought to the area.



The City of DeWitt should continue to make efforts to create more senior living options by reaching out to developers. The Financial Feasibility Study should be considered in addition to incentives for senior housing developers. Additionally, existing or new housing can be made more senior compatible by implementing Universal Design Principles. These principles can help make a home accessible to seniors and anyone with a mobility disability. Furthermore, the senior living options developed within the City of DeWitt should vary in their services provided so that seniors of different ages and disabilities may find the right housing choice to suit their needs. In meeting Senior Housing needs the City should be a proponent of Universal Design.


Subject

City of DeWitt, Iowa

 

 

 

Estimate

Margin of Error

Percent

Percent Margin of Error

HOUSING OCCUPANCY

 

 

 

 

Total housing units

2,311

+/-133

2,311

(X)

Occupied housing units

2,259

+/-117

97.7%

+/-3.5

Vacant housing units

52

+/-82

2.3%

+/-3.5

Homeowner vacancy rate

0.0

+/-1.4

(X)

(X)

Rental vacancy rate

7.4

+/-11.4

(X)

(X)

HOUSING TENURE

 

 

 

 

Occupied housing units

2,259

+/-117

2,259

(X)

Owner-occupied

1,606

+/-121

71.1%

+/-5.6

Renter-occupied

653

+/-144

28.9%

+/-5.6

Average household size of owner-occupied unit

2.56

+/-0.16

(X)

(X)

Average household size of renter-occupied unit

1.74

+/-0.32

(X)

(X)

VALUE

 

 

 

 

Owner-occupied units

1,606

+/-121

1,606

(X)

Less than $50,000

28

+/-30

1.7%

+/-1.9

$50,000 to $99,999

386

+/-112

24.0%

+/-6.3

$100,000 to $149,999

621

+/-131

38.7%

+/-8.2

$150,000 to $199,999

319

+/-107

19.9%

+/-6.4

$200,000 to $299,999

185

+/-64

11.5%

+/-4.1

$300,000 to $499,999

51

+/-34

3.2%

+/-2.1

$500,000 or more

16

(X)

1.0%

(X)

Median (dollars)

135,900

+/-5,858

(X)

(X)

GROSS RENT

 

 

 

 

Occupied units paying rent

640

+/-142

640

(X)

No rent paid

13

+/-19

(X)

(X)

Less than $200

98

+/-79

15.3%

+/-11.8

$200 to $299

23

+/-30

3.6%

+/-4.8

$300 to $499

222

+/-118

34.7%

+/-16.8

$500 to $749

144

+/-83

22.5%

+/-12.2

$750 to $999

139

+/-98

21.7%

+/-13.9

$1,000 or more

14

(X)

2.2%

(X)

Median (dollars)

442

+/-142

(X)

(X)

DATE CONSTRUCTED













Total Housing Units

2,311

+/-133

2,311

(X)

Built 1960 or later

1,469

(X)

63.6%

(X)

Built 1959 or earlier

842

(X)

36.4%

(X)

Source: American Community Survey, 2008-2012

  1. Transportation

Transportation is one of the most important factors of urban development and growth. Historically, crossroads and passageways have been major sites for trade and economic activity. The City of DeWitt is located at the intersection of two major highways and is located on one of the best maintained railroads in the Midwest, the Union Pacific Rail Road. “Crossroads to Opportunity” is a very appropriate motto for the City of DeWitt.

The development of a long term plan for future transportation is an important task for the City of DeWitt. As the City of DeWitt’s population and urban area continues to increase over time, the need for improved transportation will become even more important. The City of DeWitt will attempt to improve and diversify its transportation network in order to provide greater efficiency, create more transportation choices, and produce a cleaner environment.



  1. Vehicles

Personal vehicles are the most common form of transportation for City of DeWitt residents. The popularity of this form of transportation makes it especially important to plan for vehicular transportation. The major issues affecting vehicular use within the City of DeWitt are the road system and parking.

  1. Road System

The streets and highways of the City of DeWitt are important for moving people and goods. The development of urban infrastructure can be dramatically influenced by the layout of streets and highways.

The primary arterial roads of the City of DeWitt are 11th Street and 6th Avenue. These roads function as the main streets into and out of town. These roads are characterized by their relatively high use by vehicles, access to many of the City of DeWitt’s amenities, and their access to US 61 and US 30. The City of DeWitt should use its regulatory powers to limit the access onto these major arterial roads and keep traffic moving efficiently.

There are several collector streets within the City of DeWitt. Collector streets act as roads that carry residential traffic to the larger arterial roads and distribute traffic to residential areas and local streets. Two collectors are Industrial Street and Lake Street. Industrial Street is the primary road for providing access to Crossroads Business Park. This area is characterized by its industrial uses. There is a significant amount of truck traffic which accesses local industries along this road. Industrial Street dead ends at 6th Avenue, a primary arterial road. This characterizes Industrial Street as a collector for 6th Avenue. Lake Street is another collector. Lake Street has major industries located along its length. However, it become a gravel road as it crosses over 6th Avenue. Most of the traffic from Lake Street moves onto 6th Avenue or filters into smaller, local roads through its intersection with 9th Avenue.

The City of DeWitt is bounded by US 30 to the south and US 61 to the west. These are limited access roads. These roads carry a relatively small amount of the City of DeWitt’s internal traffic trips. However, US 30 and US 61 carry many of the City of DeWitt’s outgoing, incoming, and through trips. Theses highways are very important for freight transportation in and out of the City by truck and have certainly had an effect on the City of DeWitt’s economic development.

The remaining streets within the City of DeWitt are local streets. These streets provide transportation access to local residential areas. These streets are characterized by their low traffic volumes and low speeds.

The system of roads within the City of DeWitt should be maintained in good condition. Vehicles are the most common form of transportation and will likely continue to be into the future. Good roads are essential for effective vehicular transportation. Furthermore, repairing old and deteriorating streets was the second most popular public response for how the City of DeWitt’s transportation can be improved. There are current policies in place to promote the continued repair of low quality streets. Currently, the City of DeWitt attempts to reconstruct three to four city blocks of streets every year. This practice should be continued and possibly expanded. When considering additional roads or developments, transportation studies or traffic counts should be considered. This can help ensure that new development is done in a responsible way that will not lead to excessive congestion or transportation risk.

One section of the DeWitt road system which has generated some concern is what has become known as the “Casey’s Intersection”. This is the intersection of 11th Street/Maynard Way and the Casey’s General Store’s parking lot entrance and exit. The public input session has shown that this is considered among the most important issues for the residents of DeWitt, and thus deserves special mention. This intersection has several issues, which have been exacerbated over the last ten years by the increase in traffic caused by growth the area. The City has worked with the Iowa Department of Transportation and the engineering firm H.R. Green and had a safety study conducted on the intersection. In addition the City of DeWitt has reached out to Casey’s General Store to begin discussing possible changes that can be made to the intersection and parking lot design. Discussion and coordination between the City and Casey’s and implementation of the study recommendations should be continued in order to make changes that will promote safety for drivers in this area.


  1. Parking

Parking is an important issue for vehicular transportation. The majority of a vehicle’s time is spent parked. Time spent searching for available parking can contribute to additional congestion, frustration for drivers, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. The City of DeWitt should consider reducing demand for additional parking by promoting alternative forms of transportation, and implementing shared parking practices, such as providing more public parking.

Promoting alternative forms of transportation can reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Every person who decides to walk or bike to their destination removes a vehicle from the City of DeWitt road system. Fewer cars on the road leads to less congestion, improved travel time, greater efficiency, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The City of DeWitt should attempt to promote walking and cycling within the City in order to improve the transportation system.



  1. Pedestrians

Pedestrian walkways are considered to be just as important as the roadway system. Pedestrian walkways are important for commuting as well as recreation. Promoting pedestrian travel may reduce the volume of cars on the road. This can result in reduced congestion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and improved health and wellness for the community.

The primary form of pedestrian infrastructure is the sidewalk. Sidewalks provide pedestrian access and connectivity to homes, schools, businesses, parks, and leisure facilities. Sidewalks are required for all developments within the City of DeWitt. This requirement should be continued into the future in order to create and promote pedestrian access to the entire City of DeWitt. Sidewalks in the As of the summer of 2014 new sidewalks in the City of DeWitt are required to be five feet wide. This requirement is intended to provide enough room for pedestrians to walk comfortably in both directions. Sidewalks are typically placed along the street adjacent to the lot. This is to provide pedestrians with access to the lot and any available street parking. Alternative sidewalk locations may be considered as long as the proposed sidewalk meets the necessary access and adds to the function of pedestrian movement.

Pedestrian road crossings should be made as safe as possible. Safety can be promoted in many different ways. At light controlled crossings, pedestrian crossing signals should be installed. Signals with timers are best due to how they provide the most information on available crossing time to pedestrians. Additionally, pedestrian crossings should use sound, in addition to the traditional light signal, to indicate when to cross. This helps people with visual impairments cross roads more safely. Also, bumped surfaces on pedestrian curb ramps can help alert the visually impaired that the sidewalk is entering the street. Furthermore, different styles of crosswalk markings or pavement can help to alert drivers that they are approaching a pedestrian crossing. This makes the crossing safer by allowing drivers to exercise caution as they approach Parking should be set back an appropriate distance from pedestrian crossings in order to allow better vision of cars for pedestrians and pedestrians for cars.

Recreational walking paths and trails are another critical part of pedestrian infrastructure. Recreational trails are important for promoting health and well-being of City of DeWitt residents. The major trail for recreational walking and biking is the Paul Skeffington Memorial Trail. This trail follows along the length of Silver Creek. Recreational trails should be wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles together. An appropriately wide recreation trail can help to prevent collisions between pedestrians and cyclists. Additional signage on the recreation paths may also help alert pedestrians to be aware of passing bicycles. The creation of additional recreational pedestrian and cyclist paths should be promoted. Restricting development within local flood plains can help preserve open space. This space may then be used for recreational purposes, including the development of additional pedestrian and cyclist trails. When possible, additional recreational paths should attempt to connect to existing recreational paths to create a continuous network that serves the entire City.



  1. Bicycles

Planning for alternative forms of transportation is crucially important for the development of the City of DeWitt’s transportation system. Promoting alternative forms of transportation is beneficial in many ways. Reducing the number of travelers using traditional vehicles reduces carbon emissions, reduces the need for parking, and creates a more diverse set of options for City of DeWitt residents.

The City of DeWitt should consider developing bicycle lanes or sharrows in key locations. bicycle lanes or sharrows helps to keep cyclists safer as they travel throughout the City of DeWitt. Key locations for bicycle lanes or sharrrows may be identified by examining where current bicycle use is most frequent, such as on the streets directly around the entrances to recreational cycling paths or around schools. In this way, the roadway bicycle lanes or sharrows can connect to the recreational cycling trails that already exist. This would help City of DeWitt residents to easily ride their bicycles to and from recreation areas. Also, bicycle lanes or sharrows near school may help improve safety for students riding to and from school.

Public racks for bicycle parking should be installed around the city. Currently, there is a lack of available bicycle parking in key locations. People need a place to park their bicycles in order for bicycles to become a viable transportation option within the City of DeWitt. The bicycle parking racks should be sheltered from the elements in order to protect bicycles from damage. This bicycle parking should be installed in areas of DeWitt that are frequently visited or have high volumes of traffic, such as downtown, schools, and major employment centers. By creating available and sheltered parking, bicycling becomes a much more feasible option for residents.

Signage for bicycles should be increased around the City of DeWitt. Signs can help inform motorists to share the road with and watch for cyclists. This can help prevent accidents and improve safety for cyclists. This signage should be placed on roadways with bicycle lanes or sharrows and around access points to recreational cycling trails.



  1. Railroads

The City of DeWitt is served by the Union-Pacific Rail Road. The tracks that run through the City of DeWitt are the main line. The condition of the rails are excellent and they carry some of the highest speed ratings in the country.

Access to the railroad is a benefit for industries and has helped to attract industries to the City of DeWitt, even though actual railroad access is extremely limited. The City of DeWitt’s industrial area has developed along the length of the railroad. Continued industrial development should take place along the railroad so that industries may take advantage of the transportation opportunity that it provides.

Although the railroad provides excellent economic opportunities for industry, there is no access to the rails for any use besides industrial. The railroad does not provide any transportation services to the residents of the City of DeWitt. Local residents cannot use the railroad for commuting or traveling.

With several railroad crossings within the City of DeWitt, safety is an issue. The City of DeWitt should be sure to promote safety at crossings with an appropriate amount of signage and signals to warn and prepare drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians for the crossing.



  1. Airports

The City of DeWitt has close access to several airports. The closest airport is the Clinton Municipal Airport. This airport is owned by the City of Clinton and available for public use. It is located approximately 12 miles, or a 15 minute drive, to the east from the City of DeWitt. The City of DeWitt has close access to the Davenport Municipal Airport. This airport is owned by the city of Davenport and is located approximately 17 miles, or a 19 minute drive, to the south of the City of DeWitt. The Quad-Cities International Airport provides regular regional and international flights. The Quad-Cities International Airport is located about 35 miles, or a 40 minute drive, south of the City of DeWitt. Such close proximity to airport services makes airport development within the City of DeWitt seem unnecessary. Residents have readily available access to a variety of nearby airport options.

  1. Transit

The City of DeWitt does not have any existing form of city transit. There does not appear to be a significant demand for transit within the community. In the past, the City of DeWitt had established a paratransit service for the City. However, the program was cancelled due to low participation and high costs. Currently, it does not seem that the costs of operating a public transit service, such as a city bus service, would be worth the benefits.

However, the people who most frequently depend on transit for their transportation needs tend to be the poor, elderly, or disabled. Oftentimes, these individuals either cannot afford or cannot operate a vehicle. Because of this, it may become important to provide practical alternatives to the traditional vehicle for these City of DeWitt residents. As the City of DeWitt moves forward, transit services should be considered as demand for service increases. Such services may help to provide transportation to those within the community who do not have access to or are unable to operate a vehicle. The following table shows the number and percent of DeWitt households that do not own a vehicle.



City of DeWitt, Iowa

VEHICLES AVAILABLE

Estimate

Margin of Error

Percent

Percent Margin of Error

Occupied housing units

2,259

+/-117

2,259

(X)

No vehicles available

106

+/-77

4.7%

+/-3.4

1 or more vehicles available

2,153

(X)

(X)

(X)

Source: American Community Survey, 2008-2012

Currently, River Bend Transit, a not-for-profit organization, provides regional transit services to Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine, and Scott Counties. River Bend Transit can be characterized as a paratransit service. This means that it does not operate on a fixed, timed route like conventional transit. Instead, the transit is made available for any individual who calls for transit service in advance. Also, the vehicles of River Bend Transit are handicap accessible and have a lift for wheelchairs. River Bend Transit’s services are valuable due to how they provide necessary transportation services to the handicapped, elderly, and poor.



There are also approximately 16 school bus routes for the Central Community School District. These bus routes provide transit service to students living within the Central Community School District, including the City of DeWitt. This service is necessary to help ensure that students who are unable to drive, bike, or walk to and from school are still able to attend and learn without added difficulty.

  1. Commuting

Employee travel moving to and from a place of work is known as commuting. Commuting trips typically create the majority of transportation trips within urban areas. The most common forms of transportation used for commuting by City of DeWitt residents are summarized below.

Source: American Community Survey, 2008-2012

Commuters in the City of DeWitt are heavily reliant on motorized vehicles for their transportation, comprising 90% of commute trips. This is quite similar to the trend seen in most urban areas of the United States. The mean travel time to work for a City of DeWitt resident is approximately 22.8 minutes. Since driving across the City of DeWitt typically takes under 10 minutes, this seems to suggest that many residents commute to other areas for work, such as the Quad-Cities metropolitan region or the City of Clinton.

No one reported cycling to work. The relatively small size of the City of DeWitt seems to create an environment that would allow for short walks or bicycle rides to and from work. However, if many residents are working outside the City of DeWitt, and many of those employed in the City of DeWitt are commuting from other communities, then cycling would be an unacceptable commuting option due to the much longer distance. There is a small portion of the workforce that walks to work each day. This shows that some residents are taking advantage of their close proximity to their places of work. Walking and cycling should be promoted as a form of commuting within the City of DeWitt because of how they promote health and wellness, make roads more efficient by reducing congestion, and help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by having fewer vehicles on the road.

There was also no one who reported taking transit to work. There is no public transit within the City of DeWitt, but River Bend Transit provides a paratransit service. Since no commuters used transit services, it seems that River Bend Transit does not usually provide transit service to employees going to or from work. This suggests that the primary travelers using River Bend Transit are people who do not work, such as retired or disabled individuals.


  1. Economic Development

A strong economy is vital for a strong community. A strong economy can ensure that there are adequate jobs and financial security for the residents and property owners of a community. The City of DeWitt has been able to attract new commercial and industrial developments over time. The trend of new commercial and industrial developments within the City of DeWitt are summarized below:

Commercial and Industrial Expansion Over Time

Year

Building Permits

Value of Projects

(in dollars, $)



2003

7

1,651,000

2004

9

1,560,000

2005

5

1,967,000

2006

7

2,726,000

2007

10

1,604,000

2008

8

3,258,000

2009

1

4,000

2010

2

363,000

2011

4

4,704,000

2012

2

252,000

2013

1

300,000

2014

10

5,741,000

The City of DeWitt has a great economic location for several reasons. The City of DeWitt has excellent access to several forms of transportation. The Union-Pacific Railroad provides nationwide rail access for local industries. Furthermore, the City of DeWitt is located at the intersection of US 61 and US 30. These major highways provide shipping access across the country.

  1. Downtown

A thriving downtown is important for the City of DeWitt’s economy. The downtown area is the primary place for residents to make purchases, go out to eat, or find entertainment. To help bring more people and customers to the downtown area, the downtown should be made into the most desirable area possible. There are several ways to accomplish this. The downtown should be made as aesthetically pleasing as possible. This will help make the downtown an area that people will want to visit. The downtown should be made as pedestrian friendly as possible. This allows people to walk around to many of the shops with relative ease. This makes the downtown more accessible for customers. Furthermore, retail development should be concentrated in the downtown area, when possible. This is because location is much more important for the success of retail businesses as opposed to service based businesses. Concentration of retail development in the downtown was identified as a major economic issue by the public participation process. The City of DeWitt should continue hosting its signature special events in the downtown area. These activities bring customers into the area. Incentives to locate new business in the downtown may also be considered. Having a diversity of businesses will attract more customers to the area. As of the spring of 2015 the DeWitt Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors intends to provide grants for a façade improvement program. Grants will be available for qualified building projects in SSMID district in Downtown DeWitt.

  1. Crossroads Business Park

One of the major site of employment and economic development in the City of DeWitt is the Crossroads Business Park. This industrially zoned area has a large part of the City of DeWitt’s employment. This area has a major beneficial impact on the community. Further economic development in and around the park should be encouraged. Currently, there are several lots available for development in the area.

  1. Private Businesses and Organizations

Coordination with private businesses and organizations will play an important role in stimulating the local economy. It will be important for the City of DeWitt to work in close coordination with DeWitt Chamber and Development Co., or DCDC. DCDC is a volunteer driven organization of the City of DeWitt business community. This private, non-profit organization works to lead, inform, advocate and advance the business interests for businesses located within the City of DeWitt. The City of DeWitt should utilize the data provided by the DCDC to plan for economic development and develop business policies. Working in coordination with the DCDC will also ensure that policies have the approval of the business community.

  1. Employment

Adequate employment is essential for the wellbeing of a community. Jobs provide residents with financial security and the ability to live comfortably. This is likely why the public identified job creation as a major issue. The City of DeWitt does, and should continue to, make efforts to maintain local employers and attract new employers to the area. The City of DeWitt contacts industries and businesses to encourage development. Businesses and industries with the greatest employment should be given high priority, due to their large contribution to the community. Some of the major employers for the City of DeWitt are summarized in the following table, provided by the DeWitt Chamber and Development Co.:


Employment

Employer

Industry/Products

Current Employment

Guardian Industries

Float glass

350

Central Community School District

Pre K - 12 education

245

Custom-Pak

Blow Molding

190

Genesis Medical Center - DeWitt

Healthcare

185

Car-Freshner

Air Fresheners

125

Ennis Business Forms

Business, medical forms

100

Iowa Mutual Insurance Company

Insurance

90

City of DeWitt

Public Service

50

ITW - Magnaflux

Non-destructive testing equipment, chemicals

40

ITW - Fluids North America

Machines lubricant, fluid products

40


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