DeWitt 2030: Envisioning Opportunity
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An area’s laborshed is also related to employment within the region. A laborshed is the region around an area of employment where workers may plausibly be hired from. The primary factor in the area of a laborshed is the effectiveness of the local transportation. Efficient transportation allows workers to commute longer distances to work, thereby increasing the laborshed. A large laborshed is beneficial due to how it allows businesses to search larger areas for the most qualified candidates as well as how it expands the possible area of employment for people living in the region who are searching for employment. The following table, provided by the DeWitt Chamber and Development Co., illustrates the City of DeWitt’s laborshed: 
Source: DeWitt Chamber and Development Company, 2014. Public Infrastructure and Utilities 
Water System The City of DeWitt has an excellent water system. The City of DeWitt draws water from the Jordan Aquifer to provide drinking water for its residents. The people of DeWitt use approximately 600,000 gallons of water per day. More water is typically used in the summer and less is used in the winter. The Jordan Aquifer is intended to remain the primary source of fresh water for servicing the City of DeWitt in the future. Many measures are taken to help preserve the fresh water quality provided to residents. Chlorine is added to the water in order to kill any existing bacteria and help eliminate odor. Chlorine levels are checked daily to ensure they are at the proper levels. Bacterial checks are conducted six times each month to ensure that the water is clean. A polyphosphate is also added in order to prevent contaminates from pipes from entering the water. There have been no significant problems with water quality in the past and no major concerns are expected in the foreseeable future. There are several aquifer wells owned by the City of DeWitt. All of the wells are artesian wells. The wells draw water at a rate between approximately 500 to 700 gallons per minute. Typically, not all wells operate at the same time. During periods of high water demand, additional wells are turned on to satisfy the additional demand. It seems as though the wells are capable of meeting future water demand. The water system can store a total of approximately 900,000 gallons of water. There are several facilities where water is stored. Water is then sent to locations throughout the city from these storage locations. Additional storage does not seem necessary in the near future. There are approximately 365 fire hydrants within the City of DeWitt. Ensuring their continued functionality is an important safety issue. The City of DeWitt flushes the system twice per year in order to clear the system and ensure that all hydrants are functional. There have been no problems with dysfunctional fire hydrants. Changes in population and development will have significant effects on the demand for water. Increases in water demand resulting from increased population, additional developments, and new industries may require additional wells and storage locations. Additionally, the water level of the Jordan Aquifer has been dropping over time. The water level should be monitored to ensure a continued supply of water. There is also a chance that federal regulations regarding water quality requirements for substances, such as radium, may change. Stricter standards may require investments in order to meet the new requirements. Sanitary Sewer The overall drainage pattern has presented a problem for providing sanitary sewers as the City has grown. The City of DeWitt is located on the fall line between two large drainage areas, Silver Creek and Ames Creek. The drainage flows to the treatment plant provide gravity service to the original developed city. However, as the City of DeWitt has grown a large part of the developing areas cannot be served by gravity flows because the treatment plant is located near the fall line between these two drainage areas. As a result, lift stations were constructed to service developing areas of the City of DeWitt. The east end of the City of DeWitt has small areas that can be served by existing gravity line and lift stations. However, any major easterly expansion will require a large capacity lift station and main. The City of DeWitt has a fairly major constraint to future growth to the northeast as a major ridge runs across the northeastern area of the City. The current development capacity of the area served by existing sewer extensions is expected to be sufficient into the future. The current sewer system is capable of processing 2.74 million gallons of sewage per day. Sewage is treated to the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Current needs are being well met by the sanitary sewer system. Heavy rain events can occasionally exceed the processing capacity of the system. This is due to infiltration and inflow, which is the unintended addition of storm water to the sanitary sewer system due to aging infrastructure that cannot prevent the storm water from entering the system. This can cause sewage to back up from drains. This was identified as an issue of concern by the public input process. Many efforts have already been taken to solve this problem, including updating infrastructure and adding overflow alarms to drains. However, continued efforts will be necessary. Future rehabilitation projects will be required in the future to ensure that the sanitary sewer is functioning as efficiently as possible. These rehabilitation effort will include replacing and rebuilding existing aging sanitary sewers, the repair and replacement of manholes and the reduction of infiltration by illegally connected private sanitary sewer laterals and services. As the City of DeWitt grows the demand on the sanitary sewer system will increase. To meet the new demand, an expansion of the current wastewater facility or the development of a new facility may become necessary. Furthermore, requirements for water treatment may change in the future. If changes occur, additional investments may become necessary to ensure the requirements can be met.
Hazards There are many natural and man-made hazards which threaten the City of DeWitt. Most hazards are natural disasters. The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan of the City of DeWitt identifies floods, dam failures, tornadoes, thunderstorms, high winds, severe winter weather, man-made hazards, grass fires, and earthquakes as the most likely hazards to affect the City of DeWitt. Some of these hazards are more likely to occur than others, but all should be prepared for. The City of DeWitt follows the National Incident Management System (NIMS) developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This is a system that is designed to manage disaster response and recovery in the most effective way possible. In the event of a disaster, the City of DeWitt will follow the Incident Command System (ICS), which is recommended by FEMA. This is a flexible way to organize disaster management resources during a multi-jurisdictional effort. By using these methods, the City of DeWitt hopes to have a clear plan for how to address disasters as they arise within the community. Floods Flood Mitigation and Storm Water Management The City of DeWitt is located between two major drainage features, Silver Creek to the west which drains the western half of the city and Ames Creek to the northeast. There is a third tributary to Ames Creek in the southeast which drains the eastern half of the city but this is not a major drainage feature within the City of DeWitt. Floodplains are the areas around rivers, streams, and creeks that will become flooded as the result of large amounts of rainwater. Flooding poses a serious hazard to people and developments. New mapping of the Silver Creek and Ames Creek floodplains should be conducted. Accurate knowledge is crucial for proper flood mitigation, planning, and zoning. Development within the floodplains is strongly discouraged. Flooding can destroy properties and endanger people. Allowing development in floodplains is irresponsible due to how it knowingly allows developments to be built in harm’s way. Encroachment in and around the floodplain may also cause significant problems. Additional developments and paved areas around a drainage way, such as a creek, can cause significantly more storm water to be diverted into that drainage way. This may result in stronger flooding at higher elevations. Encroachment restricts the ability of the waterway to move runoff downstream and backs water upstream onto properties that may not have flooded had the development not occurred. Furthermore, allowing developments within the floodplain will lead to increased damages and costs associated with flooding. Zoning should be used to discourage and prohibit developments within the floodplain or encroaching around the floodplain. Storm water has posed a significant problem for the sanitary sewer system within the City of DeWitt. Large amounts of storm water are channeled into the sanitary sewers, which causes backups to occur. Reducing the volume of storm water is important to mitigate flooding, protect the functionality of the sanitary sewer, and reduce pollutants carried by runoff. In 2008/2009 the City did complete a large improvement project on the east side of DeWitt. A large detention area was built in northeast DeWitt adjacent to the Humeston Road north of 11th Street. Additionally, the City cleaned and reshaped the existing drainage ditch from north of 11th Street to East 3rd Avenue. That project has reduced street and private property flooding in that area. The City of DeWitt should pursue several options to manage storm water. Rain barrels are one simple way. Rain barrels are containers that are placed beneath the drainage pipe of a building’s gutters. This functions to collect rain water rather than having the water be drained onto the base or yard of a property. This reduces the storm water impact by reducing the volume of rainwater that is being carried as runoff or being diverted into the sanitary sewer. This rain water can then be used by the occupant for watering plants or other activities. Rain gardens are another way to manage storm water. Rain gardens are designed to help storm water percolate into the soil or be absorbed by plants, instead of being directed elsewhere as runoff. Rain gardens can be used as a form of landscaping in addition to a water management technique. Rain gardens should be used with areas that generate large volumes of runoff, such as parking lots and other largely paved areas. Permeable pavements should also be considered. Permeable pavements allow water to flow through the pavement’s surface and into the soil, preventing runoff. This can dramatically reduce the impact of paved areas such as roads and parking lots. However, permeable pavements may also be more costly and should likely be used in key locations. FEMA 100 Year Flood Map Source: FEMA, 2011 
Agricultural and Natural Resources Agricultural Resources The area around the City of DeWitt is well suited for agricultural use. To determine which areas of the City of DeWitt are best suited for agricultural use, several methods may be used. A Corn Suitability Rating map may be created. This will identify which areas around the City of DeWitt are best suited for agricultural production. This will allow the City of DeWitt to zone certain areas as agricultural and limit urban development within those areas. Also, a map detailing areas that can be serviced by sanitary sewer, without requiring a lift station, can direct urban development. Urban development would occur in the areas that can be serviced most easily and agricultural development would occur in the more rural areas. Local agricultural production should be promoted through a regular farmer’s market. Promoting the local farmers market can help to raise awareness about agricultural issues within the community as well as to support local farmers. The City of DeWitt should make efforts to advertise local farmer’s markets and raise attendance at the events. Natural Resources Some of the most valuable natural resources to the City of DeWitt are the Silver Creek Parkway and the Jordan Aquifer. The Silver Creek Parkway consists of all the public open space surrounding Silver Creek. This area contains the Paul Skeffington Memorial Trail and Westbrook City Park. The Jordan Aquifer is the source of drinking water for the City of DeWitt. Ensuring water quality of the aquifer should be is very important. Most of the water in the Jordan Aquifer reached the aquifer by percolating through the soil. This process typically filters most pollutants from the water. However, there is a possibility that the water may contain traces of surface pollutants or pollutants within the ground. Water quality should continue to be tested to ensure high quality drinking water. Steps may be taken to help restore some of Iowa’s natural habitat. Incentives may be created to promote the planting of native prairie grasses in undeveloped areas. This can help bring back a missing natural habitat. Prairie grasses also do a great job at absorbing storm water and preventing runoff. The City of DeWitt’s parks should be cherished in order to preserve the open space and recreational opportunities that they provide to the entire community. Local parks are some of the only undeveloped areas within the City of DeWitt. Community Facilities Facilities The City of DeWitt has many community facilities that provide a wide range of services to its local residents. One of the primary community facilities is City Hall. The City of DeWitt City Hall is located at 510 9th Street, DeWitt, Iowa 52742. City Hall is the location where many appointed and elected officials work. City Council meetings are also held in City Hall every fist and third Monday of each month. The public is welcome to attend these meetings. The City Hall is important for providing a workplace for city employees but also for creating a place where citizens may come and address their government. 
The current Police Department for the City of DeWitt is located at 606 9th Street, DeWitt, Iowa 52742. However, a new police station is being constructed from an existing building at 1505 6th Avenue. This new facility is expected to adequately meet the needs of the City of DeWitt’s Police Department for 30 to 40 years. The old Police Department building is expected to be sold by the City of DeWitt. It is important to ensure that the Police Department has an effective facility to ensure public safety and security for the entire community. The City of DeWitt Fire Station is located at 711 10th Street, DeWitt, Iowa. The City has recently acquired additional property adjacent to the current Fire Station to assure room for expansion in the future. In 2015 the City intends to add an aerial truck to the Fire Department fleet of emergency vehicles. The Fire Station serves as the operational facility for the DeWitt Volunteer Fire Department that services the City and local rural area with the community safe by providing firefighting and rescue services. The Frances Banta Waggoner Community Library is the public library for the City of DeWitt. It contains a wide variety of books, periodicals, and video materials. The public library serves an important service for the local community. Providing books, electronic technology, and information services are important for the process of education and learning in the community. Continued support for the library should be encouraged in order to support education and learning in the City of DeWitt. An effort to expand and update the library was recently undertaken. However, the process is only in the planning and consideration stage. Many of the City of DeWitt’s community facilities serve a recreation purpose. One such facility is the DeWitt Fitness Center. This facility provides a diverse selection of fitness opportunities and classes for the public. The Fitness Center has weights, cardio equipment, racquetball courts, a running track, and a swimming pool. Anyone is welcome to enter into membership contract. Members may come and use the equipment and sign up for fitness related classes that are offered. Part of the facility is rented to a physical therapy company by the City of DeWitt. The City of DeWitt Aquatics Center is a public pool that is open to the public during the summer months. The facility has a pool, water slide, and child’s play area. It continues to be a popular attraction for the city and region. The Aquatic Center is a family friendly area where local residents may go to have fun and cool off. The Aquatic Center also offers youth swimming lessons, adult classes, and adult lap swim. The City of DeWitt Community Center is another facility available to the public. Private events can be held at the Community Center. The Community Center can accommodate up to 150 people for private or public events. The facility may be rented by individuals or organizations that are hosting events. Parks The City of DeWitt has many public parks that are open for the use of the public. The parks are located all around the City of DeWitt. City of DeWitt parks include Ashindel Park, Lincoln Park, Paarman Park, Forest Park, Little Trees Park, Westbrook Park, Pool Park and the DeWitt Dog Park. Each of these parks offers something unique to the area that it is in. Ashindel Park Ashindel Park is a 3.5 acre park located at 8th Avenue and 14th Street. The park was acquired and developed in 1988 with the assistance of Jan Shindel. The name of the park was derived from the names of Dr. Wallace Ash, founder of the Fitness Center, and the Dr. George Shindel family. The park includes natural areas with flowers and trees and a sitting area. There is a basketball court, volleyball area, and a walking & fitness trail. The park is also home to the DeWitt Fitness Center. Forest Park Forest Park is a 1.7 acre park located north on old Hwy 61. Land for the park was donated by the Wes Witte family. The park includes natural prairie and wildflower areas. Little Trees Park Little Trees Park is located at 8th Avenue and 1st Street. The Irwin family, specifically the late Judge Irwin, allowed the community to use this land as a park and baseball fields since at least the mid-1940s. Many area residents can recall playing American Legion baseball during that time on this site. Since then, the community has enjoyed many activities in the park including kite flying, flag football and soccer to name a few. During more than 60 years of use by the community and its residents this park has been and continues to be a cornerstone in the recreation and leisure activities of the community. During the summer of 2003 the community was able to raise the funds required to purchase this property. The park includes a ball diamond, playground equipment, a basketball court, restrooms and parking. This park is located at 6th Avenue and 11th Street. This is the City’s premier park and is sometimes called Water Tower Park because it is situated under the city's water tower. Amenities include a picnic shelter, many picnic tables, a gazebo, playground equipment, and public restrooms. The park is also home to the Hausbarn which is home to the DeWitt Chamber & Development Company. The Hausbarn includes the original roof structure of a 300-year old Hausbarn and a thatch roof. The DeWitt Community Center is also located in Lincoln Park. The park is named Lincoln Park in recognition of the old Lincoln Highway which runs right past the park (Old US 30 currently known as 11th Street). Lincoln Park has one park shelter with electricity. Paarmann Park Paarmann Park is a one acre park located in the 100 block of East 4th Street. This is the City's newest park and was recently completed in the name of Lois M. Paarmann, because of her generosity. Through her estate, part of a larger bequest to the City of DeWitt, Ms. Paarmann left funds with which the Parks & Recreation Department was able to purchase the land and develop it into a new park and recreation area. This is the first such park in the Southeast quadrant of the city. The park includes a picnic shelter, picnic tables, playground equipment, and a basketball court. There is one park shelter with electricity. Pool Park is a 4.7 acre park located at 11th Avenue and 15th Street. This park is located directly north of the Aquatic Center and includes two ball fields and a walking path. Public restrooms are located outside the Aquatic Center. Soccer Field Complex This 6.3 acre complex is located in the north section of Westbrook Park. Ally Rittmer donated the land and development for this complex in 1999. DeWitt Parks & Recreation uses the fields for soccer twice per year hosting a fall league and spring league. There are three soccer fields and a concession stand. Westbrook Park Westbrook Park is a 100 acre park located west of the city on 11th Street. This is DeWitt's largest park and includes five picnic shelters, four baseball/softball diamonds, two playground equipment areas, four horseshoe courts, grass volleyball courts, three sets of public restrooms, and a concession stand. The park also includes a natural timber area with foot trails, an off-road bike trail, and a 10' wide multipurpose trail that has been developed for walkers, joggers, and bicycles. The park was first acquired and developed in 1968. Westbrook Park has four park shelters, one has electricity. DeWitt Dog Park The Dewitt Dog Park is located in Westbrook Park and opened its gates in 2012. The park is open year-round. The park provides about two acres of fenced in land for dogs to run free. It consists of separate areas for both large and small dogs. Both areas provide benches for sitting while dogs socialize and play. Schools
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