Mid-City EPA Area-Wide Planning Project

City of Council Bluffs, IA

Elan, prior to merging with EDR, worked with the City of Council Bluffs. The team identified underused, potentially contaminated properties in the Mid-City Neighborhood. The project aimed to create a Brownfields Area-Wide Plan. This plan outlines neighborhood-wide redevelopment strategies. Its goal is to return blighted properties to productive use and restore environmental quality. For example, remediated sites could serve as housing, open space, community gardens, or businesses. This would create new job opportunities for local residents.

The plan emphasized robust community involvement. It included interactive workshops to inform future land use strategies. Additionally, it outlined short, mid, and long-term action items. Overall, the plan sought to establish a common strategy to advance the area’s redevelopment. It aimed to facilitate activities that promote sustainable and stable neighborhoods.

Notably, the City received a 2016 APA-Iowa Award in the “Public Outreach” category for the Mid-City Area-Wide Plan.