City of Cedar Rapids

2007 Long Term Planning Commission Report

The Vision 2030 report was created by a committee of 20 citizens, offering a look at Cedar Rapids in the future. The city's diverse and growing economy helps guarantee a quality of life for all citizens based on broad educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. The vision statement includes goals and objectives, including a growing focus on regionalism and public and private partnerships.

Cedar Rapids is a leader in effective regionalism

We capitalize on the complementary strengths of our regional partners. We actively pursue and plan regional partnerships with governments, non-profit groups, universities, community and private colleges, and businesses. These partnerships encourage: 

• Economic development

• Efficient delivery of high quality services

• Effective infrastructure planning

Downtown is thriving and vibrant

Our downtown is lively, inviting, and visually attractive. It creates a strong sense of community and generates energy felt by residents and visitors alike. It features:

• A riverfront that combines public spaces and mixed use development

• Abundant employment and housing options

• Cultural, artistic, and entertainment opportunities

• Public spaces with a sense of community

• Easy pedestrian access

We promote strategic and sustainable development

Development policies promote a unique sense of community and place, preserve and enhance the city’s natural and cultural resources, and consider long-term economic costs. These policies:

• Integrate mixed land uses

• Promote compact building design

• Accommodate the housing needs of all residents

• Create pedestrian-friendly environments

• Foster a distinctive and unique community with high-quality architectural and natural elements

• Preserve open spaces and environmental resources

• Direct development to existing structures and communities

• Promote a wide range of transportation options

• Provide timely, cost effective, and predictable development decisions

• Encourage community and stakeholder involvement

• Promote environmentally sensitive building practices

• Promote safe and secure neighborhoods

• Preserve the historic character of buildings and neighborhoods

We value compassion and celebrate diversity

Our differences strengthen our community, our workplaces, and our lives. Our policies:

• Treat everyone equally and with dignity

• Accept responsibility for our citizens’ basic needs

• Measure our success in these areas and adjust policies as necessary

• Emphasize safety and security to make our city a solid place to live, work, attend school, and visit

We foster and conserve the natural environment

Our standards and policies reduce energy use, improve energy efficiency, provide clean air and pure water, preserve and protect the land, and reduce solid waste. Our policies:

• Invest in and encourage renewable and efficient energy production and use in business, government, and housing

• Protect and promote open spaces, a canopy of trees, and clean air and water

• Manage and control solid waste by minimizing teardown development, by recycling, and by using technologically advanced disposal methods

• Develop and promote an extensive, affordable, user-friendly mass transportation system

• Provide access to a healthful and affordable local food supply

• Set environmentally sustainable standards for design and development

Our educational system is world-class

We cherish the right to education for everyone. Education improves our lives and strengthens our community. We strive to provide the best educational programs available anywhere in the world. To achieve this we: 

• Help all citizens realize their full creative and productive potential

• Provide opportunities for lifetime learning for all citizens

• Collaborate with community colleges, area apprenticeship and vocational training programs, private colleges, and state universities

• Work with neighboring communities to expand opportunities and improve the quality of and access to our educational system

• Emphasize the importance of early childhood development

• Support our schools and educators and provide them the resources and physical environment in which to maximize their impact

• Provide schools that are safe and secure

We offer broad access to cultural, recreational, and entertainment opportunities

Such access energizes and enlivens the community experience for all ages and interests. We provide:

• Contemporary venues featuring diverse artists offering rich cultural experiences for all

• State-of-the-art athletic facilities that are used by all and host year-round sporting events and tournaments

• A robust trail system, clean waterways and lakes, numerous public golf courses, and neighborhood parks and pools

• Established cultural districts that foster growth and accessibility to distinctive attractions

• Effective public, private, and non-profit collaborations that enhance and sustain cultural and recreational opportunities

Our economy is prosperous, sustainable, and fair to all

Cedar Rapids is a great place for businesses and workers. The growth rate of our economy outpaces that of our state and region. We prosper without expanding geographically or wasting natural resources. Our economic development strategies:

• Capitalize on opportunities that arise from our deeply rooted geographic, physical, and local workforce strengths for long-term economic stability and growth

• Encourage entrepreneurialism, creativity, and diversity within our business community

• Provide work that is dignified, safe, and offers excellent pay and benefits

• Encourage employers to exceed national labor standards and to join with workers in creating positive industrial relations and working conditions

• Prioritize programs that benefit the entire community

• Promote a balance of work and quality of life