During the meeting, a review of the city’s comprehensive plan was presented, highlighting the necessity for updates to comply with state regulations. A notable amendment is the inclusion of definitions for “primary,” “secondary,” and “other” permissible land uses, which clarifies how these classifications should be applied to various categories such as rural, low-density residential, and commercial areas. This revision aims to streamline land development procedures and ensure consistency with state requirements.

Another aspect of the proposed updates is the inclusion of solar and floating solar facilities within various land use designations. This change, driven by state statute 163.2051, reflects a growing emphasis on renewable energy sources and positions the city to accommodate solar farms and floating solar installations, particularly in rural and industrial areas.

Transportation policy revisions were also a focal point, with the board discussing the transition from traditional transportation concurrency measures to a mobility plan and mobility fee. This shift seeks to enhance the movement of people and align with modern urban planning trends. The mobility plan, adopted in 2022, replaces the previous concurrency approach.

The housing element of the comprehensive plan also underwent minor adjustments, particularly in extending the timeline for adopting a green building ordinance from 2025 to 2029. This extension acknowledges the limitations imposed by recent statutes that prevent municipalities from enacting more burdensome regulations.

In terms of capital improvements, the board updated the capital improvements table, incorporating new projects and collaborating with multiple city departments, including parks and recreation and public works, to ensure the table reflects current and future infrastructure needs.