Draft Fringe Area Plan for Linn County and City of Center Point Available for Public Review

The public is invited to review and provide comments on the draft of the City of Center Point and Linn County Fringe Area Plan and Agreement. The draft plan and agreement is available on the project web page. The agreement will support the City and County's efforts to direct urban (small-town) appropriate development adjacent to the City's existing development and to preserve agricultural land within the fringe area. The fringe area is defined as the land in unincorporated Linn County within two miles of Center Point.

The City of Center Point Planning & Zoning Commission will review the plan and agreement on October 20, 2025, at 6 p.m. at Center Point City Hall (200 Franking St., Center Point). The Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission will review the plan and agreement on November 17, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center (935 2^nd St. SW, Cedar Rapids). Both commission meetings are public meetings with opportunity for public comment. Following review by both commissions, the Center Point City Council and the Linn County Board of Supervisors will hear the recommendations from the two commissions and review the plan and agreement at future meeting dates.

Residents are encouraged to review the draft of the City of Center Point and Linn County Fringe Area Plan and Agreement before the Planning & Zoning Commission meetings and send their feedback, questions, or concerns to East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) Senior Planner Tom Gruis by email at [email protected]. The feedback received will be presented to the Planning & Zoning Commissions at their meetings. Residents can also share their feedback during public comment at the meetings.

The City of Center Point and Linn County held an open house June 16 at Center Point City Hall to gather public input before updating plan. Feedback provided by email or at the open house in June was incorporated into the updated draft plan and agreement as described starting on page 13.

Sign up to be notified of future Linn County Planning & Zoning Commission or Linn County Board of Supervisor meetings and agendas once they are scheduled by visiting the Agenda & Minutes page on the Linn County website.

Fringe Area Plans

Fringe Area Plans are intended to allow for coordinated land use planning between Linn County and incorporated cities within the county, specifically for the areas within two miles of city boundaries. Fringe Area Plans direct new development toward mutually agreed-upon locations, promote orderly land development, and reduce public infrastructure costs. In addition, these plans are meant to encourage the retention of agricultural land and protect critical natural resources. Each plan offers a framework to guide the growth and development of the fringe areas over 20 years, with periodic reviews occurring as needed.

Learn more about Fringe Area Plans on Linn County Planning & Development's website.