Below is a link for information on the ISU Extension’s annual “Introduction to Planning & Zoning for Local Officials” workshop. This is an excellent workshop for those in your cities and counties that are new members of the City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission or Board of Adjustment. This workshop is also a good refresher course for those who have been serving on these boards for some time. Please plan to attend.

Planning and Zoning Workshop Registration 2012

This year’s workshop will be held at Arrowwood Resort in Okoboji, Iowa on March 20^th.   

Please click on the following link for information regarding the IARC partnership with Connected Nation.

Connect Iowa Press Release

Any questions regarding Connected Nation for our region, please contact Aaron Sedey at 712-262-7225 x138 or aaron.sedey@nwipdc.org.

To cities and counties in NWIPDC region:

The State of Iowa – Homeland Security has announced that it is once again allocating up to 5% of the total HMGP (Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) funds for back-up power generation and severe weather warning systems at this time. Back-up power generation will be considered when providing a long term, comprehensive and independent solution to a critical facility. Critical facilities are all manmade structures and or other improvements that, because of their function, size, service area or uniqueness have the potential to cause serious bodily harm, extensive property damage or disruption of vital socioeconomic activities if they are destroyed, damaged or if their functionality is impaired. Critical facilities may include (fire stations, police stations, medical buildings, emergency operations centers, emergency shelters, electric facilities, potable and waste-water facilities). Only fixed site permanent generators, non-portable, are eligible for funding consideration. Additionally, FEMA will not pay to remove or eliminate any existing emergency storm warning sirens, only add new warning devices.

In order to be eligible to apply for FEMA HMGP grant funds to purchase and install an emergency backup generator or emergency warning sirens, a city or county must have a current “approved” FEMA hazard mitigation plan. Hazard mitigation plans are only good for a period of 5 years. Therefore, some of the cities in our region may have expired plans. Those cities within the 9 county NWIPDC region with current FEMA approved plans are listed below. If your city has a current approved plan and you are interested in applying for a FEMA grant for an emergency backup generator or tornado warning siren, please feel free to contact myself or any one of the other Planners at NW Iowa Planning and Development for assistance. THE FEMA grants are still being awarded at a 75% federal share, 10% state share and 15% local match (of which may be in-kind or cash).

That is the information from the latest Notice of Funds availability. Below are the cities in the region that do not have expired plans and can apply for these funds:

 Please contact our planning staff with any questions.

Northwest Iowa Planning and Development is very pleased to announce that Palo Alto County has recently received a CTAA award letter. This gives them a $75,000 EDA investment to implement a regional trade adjustment strategy. Please refer to the following link to see the CTAA Award Letter.

The NW Planning and Development Commission are offering a new service of zoning administration to the participating entities in the region. Please refer to Zoning Administration Services under the Services and Programs section for more information.

If you have any questions, please call Steve Hallgren, Planning Director or any of the NWIPDC Planning staff at 712-262-7225 for assistance.

Welcome to our new Northwest Iowa Planning and Development Commission web site. We have tried to develop a more useful and user friendly site that not only provides information about our organization such as who we are and what we do, but also provides you with direct access to information and links to many valuable sources and agency partners as well.  On here you'll find census information, contact information for our cities and counties, information on services and programs we deliver,  and many useful links to organizations that may be of assistance to you, plus much more.  The new site also enables us to post recent project news, maps and documents, and we will be adding these as time progresses.  I hope you like the new NWIPDC page and find it very useful.

In addition, we are resurrecting our agency newsletter and it will be available very soon.  Its new format will be entirely electronic and it will be sent directly to  all who have requested it.  The newsletter will also be posted directly on the new webpage as well.  Please enter your email address as directed on the web page to receive the newsletter directly.  Please enjoy the website and contact us with any comments or questions you may have, or if we can help you or your organization in anyway.

Best Regards,

Ted Kourousis

Executive Director