General Planning Resources

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System is a self-reporting system for colleges and universities to assess their sustainability performance.

A number of resources from the American Planning Association (APA) can be found here. From the APA Iowa Chapter and APA National, resources range from training and educational opportunities to resource links and membership information.

Rio Iowa provides information regarding smart planning throughout Iowa, and updates legislative news such as land use planning and other related issues in Iowa.

The APA Policy Guide focuses on endangered species and habitat protection from a planning perspective. The Policy Guide aims to minimize negative impact on endangered species and protect ecosystems.

American Planning Association (APA) recognizes great places in America as a standard in America’s neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces.

A number of programs, educational opportunities, and an overview of the Conservation Reserve Program are provided.

A guide to transportation funding programs from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

Iowa’s central location for advanced research and education focused on floods. The Iowa Flood Center's website provides links to flood resources, including publications, a photo gallery, and data sources.

From Iowa State University - News and other information on Community and Economic Development (CED).

Drake University's online source for a variety of links to Iowa municipal codes.

This planning links library provides a wide variety of resources for planning.

A collection of resources provided by the American Planning Assocation (APA). Among the many resources is aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files (1790-2010).

This link will direct you toward PlanIowa.com's website. Website visitors can explore case studies from around the country, as well as access a variety of links to tools for public participation and surveying.

The Orton Family Foundation's Planning Toolbox.

A digital links library of guides, training, tools, model codes and plans, and toolboxes. This link includes additional links to several guides that address the question “why plan?”

Planning Student Organizations (PS0s) connects planning students and chapters across the country and around the world.

The Star Rating System website includes the introduction of the rating system, provides framework for communities to follow, and offers latest news.

The State Data Center of Iowa provides population, business and governmental statistics about Iowa.

The Public Policy Center's (PPC) mission at the University of Iowa is to provide decision-makers with information that can make lifestyles and communities thrive in sustainable ways through academic research.

Transportation Planning Division provides transportation policies and legislations, and connects with transportation planners at APA’s networking events

The United States Census Bureau's American FactFinder website provides access to data about the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. The data in American FactFinder come from several censuses and surveys.

The City of Iowa City website includes information on comprehensive plan, zoning code and zoning map, district plans and maps, and applications.