Council tables $600,000 contract for 2050 comprehensive and downtown master plans

The City Council voted to table Resolution 26-13, which would have authorized a contract with Shockey Consulting to prepare a downtown master plan and a 2050 comprehensive plan with a combined budget close to $600,000. The motion to table, offered by Speaker 3 and seconded by Speaker 5, passed; the item was rescheduled for the council’s Jan. 26 meeting.

Supporters of moving forward said combining the downtown and comprehensive plans reduces duplicated outreach and allows the city to align zoning, code updates and public engagement in one process. Speaker 10, who has been attending planning-commission meetings, told the council that state law requires a comprehensive plan to support zoning and that consultants typically audit codes and recommend updates: "They essentially will recommend new code, which is a huge undertaking for any of us," Speaker 10 said.

Opponents and cautious members questioned the price tag and timing. Speaker 3 said $600,000 was ‘‘a lot of money’’ and observed that the city’s Bluffs 2030 plan has been amended repeatedly; Speaker 3 also recommended waiting until a community development director is in place to oversee the effort. Speaker 1 recalled voting no during an earlier consideration because the estimated 18‑month schedule seemed rushed and would place completion well before 2030.

Several members asked staff and legal to return with clearer details on objectives, deliverables and how the plan could affect urban renewal and tax-increment financing. Speaker 6 specifically asked whether not having an updated long-range plan could limit eligibility for certain federal grants or urban-renewal actions; staff agreed to provide legal analysis and more detailed goals for the council’s review.

The council did not adopt the contract; instead it directed staff to supply a one‑page summary of top goals, scope and legal implications and returned the item to the Jan. 26 agenda.