Updated October 2026 with new ways to participate in Elevate CB 2050.
The future of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County isn't being shaped behind closed doors—it's being shaped by the people who live, work, invest, and build community here every day.
Right now, two important initiatives are seeking public input to help guide decisions that will influence everything from economic development and housing to placemaking, downtown investment, and quality of life. While each effort has a different focus, both share a common goal: ensuring community voices help shape the future.
Building on Community Priorities
Over the past two years, the Iowa West Foundation and its partners have worked to better understand how residents view Council Bluffs today and what they hope to see in the future.
Through community conversations, research, the Council Bluffs Area Survey, and the recent Voices & Vision event, residents identified several recurring themes. Participants emphasized the importance of population growth, attracting and retaining young families, strengthening economic opportunities, and embracing Council Bluffs' unique position within the greater Omaha metro.
Supported by the Iowa West Foundation, the City of Council Bluffs, the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, Pottawattamie County, and Advance Southwest Iowa, the Growing CB initiative focuses on identifying opportunities to strengthen the community today and in the years ahead.
Key areas of focus include:
- Economic Development
- Education
- Healthy Families
- Placemaking
As the effort continues, community members are encouraged to stay involved and help shape strategies that support long-term success while addressing opportunities that can make an impact in the near term.
Want to stay informed as this initiative evolves? Sign up for project updates and learn how community input is helping shape future strategies and priorities.
Planning for the Next Generation
At the same time, the City of Council Bluffs has launched Elevate CB 2050, a community-driven planning effort that includes both the Council Bluffs 2050 Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Master Plan.
This long-range initiative will help guide growth and investment over the next 25 years while establishing a shared vision for how Council Bluffs evolves to better serve residents, businesses, and visitors.
Topics include:
- Land Use
- Housing
- Transportation
- Public Infrastructure and Utilities
- Economic Development
- Downtown Revitalization
- Public Spaces
- Arts and Culture
- Historic Preservation
- Sustainability and Resilience
While the Voices & Vision initiative is helping identify priorities and opportunities that can influence decisions in both the near and long term, Elevate CB 2050 is focused on creating an implementation-ready roadmap for future growth and development.
Residents, business owners, stakeholders, and visitors continue to have opportunities to help shape Council Bluffs' future as the Elevate CB 2050 planning process moves forward. Surveys, public workshops, and other community engagement opportunities are helping inform the City's new Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Master Plan.
The newly released BOLD Ideas Survey invites anyone who lives, works, owns a business, or visits Council Bluffs to think big about the city's next 25 years. Share the projects, investments, and one-of-a-kind experiences you believe could make Council Bluffs an even more fun, welcoming, and distinctive place. Survey responses will directly help shape strategies included in the City's Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Master Plan.
There are also two upcoming opportunities to get involved in person. Community Workshop #2 will be held October 27 from 5–7 PM at the Council Bluffs Public Library, where attendees can review and comment on proposed development scenarios and strategies for the new Comprehensive Plan. Downtown Workshop #2 follows November 18 from 5–7 PM at the library, focusing on proposed scenarios and strategies for the Downtown Master Plan.
Ready to help shape what's next? Take the BOLD Ideas Survey, attend an upcoming workshop, or visit the Elevate CB 2050 project page to follow the planning process and discover additional ways to participate.
BOLD Ideas Survey
Explore Elevate CB 2050
Why Participation Matters
Strong communities don’t happen by accident. They grow through collaboration, thoughtful planning, and the ideas of people who bring different perspectives and experiences to the table.
Longtime residents, new neighbors, local business owners, community members, and those who care about the future of Council Bluffs all have a role in shaping what comes next.
Together, these initiatives celebrate what makes our community special while identifying opportunities to grow, improve, and thrive for generations to come.
Learn more, share your voice, and help shape the future of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County.
