Community At Its Heart

Growing with Intention and Shared Vision

It might sound like a cliché, but the word ‘community’ truly captures the essence of Solon, Iowa. As Mayor Dan O’Neil explains, “It is very tight knit. The city and the schools work well together. There are a ton of volunteer-led events that bring the town together.” From Spartan flags on Fridays to windows painted in support of students headed to state competitions, Solon wears its pride on its sleeve. “It’s a very close community, where it feels like everybody truly cares about each other,” he continues.

With a population now around 3,500 and growing, Solon is embracing change with a proactive plan and a strong vision. “We want to make sure that we’re leaving the city better than where we found it,” Mayor O’Neil adds.

A Main Street Makeover

In 2012 Solon embarked on a $1 million Main Street project that would revitalize the city core. City Administrator Cami Rasmussen recounts, “That really set the tone for where Solon is today. It was a complete redo of the infrastructure under Main Street, and then, of course, the beautification. We put a lot of time and thought and effort into the design that you see on our main street today.”

In 2013 Big Grove Brewery opened its doors and ushered in a new era of downtown activity. Rasmussen recounts, “Since that time, the city council has invested over a half a million dollars directly into main street businesses and buildings, through tax abatements, forgivable loans and forgivable grants.”

Katie Neuzil, Big Grove Brewery General Manager, adds, “Since Big Grove has been around, we’ve seen a lot of new restaurants and new concepts come to the area. It’s really cool because Solon has kind of a theme of mutual support. We want everyone to succeed in this small town.”  She emphasizes the encouragement the establishment has experienced, both from the city, and the community. “Doug, Matt, and Faye, our original three owners, approached the city about this idea of taking over the spot where we are currently located. They really embraced this new business, which is not just a place for people to come and have great beer and great food, but also a communal gathering space.”

A Destination in the Making

Solon is definitely a destination of choice, with visitors travelling from nearby cities and beyond, to experience the vibrancy of the community. Describing restaurants filled with people from neighboring cities on any given weekend, Mayor O’Neil remarks, “It’s cool to see we are a spot to go.” Solon’s Main Street showcases the town’s unique character with longtime fixtures like Sam’s Grocery, Solon Hardware Store, and Big Grove Brewery anchoring the streetscape. Popular establishments like Uncle Sang’s sushi restaurant, Buff’s Gameday, and Palmer House Stable, a rustic reception venue, all contribute to the town’s welcoming atmosphere. Add to that the nostalgia of a classic barber shop and establishments like a bakery, and a bike shop, and it’s easy to see why Solon’s charm is so irresistible.

Along with shopping and dining, Solon’s trail system has become a major regional attraction. “If you want to go out and bike for a workout on a Saturday during the summer, you want to be on the trail probably before 7am at the latest, otherwise it gets packed,” remarks the mayor. “At the trail head, we have our Timber Dome Lodge, which folks will rent out for graduation parties, events, things like that, as well as our splash pad. And again, especially on a Saturday during the summer, you’re not parking anywhere near that trail.”

These recreation amenities are also a draw for regional fundraising events like the Lions Club’s Fat Tire Bike Ride, which brings people from surrounding areas who visit the city’s restaurants and shops. “We’ve transitioned from being a drive-through town to a destination community,” conveys Rasmussen. “We just have that ideal location in northern Johnson County, yet we have that proximity. We’re 15 minutes from the Eastern Iowa Airport. We are 15 minutes from Cedar Rapids, 10 minutes from Iowa City. Those are opportunities for the residents, but they’re also opportunities for the residents of those communities to come to us, and they are.”

Celebrating Tradition

The much anticipated Beef Days Festival has been a cherished Solon tradition since 1971, celebrating over 50 years as a community event. “We have about 40 different subcommittees within Beef Days that are all volunteer led,” reports festival Co-President, Denise Bruck. “We have over 100 high school students that come every year to help us set up for the event and clean up after.” The free weekend festival features live music and raises funds that go back into the community, including local schools and the American Legion. “We love to be able to support projects that the city has going on around town,” she says.

Big Grove Brewery also takes part in the fun, supporting the beer tent and parade, and adding their own special touches. Neuzil elaborates, “Two years ago, we actually made a special can for one of our beers, and we included the hay bale toss on the label of it, and some different things that were Beef Day specific that people would recognize. It was a huge hit. Everyone really loved that.”

Infrastructure for the Future

Solon has experienced steady growth over the past several decades, with multiple subdivisions now in their final stages and new developments underway. “We have areas that we have targeted for growth, and we go through the comprehensive plan and update that pretty frequently,” explains City Engineer Dave Schechinger. To support this the city has undertaken a number of infrastructure projects, including the north trunk sewer. “That was set up not only to serve some of the short term growth and fix some of those issues but also planned so that we had a much larger area that we could serve as the city were to develop to the north and east,” he expands.

Solon took a similar approach with its wastewater plant, placing it in a location that could accommodate expansion and connect  to the sewer system, while also enabling development west and north of town.

Schechinger underscores the city’s forward-thinking strategy when it comes to utilities, including investment in a new water storage tank. “The city had a very deliberate approach to make sure that we maximized what we could afford, so that we didn’t have to go through and try to fund something again in the near future,” he shares. “We make sure that we set things up, so that as we continue to grow out, we don’t have to come back and rebuild infrastructure.”

The city also stays focused on making sure that the cost of growth is not placed on existing residents. “We work very hard with the developers to make sure that they understand that if they come in and do a project, they’re expected to pay for those costs and not put that burden on the existing population,” Schechinger stresses.

In terms of residential development, Solon continues to take a measured, strategic approach. Each proposed development is evaluated against the city’s comprehensive plan, which outlines density goals in detail. “In every development that comes in, we step through and make sure that everybody’s aware of what that density is going to be, where the areas are that we want to have the higher density, and if we want to step back from a commercial area to a single family residential,” highlights Schechinger. Solon’s planning process also leaves room for mixed-use opportunities in designated areas.

“Every one of them is looked at independently, and council and planning and zoning spend a lot of time talking through things with the developers to make sure we understand what we’re getting and that it’s appropriate and consistent with our comprehensive plan,” he notes.

Expansion of the downtown area is also in the works, and the city has purchased several properties to prepare for development opportunities. “We are willing to consider whatever is appropriate, but there are some pretty good criteria for what the city wants to see,” states Schechinger. “We’re going to be picky about it because that’s an area that we are particularly proud of, and we want to make sure that we do it right.”

An Ideal Place to Live, Work, and Grow

“We have something pretty special going on here in Solon,” imparts Brian Brandt, Solon Economic Development Group (SEDG) Secretary, pointing to the ideal location, clean safe streets, quality education, and a culture of community and support.

“It’s a great place to start a business and grow from there,” he reflects. With success stories like Buck Creek Distributors, Solas Water, The Eat Shop Bakery, and grassroots ventures like the local bike shop and the flagship Big Grove Brewery, Solon continues to foster local enterprise, and optimism for the future.

With a bright future ahead Mayor O’Neil says the main focus is on completing the new wastewater treatment plant and expanding the downtown footprint.

“We are being very mindful with our growth,” he imparts. “We want to ensure that we continue to keep that charm that Solon has.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Solon, Iowa

What: A city focused on strategic growth and development

Where: Johnson County, Iowa

Website: www.solon-iowa.com