Business View Magazine | February 2019

283 ect or two under his purview, all of which related to Linn County’s 2013 Comprehensive Plan that articulates goals for Alternative & Renewable Energy, Economic Development & Employment Opportunities,Hazard Planning, Livable Commu- nities, Resource Protection, Sustainable Develop- ment, and Transportation.The Plan was based, in part, on Iowa’s Smart Planning Principles,which promote resource management, clean, renewable and efficient energy solutions, and development that conserves land, protects historic resources, and integrates different uses of property. “When we went out to the public to try to gauge its priorities on issues, resource protection was ranked as the top issue,” says Beck.“That includes agricul- tural resources as well as natural resources.And the issue of alternative or renewable energy was ranked as the second highest priority.” Amajor project undertaken by Beck’s department was the creation of the Dows FarmAgri-Commu- nity.An agri-community is a development built around a working farm–one that is relatively small and uses farming practices that minimize the im- pacts on the surrounding development.The Coun- ty’s vision for Dows Farm includes: incorporating AT A GLANCE LINN COUNTY, IOWA WHAT: A county of 218,000 WHERE: East central Iowa WEBSITE: www.linncounty.org