Title
DER2015-00001: COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS PLAN 2015-2035. (ALL DISTRICTS).
Presented by: David Barber, Advanced Plans Manager, Metropolitan Area Planning Department.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the Community Investments Plan 2015-2035 as the new Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan, including those neighborhood and area plans itemized on Attachment "B" to the Resolution of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission dated August 20, 2015, authorize the Chairman to sign the Resolution and authorize the Resolution to be published.
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Background: In 2011, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County initiated a process to develop the Community Investments Plan to replace the current joint City and County Comprehensive Plan which dates back to 1993. A more current and relevant plan is needed to provide a policy framework and set priorities to guide future public investments in municipal buildings and infrastructure out to the year 2035.
In 2012, the City and County partnered with WSU to undertake a comprehensive assessment of all City and County infrastructure and facilities. A Plan Steering Committee was also jointly appointed by the Wichita and Sedgwick County Managers in late 2012 to begin the development of a new joint comprehensive plan. Seven of the 18-member Steering Committee are also members of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (MAPC).
During 2013 and 2014, the Steering Committee developed and evaluated three possible long-term growth scenarios for Wichita. Following an extensive community engagement process in the spring and summer of 2014, a preferred growth scenario was selected by the Committee to serve as the basis for the development of the new comprehensive plan.
In March 2015, the Steering Committee released the draft Community Investments Plan 2015-2035 for public review and feedback. The Planning Department organized four public open house events and provided over 40 presentations (April through June) to over 700 people on the draft Plan. Feedback was also received through the Activate Wichita website. The Steering Committee met in late June to finalize changes to the draft Plan based upon feedback received from the community engagement process and two workshops held with the Wichita City Council in April and June. Also in late June and early July, staff briefed the members of the Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners on the draft Plan.
Notice of a public hearing date of August 20, 2015, for the MAPC to consider the proposed adoption of the final draft Community Investments Plan 2015-2035 as the new Comprehensive Plan for Wichita-Sedgwick County was published in the official City and County newspaper on July 30, 2015. In early August 2015, staff presented the final draft of the Community Investments Plan to the six District Advisory Boards (DAB's) for the City of Wichita. All six DAB's voted unanimously to recommend that the Plan be adopted as the new comprehensive plan for Wichita and Sedgwick County. At the public hearing held on August 20, 2015, the MAPC unanimously approved a resolution adopting the Community Investments Plan 2015-2035 as the new Comprehensive Plan for Wichita-Sedgwick County. Existing adopted neighborhood and area plans were also adopted as elements of the new Plan.
On September 1, 2015, MAPD staff briefed the Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners on the adopted Plan. This Plan does not take effect until it is approved by the governing bodies of the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, and publication of the resolution.
Analysis: The attached Community Investments Plan 2015-2035 adopted by the MAPC is recommended to the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners for approval as the new joint comprehensive plan for Wichita-Sedgwick County. It is a high-level policy plan that provides guidance for future Wichita growth, sets overall community investment priorities, and provides a decision-making framework to guide future public infrastructure investment decisions.
The following is a listing of new and/or significantly different elements of the Plan compared with the existing adopted comprehensive plan:
o A new Plan Vision Statement along with seven Core Community Values and five overarching Plan Guiding Principles to help set high-level context and guidance for future land use development and investment in public infrastructure;
o A new focus on future public infrastructure investment priorities;
o A new 2035 Urban Growth Areas Map and a 2035 Wichita Future Growth Concept Map;
o A new Wichita Urban Infill Strategy to support and facilitate greater levels of infill and redevelopment in Wichita's mature urban areas - to meet market demand and capitalize on the City's existing infrastructure investments;
o A Plan Elements section containing 10 goals and 46 strategies that set overall infrastructure investment priorities across the categories of: Funding and Financing; Transportation; Water, Sewer and Stormwater; Arts, Culture and Recreation; and Public Safety;
o A three-level Infrastructure Investment Decision-making Framework to systematically guide future public project spending decision
Alternatives:
1. Take the recommended action (requires a simple majority vote).
2. Override the MAPC's recommendation (requires a two-third majority vote).
3. Return such recommendation to the MAPC with a statement specifying the basis for the BOCC's failure to approve or disapprove (requires a simple majority vote).
Financial Considerations: There are not any additional financial considerations to the County associated with the approval of this Plan. Approval of this Plan involves no commitment of funding for the County.
Legal Considerations: Approved as to form and signed by County Counselor's Office: The City and County are authorized by K.S.A. 12-747, et seq. to approve and amend a joint comprehensive plan. The City and County have done so.
Policy Considerations: The MAPC has reviewed and adopted this Plan in accordance with the requirements of, and under the authorization of K.S.A. 12-747, et seq.
Outside Attendees: Cindy Miles, Co-Chair Plan Steering Committee
Multimedia Presentation: PowerPoint