Title
DER2017-03: DELANO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN: 2018.
Presented by: Scott Knebel, Planning Manager, MAPD.
Recommended Action: Adopt the Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 as an amendment to The Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan, authorize the Chairman to sign the adopting resolution, and instruct the County Clerk to publish the resolution in the official County newspaper.
Body
Background: In early 2017, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell attended the March meeting of the Delano Neighborhood Association to discuss a vision for a new stadium and museum district to be located in Lawrence Dumont’s footprint. The response from the attendees to the Mayor’s vision was positive, and led to discussion on updating the 2001 Delano Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.
The 2001 Delano Neighborhood Revitalization Plan was adopted as an amendment to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan in March 2001. After 15 years of implementing projects outlined in the 2001 Plan and changing conditions in the neighborhood, active neighborhood groups (Delano United and the Delano Neighborhood Association) and the City of Wichita recognized that the time was right to take a look at how the neighborhood would navigate its next chapter. The Metropolitan Area Planning Department was formally asked to revisit the Plan and draft an update.
MAPD held a public engagement session in April following the Mayor’s presentation. The public engagement meeting provided a status report on the existing Delano Plan and invited the public to provide feedback and participate in a design exercise about future development. Following the public engagement session and the publication of “Delano’s Turn”, a design exercise completed by students from Kansas State University, the Wichita City Council approved of and appointed members to the Delano Advisory Committee with the goal of creating an updated neighborhood plan. The committee is composed of 13 members and includes Delano business, resident, association, and organization representatives.
The plan took approximately 7 months to complete and involved input from hundreds of community stakeholders. The end result is the Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 that is presented to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission for consideration to be adopted as an element of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan.
The Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 is a community-wide vision for improvements and development in the Delano Neighborhood for the next 15 years. The plan outlines 11 recommendations for continued revitalization of the Delano Neighborhood through efforts focused on persevering the area’s charm, creating unique places, and enabling development. More detailed information regarding The Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 is available online at: http://www.wichita.gov/Planning/Pages/Delano.aspx .
The plan was adopted by the MAPC by a 11-0 vote.
Alternatives: Three alternatives are available to the Board of County Commissioners now that the MAPC has adopted The Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 as an amendment to The Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan:
1) Approve such recommendations by resolution.
2) Override the planning commission’s recommendations by a 2/3 majority vote.
3) Return the same to the planning commission for further consideration, together with a statement specifying the basis for the government body’s failure to approve or disapprove.
Financial Considerations: Adopting The Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 involves no commitment of funding for Sedgwick County. Any funding of projects identified in the Plan by Sedgwick County will require future action by the Board of County Commissioners.
Legal Considerations: The adopting resolution has been reviewed and approved as to form by the County Counselor’s Office. As an amendment to the comprehensive plan, K.S.A. 12-747 applies. The alternatives section lists the different options that are available.
Policy Considerations: The MAPC, in accordance with Kansas state statutes, published the required public hearing notice in the official City newspaper on February 15, 2018 and County newspaper on February 14, 2018, held a public hearing for the proposed Delano Neighborhood Plan: 2018 and approved a resolution adopting the Plan as an amendment to The Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan on March 8, 2018.