Walkabilty Plan
Wichita, Kansas
The City of Wichita and the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) received a Planning Sustainable Places grand in 2017 to create a Walkable Development Plan aimed at giving the city a strategy and policy framework to allow for and encourage multi-modal development in the City’s core.
This area, called the Established Central Area, is home to more than half of Wichita’s population and includes most of Wichita’s pre-1940s neighborhoods that were built for walkability. However, this pattern was largely lost as the city expanded areas were redeveloped, and car travel became the norm. If fact, the city’s regulatory framework restricted traditional, walkable infill development because the zoning code was designed to support suburban-style development. The primary intent of this project was to give the city a new framework that would make walkable development possible by-right in the Established Central Area.
Our Approach
Development Strategies was part of the consulting team led by Multistudio (formerly GouldEvans) and supported their efforts by analyzing demographic, economic, and real estate trends. This analysis was used to identify areas of stability and areas of opportunity, which informed a strategic framework aimed at stimulating investment and walkable development. Implementation steps were provided to help the city target incentives and other efforts in areas of opportunity and support quality development in areas of stability.
This study was completed in mid-2018 and was approved unanimously by the Metro Area Planning Commission, Wichita City Council, and Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners.
This project received a planning award with the Kansas Chapter of the American Planning Association.
PROJECT WEBSITE – Wichita: Places for People
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