New KCMO Master Plan - 2019

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normalthings
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New KCMO Master Plan - 2019

Post by normalthings »

22 years ago, Kansas City began the “Forging Our Comprehensive Urban Strategy (FOCUS)” Plan. This year (2019) the city will embark on a long over due, replacement master plan.

Before the new plan starts rolling, I highly recommend Raggers check out the current FOCUS Plan. Revisiting the FOCUS plan helps one to get a sense of 1. How much things have changed 2. How much work that still needs to be done 3. How misplaced/outdated our current planning priorities are.

http://kcmo.gov/planning/comprehensive-plan/
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TheLastGentleman
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Re: New KCMO Master Plan - 2019

Post by TheLastGentleman »

I wonder what the average length of time between master plans is in other cities. 20+ years seems way too long.
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KCPowercat
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Re: New KCMO Master Plan - 2019

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Any shorter timeframe would seem to be not mich of a strategic plan?
flyingember
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Re: New KCMO Master Plan - 2019

Post by flyingember »

TheLastGentleman wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 11:04 pm I wonder what the average length of time between master plans is in other cities. 20+ years seems way too long.
20 years is dramatically short to actually do something. Our plan today should be what work we expect to have done by 2050. MARC works 30 years out for example.

The related issue is city doesn't take area plans seriously because they have no teeth.

The Briarcliff-Winnwood plan dates back to 2009. I wouldn't expect to see much visible change from this plan for 30+ years
https://data.kcmo.org/Area-Plans/Briarc ... ?pane=feed

Features from it-
Looking at eliminating pedestrian barriers around I-29 at N. Oak. No changes
Changing N. Oak to a parkway style. Part is being rebuild right now from four lane to four lane. It is getting better sidewalks after 90 years.
Higher density residential. Not so much.
Discourage auto-centric uses and use rear parking. Ha!
Improved biking access under I-35. There has been movement towards this with a trail ending at I-35 at one street and that's it.
Road diets on Parvin Rd. One intersection is just starting to be looked at.

The city plan needs to not be super specific on what to put where but to change the design rules in a strong legal fashion.

The master plan sgould be master standards for how to do things, not a master plan for where to do things.

Imagine if the master plan became code that said protected bike lanes must be included on all streets over a certain number of users per day and be implemented within 7 years of the date of approval. This would provide a flexible action the city could take without requiring endless study of exactly where to put them. And don't go out looking where to put bike lanes. Instead when a traffic study counts so many cars they're to be planned and placed, end of discussion. Don't hold public meetings asking about them, don't do an alternatives analysis. Save the time and money and just build them. The master plan is there to be the approval and set the standard.

Let's say we find the standard doesn't work, don't wait 20 years. It's the master and should be flexible. Maybe have a review every 5 years.
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