prairie delaware piper master plan · prairie delaware piper master plan page 8 project goals the...

Unified Government ofWyandotte County andKansas City, Kansas

ApprovedFebruary 26, 2004

PrairieDelawarePiperMasterPlan

TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTION 1

Map 1: Regional ContextEXISTING CONDITIONS 3

Map 2: Local ContextMap 3: Existing Land UseMap 4: Census TractsTable 1: Household ProjectionsTable 2: Population ProjectionsTable 3: Demographic Summary

LAND DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 9Map 5: Flood PlainsMap 6: Soils SummaryMap 7: Slope AnalysisMap 8: Existing VegetationMap 9: Sanitary Sewer MapMap 10: Development Opportunities

FUTURE LAND USE PLAN 17Map 11: Future Land UseMap 12: Development PoliciesTable 4: Policies and Guidelines for Area 2

Development AreasTable 5: Policies and Guidelines for Area 1

Development AreasTable 6: Residential Unit SizeTable 7: Residential Amenity GuidelinesTable 8: Mixed-Use Residential

FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PLAN 31Map 13: Future Transportation

PARKS AND OPEN SPACE 41Map 14: Open Space Plan

IMPLEMENTATION 45Map 15: Phasing Plan

Prairie Delaware Piper Master Plan


Page 1

Map 1: Regional Context

Many of recommendations from the1999 Plan still apply and have beenincorporated into this plan.

1998 PlanThe Steering Committee from that

project requested that the UnifiedGovernment examine land developmentopportunities and impacts based on theimpending construction of the KansasMotor Speedway.

Previous Steering Committee mem-bers and additional area citizens werethat planning process.

The Prairie Delaware Master Planwas originally prepared in 1980 andamended in 1986. The Major TourismPlan also amended this plan in 1998.This addition is to be adopted in 2004.

INTRODUCTIONThis study was initiated to update

the 1999 plan. The previous PrairieDelaware Piper Master Plan was com-pleted and adopted shortly after theMajor Tourism Plan was adopted in1998.

An Advisory Committee was select-ed by the Unified Government to pro-vide input and raise issues that affectthe development patterns within thestudy area in western Kansas City,Kansas.

The issues of concern that have beendiscussed include:

Density of residential development

Housing types

Quality of design

Infrastructure improvements including roads and sewers

Updating the plan approval process


Page 2

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Study AreaThe study area includes most of the

remaining developable land in KansasCity, Kansas. This area is bounded bythe Leavenworth and WyandotteCounty line on the north, the MissouriRiver, Wyandotte County Lake Parkand 91st Street on the east, I-70 andState Avenue on the south and K-7 orthe Leavenworth and WyandotteCounty line on the west.


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Map 2: Local Context

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Kansas MotorSpeedway andVillage West

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size from two dozen homes to about300 units or more. Of greater concernare the large residential lots that frontmany of the arterial streets and poten-tially land lock large developableparcels.

The area is practically devoid ofcommercial businesses providing goodsand services for daily needs. VillageWest is serving the surrounding area,but this development is a metropolitanand regional commercial center.

Area residents must still travelbeyond the bounds of the study area forgroceries and other goods. At one ofthe community workshops, residentsidentified the fact that many travel east,to Leavenworth and to Johnson Countyto do their weekly grocery shopping.To purchase clothes and other drygoods, the majority of those polledshopped in Johnson County.

The area has access to three majoropen spaces. These are the WyandotteCounty Lake Park along 91st Street onthe eastern edge of the study area,Wyandotte County Park and SunflowerHills golf course on the southernboundary of the study area, and Dub'sDread Golf Club which provides anattractive open space amenity for manyof the area residents.


Page 4

Existing ConditionsThis area of Kansas City, Kansas

includes some exceptionally rich scenicviews and attractive rural landscapes.These rolling hills between theMissouri and Kansas Rivers offer avisual character not found elsewherewithin the community. The quality oflife that the current residents enjoyshould be maintained with each newdevelopment in this area.

Just as the previous plan noted forthis area, the study area is on the fringeof the metropolitan area. However,with the development of the KansasSpeedway and Village West, the land-scape for the area is changing signifi-cantly and likely to coninue changingover the next twenty years.

Land UseOver the last two years, developers

and land owners have begun to submitlarge scale residential and mixed-useddevelopment plans. These plans havesignificantly increased the interest ofland developers to consider KansasCity, Kansas a desirable residentialaddress.

In addition, existing residential sub-divisions are scattered throughout thestudy area. These generally range in

Piper Lake Fire Station at 123rd and Leavenworth

Entertainment VenuesThe study area includes some of the

metropolitan area's largest entertain-ment venues. These include the KansasSpeedway, theWoodlands Race Tracks,the Renaissance Festival, LakesideSpeedway, Verizon SandstoneAmphitheater, the Agriculture Hall ofFame and the multiple venues openingwithin the Village West development.

The 1.5 mile tri-oval super speed-way will initially have a seating capaci-ty of 75,000, with the potential toincrease capacity to 150,000. It is esti-mated that for top racing attractions,250,000 people may come for theevent. In addition, the facility is in usefor tours, training and other eventsthroughout the year. Use of the facilityincludes driver-training, practice, vehi-cle and vehicle component testing,smaller racing venues and other events.


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Map 3: 1988 Existing Land Use

TransportationTwo interstate highways currently

serve the area, I-70 along the southernportion of the study area and I-435 con-necting the area to KCI Airport on thenorth and Johnson County to the south.Three other state highways are withinthe study area including State Avenueor Highway 24/40; K-7 forming thewestern boundary of the study area andWyandotte County/Kansas City,Kansas; and K-5 which parallels theflood plain along the Missouri River.

With few exceptions, the area iswell served with section line roadsthroughout. These serve as the arterialsystem for future development.Collector roads that are typically locat-ed near the center lines of sectionsdesigned to serve future developmentare not in place.

Public FacilitiesThe study area is served by a police

station at 1011 North 80th Terrace. Allof the study area is located withinprecinct 225. Fire Station # 8 is locatedon the northeast corner of LeavenworthRoad and 123rd Street and Fire Station#9 is located at 1011 North 80thTerrace and these two stations serve theentire study area. The West WyandotteBranch Library is located at 1727 North82nd Street and serves the entire studyarea.

All of Piper #203 school district iswithin the study area, some of the east-ern portion of the study area lies withinthe Kansas City #500 school district,and southern portions are within theBonner Springs School District #204.


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Map 4: Census Tracts


Page 7

Demographic TrendsThe study area is included within

three census tracts. The Mid-AmericaRegional Council (MARC) updatedtheir projections in January 1998 beforethe finalization of the motor speedwayplans at 110th Street and State Avenue.The census tracts used for the PrairieDelaware Piper area are 44703, 44803,and 44804 and are illustrated on theCensus Tract map. The study area isexpected to grow by 4,000 residentsand 1,100 households over the nexttwenty years. The most significant per-cent change is in the area's projectedemployment.

The median household income isestimated at $66,910. Retail salespotential of households residing in thestudy area exceeds $40 million. Since1990 there have only been 66 dwellingunits built per year on average.

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3: Demographic Summary


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Project GoalsThe goals of the Prairie Delaware

Piper Master Plan are based on directinput from the Steering Committee,community members, UnifiedGovernment staff and elected officials.This representative input has providedcommon ground of community consen-sus. This agreement resulted from wideranging discussions with the SteeringCommittee.

The growth of Kansas City, Kansasin this area is seen as a catalyst forimproving the area's public perceptionand an avenue to strengthen the taxbase. The following goals are directedat achieving this mission:

Control quality development, both residential and commercial.Improve image and perception of area.Provide attractions for youth, including a community center and recreation activities.Concentrate commercial develop-ment along K-7 and I-435.Provide a central community place with recreational facilities Growth and development to be unique and not like other parts of the metropolitan area.Provide adequate infrastructure: parks, roads, utilities, drainage.Design a well-planned community with a small town character.Provide design guidelines to imple-ment a development theme and high quality design.Preserve sensitive natural resources and areas.Ensure that the plan is implement-ed.


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LANDDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK

The planning team evaluated thestudy area to determine the develop-ment feasibility of the land. These nat-ural features form the basis for theDevelopment Policy Plan and areincluded within this section.

The four natural resource systemsthat were evaluated include floodplains, stream corridors and steepslopes, soils, and existing vegetation.These systems were individuallymapped and then overlaid to understandtheir relationship and their impact todevelopment.

The following pages describe thefour natural features that are mappedand evaluated. These features are:

Flood Plains

Stream Corridors / Slopes

Soils

Vegetation


Page 10

eral reasons. Certain land uses aremore appropriate for certain slope per-centages, due to cost factors. In addi-tion, when development overbuilds aslope, soil becomes structurally unsta-ble and loss of equilibrium may occur.Developing on portions of steep slopesmay intensify risks of landslides andcompromise water quality. Soils

Using the Soil Survey Report forWyandotte and Leavenworth counties,the soils in the project area were identi-fied and rated. Soil properties, engi-neering properties, community develop-ment suitability, vegetation suitability,wildlife habit capabilities, and recre-ation limitations were all factors thatwere rated and mapped.

Soil properties analyzed soil depthto bedrock, water table, texture, shrink-swell potential, permeability, and flood-ing. Engineering properties analyzedtopsoil quality, road appro-priateness,embankment feasibility, irrigation feasi-bility, and waterway construction.Community develop-ment suitabilityanalyzed the appropriateness for septictanks, sewage lagoons, dwellings withbasements, shallow excavations, andlocal roads.

These factors were overlaid to deter-mine the soils best suited for develop-ment. The yellow on the map repre-sents low risk. The orange on the maprepresents medium risk. The red on themap represents high risk. Existing Vegetation

Existing vegetation impacts landdevelopment feasibility. Large, densestands of trees may effect developmentcosts. Removing vegetation may effectenvironmental quality and visual char-acteristics currently known to the studyarea. The majority of the vegetationstands exist in the northeast portionsand the southwest portions of the studyboundary. Areas with significant vege-tation are noted on the map in green.

Existing Natural featuresFlood Plains

Using Flood Insurance Rate Maps,flood plains were identified within thestudy area. The 100-year flood plain islocated in the uppermost portion of thestudy area, adjacent to the MissouriRiver and Highway 5. 100 year floodplains also exist in the existing streamcorridors. According to the maps, thereare also areas of 500 year flood plainsand areas of minimal flooding. Theseoccur in the areas between the streamsystems Connor Creek and IslandCreek and between Conner Creek andWyandotte County Lake.

The flood plain locations influencethe recommendations for developmentdensities. Develop-ment within theflood plain areas is not recommended.It is recommended if developmentexists within flood plains to install aflood reduction program. Flood plainsare affected by land developmentchanges. If permeability of surround-ing soils is decreased and storm waterrunoff is increased, level of hazardswill increase in the flood plain areas. Stream Corridors / Slopes

The variable slope in the study areaadds a rich visual character. Themajority of the steep slopes are on thenortheastern portion of the project areaand adjacent to the stream corridors.2% slopes and fewer are represented inwhite, on the topography map. Whiterepresents a no risk development rating.3% to 5% slopes are represented in yel-low on the topography map. Yellowrepresents a minor risk developmentrating. The 6% to 10% slopes are rep-resented in orange on the map. Orangerepresents a medium risk developmentrating. Slopes greater than 11% arerepresented in red. Red represents ahigh-risk development rating.

The mapping ratings influence thedevelopment recommendations. for sev-


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Map 5:Flood Plains

Map 7: Slope Analysis

Map 6: Soils Summary

Map 8: Existing Vegetation


Page 12

Development FrameworkThe following development frame-

work is the basis for the future land useplan. This framework identifies factorsthat affect development potential ofland within the study area. The follow-ing features influence development:

natural features which includes steep slopes, flood plains, vegeta-tion and soils, existing development anchors, andland suitability.

Development Influences:Natural Systems

The stream corridors, slopes andvegetation within the study area pro-vides the familiar character residentsappreciate and want to preserve. It isthese features that many believe con-tribute to the overall quality of life.

Flood PlainThese areas are not conducive to

any type of building and developmentbased on severe flooding potential andsoil characteristics. Development inthese areas is too risky due to landcharacteristics to recommend buildingany type of structure. These areas maybe appropriate for passive recreationuses and trail connections.

Topographic DivideThis line identifies the ridge that

separates natural drainage between theMissouri and Kansas Rivers. Thedivide separates the ability to providegravity sewer systems on the south sideof the divide to the sewage treatmentfacility near I-435 and Kaw Drive. Oneexception to this is the area near K-7that drains to Wolf Creek inLeavenworth County. Gravity sewerservice in this area will need to beaddressed. The remaining area northof the divide will require a series of

pump stations and force mains to pro-vide public sewer service. Severalpumping stations currently exist.

Sewer ShedSewer or watersheds are identified

so that the reader and users of this planwill understand the development poli-cies that are based on sewer infrastruc-ture. As previously discussed, someareas will require pump stations andforce mains, while others require coor-dination with adjacent jurisdictions.

Only those sheds that cannot be eas-ily served by existing gravity sewerinterceptors are identified.

Sewer ServiceThe area south of the divide and not

within the Little Turkey Creek area canbe generally sewered through gravityinterceptors that access the treatmentplant at Kaw Drive and I-435. Someareas will need to coordinate withBonner Springs.

Map 9:Sanitary Sewer Map

Legend

Entertainment AnchorsThe Kansas Motor Speedway is the

major anchor within the study area.This facility attracts hundreds of thou-sands of visitors each year and is thecatalyst that has spurred developmentinterests within western Kansas City,Kansas.

Additional entertainment anchorsexist in this area including theWoodlands Race Track, the VerizonAmphitheater, the Agriculture Hall ofFame and the Renaissance Festival.These venues attract visitors to thecommunity as well.

Major Tourism AreaThis area is adjacent to the Kansas

International Motor Speedway and I-435. This area accommodates majorconcentrations of large volume retailservices that provide goods at a region-al scale. In addition, the T-BonesNorthern League Baseball Club pro-vides minor league baseball to areafans.

Land identified for regional com-mercial development should continuebe of an adequate size to allow forregional destination-type retail andentertainment develop-ment, where vis-itors can easily get from one destinationto another. It should be close to thespeedway to capitalize on spin-off busi-ness for complementary activities (din-ing, lodging, shopping, and entertain-ment).

Regional commercial developmentshould not be allowed to follow a nar-row linear pattern, such as followingthe length of Parallel Parkway betweenK7 and I-435. This will have anadverse impact on the quality and typeof development that could be achievedwith more compactly defined sites ofadequate size. There is sufficientregional commercial land specified toaccommodate several million squarefeet of development, depending on themix of uses. This provides at least a20-year development horizon.


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Mixed Density Village Center Core

Land Suitability:Land suitability was determined by

conducting an inventory of the charac-teristics of the land and analyzing thesefactors in regards to their impact ondevelopment. The characteristicsinventoried were topography, soils,vegetation, and flood capabilities. Theland parcels were then grouped intothree categories:

Best Development Areas

Lower Density Development Areas

Limited Development Areas

Each of these factors was used torate land parcels based on potentialdevelopment ability. The composite ofthese risk factors determines the land'srating for development suitability. Thesummary of the analysis is describedfor each area.

Best Development AreasThis rating was based on low devel-

opment risk factors for most types ofdevelopment densities. These landshave minimal slopes, little or no floodcapabilities, and no stands of vegeta-tion. The soils in these areas are themost conducive to development due totheir soil characteristics. The landareas in this category rating would alsobe the least costly to develop and havethe least impact on the rest of the studyarea.

Lower Density DevelopmentAreas

The land parcels in these areas aremore suited for lower density develop-ment based on land suitability rating.These areas may have varying slopes,limited but potential flooding, scatteredvegetation stands, and soils that maynot be conducive to basements, founda-tions or high-density development. Theareas may not be costly to develop, butmay have direct impacts on the rest ofthe study area.

Limited Development AreasThis category for land suitability is

not necessarily suited for intense, sub-urban development. Based on the landsuitability factors, these areas may havesevere and varying slopes, potentialflooding, large stands of vegetation,and soils that are not conducive tobuilding or development due to theirmaterial makeup. Development may becostly and pose a risk on the quality oflife.

The area north of the divide willrequire force mains and pumping sta-tions, which will provide sewer serviceto those areas. The UnifiedGovernment is studying the options ofbuilding sewer treatment plant alongthe Missouri River side of the divide.A treatment plant would provide signif-icantly more development potential.


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Piper Lake


Page 15

Legend

Map 10: Development Opportunities


Page 16


Page 17

FUTURE LAND USE PLANThe following plan recommenda-

tions are illustrated on four plans.These plans should be evaluated andconsidered collectively. These are the:

Future Land Use Plan

Development Policy/Phasing Plan

Transportation Concept Plan

Open Space Plan

The Land Use Plan illustrates theprefereed development pattern for thePrairie Delaware Piper area. It shouldbe reviewed first before considering theother plan components.

The Development Policy/PhasingPlan is a subset of the Land Use Planand it divides the study area into twoareas. These two areas have specificdesign standards that apply to develop-ment proposals.

The Transporation Plan illustratesthe improvements that are contemplatedto serve future land use. Right-of-wayrecommendations are included in thedescriptions.

The Open Space Plan illustrates theopportunities to provide open space andmake potential greenway connectionsthroughout the community.


IntroductionThis Land Use Plan both builds on

existing land use patterns and landdevelopment capacities. The concen-trations of development activities arefocused near commercial and employ-ment centers.

One of the challenges for the PrairieDelaware Piper area is to create a vari-ety of distinctly different neighbor-hoods so that existing and future resi-dents are offered choices of neighbor-hood and unit types.

LAND USE DEFINITIONS

Low-Density ResidentialLow-density residential uses are rec-

ommended north of Donahoo Road.Should infrastructure improvements beprovided such as public sewer and ade-quate road arterials, then higher single-family density may be appropriate.

Currently, these areas are not asdensely developed as a typical subur-ban residential subdivision. Theseareas are for single family detached res-idential units and should appear to beless dense. Development in these areasshould include significant areas foropen space to maintain the rural charac-ter of the area. These areas mayinclude lots ranging in size from 3acres to 1/3 of an acre.

Development proposals for lots thatfront a major arterial, typicallydescribed as piano key lots, are not rec-ommended nor encouraged. Clusteringunits and dedicating large areas foropen space are encouraged. Clustering

of units would allow for open spaceand other community amenities.

Areas within the plan that are limit-ed by transportation and infrastructureimprovements as well as the conditionsof the existing topography and vegeta-tion afford areas for large lot develop-ment. Residential development of theseparcels should work with the naturalterrain of the site to be functionallycompatible with their rural setting.

Rural or very low residential densi-ties are appropriate in the very northernpart of the planning area, because ofexisting conditions and land capacityconstraints.

Suburban ResidentialThe majority of the planning area

allows for typical single-familydetached residential units on what aretypically referred to as quarter-acre lots.Generally these subdivisions will devel-op with 3-to-4 units per acre.

Suburban density developmentshould be primarily located betweenLeavenworth Road and the moreintense commercial, industrial andentertainment uses south of ParallelParkway. This would create an edgebetween the mixed use village centerand the high intensity activities aroundthe motor speedway.

Page 18

Low density residential use

Suburban residential use


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Legend

Map 11: Future Land Use

Mixed-Use ResidentialMixed residential development is

appropriate in limited areas. Theseareas could include a variety of residen-tial densities and unit types. Theseareas could be developed with patio(zero lot line) homes, townhouses, con-dominiums, garden apartments, housingfor seniors, and other multifamily uses.It is the intent that these units would beowner occupied housing. If multi-fami-ly apartment units are part of an overalldevelopment plan, then these unitsshould be market rate. These areas arealong I-435, and buffercommercial/office development andsuburban density residential develop-ment.

Public oriented uses such as schools,libraries, community recreation facili-ties (both indoor and outdoor) andplaces for worship may also be plannedwithin a mixed residential development.See diagram on page 13.


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Mixed-use residential includes aminimum of two types of residentialunits.

No apartments will be allowed northof Leavenworth Road along the I-435corridor.

Commercial Land Uses:Small Commercial

The intent of this use is to allow forcommercial retail and limited commer-cial services at major arterials near low-density residential areas of the commu-nity. These locations are not intendedto provide a complete range of goodsand services.

Neighborhood CommercialNeighborhood commerical areas are

needed for conveniece retail that wouldfunction or develop as a center for localshopping for surrounding neighbor-hoods. Such a center should have aleast a full size grocery, pharmacy andother related retail and service estab-lishments.

Example of Mixed Density

Multi-unit, single family residential use

Neighborhood commercial use


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Regional Commercial This category allows major retail

uses, including restaurants and hotels.This would include centers for largediscount stores currently called big boxcenters and have stores that serve largepopulations.

These should be part of the MajorTourism District or adjacent to VillageWest. An additional regional commer-cial center may be appropriate alongK-7 with access to a proposed inter-change.

OfficeThis is to encourage the develop-

ment of business parks. In some cases,this use is located to buffer residentialdevelopment from more intensive com-mercial retail development.

Office development is a longer-termopportunity that will follow commercialand residential development.Convenient freeway access is importantto attract employees and workers livingin other parts of the metropolitan area.The I-435/I-70 interchange locationalso provides a convenient locationbetween the employment centers alongI-29 near KCI and those along I-435 inJohnson County.

Business Park and Light IndustryThis category identifies employment

areas that are for manufacturing, lightindustrial uses, distribution-warehouse,trucking and other employment activity.The Kansas City, Kansas area currentlyhas limited available land for industrialuses because of high occupancy rateswithin the city.

Office park uses may be mixedwithin areas for light industry for moreversatile business parks.

EntertainmentThis category identifies areas that

have significant capital investment ininfrastructure that entertains visitors.

The study area includes several met-ropolitan venues that attract visitorsthroughout the area. These include theunder-construction Kansas MotorSpeedway, the Woodlands Racetracks,and Verizon Amphitheater..

Because of the number of visitorsand users of these facilities, there is aneed to plan for support commercialand entertainment uses.

ActionsEncourage retail and commercialdevelopment as well as regional shopping within the Major Tourism Area before allowing these regional types of uses in other designated commercial areas.

Public and Semi-Public andInstitutional Uses

This category identifies major pub-lic and semi-public facilities, lands andprivate uses for religious institutions.This would also include the WyandotteCounty Fairgrounds and theAgricultural Hall of Fame. Not everyreligious institution is noted on the landuse plan. These facilities are allowedwithin the residential categories. Inaddition this includes land that is usedfor private and public schools as wellas areas for worship.

In addition, the overall study areawill need to include future public andinstitutional facilities such as schools, alibrary, indoor and outdoor recreationfacilities, places for worship, andpotentially a community center.

Parks and Open SpaceThis category identifies existing

land use for parks, recreation and openspace.

Institutional Uses In addition, this area should include

future public and institutional facilitiessuch as schools, a library, indoor andoutdoor recreation facilities, places forworship, and a community center.


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Map 12: Development Policies


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Development Policies and Guidelines for Area 2

Intent: These parcels are more suited for lower density development due to factors such as varyingslopes, limited but potential flooding, scattered vegetation stand, and soils that may not be conduciveto basement, foundations or high-density development.

Development Policies and Guidelines for Area 1

Intent: Low development risk factors including minimal slopes, little or no flood capabilities, no signifi-cant stands of vegetation, and soils most conducive to development.

Table 4

Table 5


DEVELOPMENT POLICIESSingle Family DetachedResidential Unit Size

Single family detached residentialunits are in demand in western KansasCity, Kansas. Some standards areneeded to enhance the overall quality ofdevelopment within this area.

Table 6 identifies the square footagerequirements for single family detachedunits. The requirement varies based onthe number of units within a subdivi-sion and the location of the subdivisionas illustrated on Map 11.

Residential unit square footagerequirements are more flexible in sub-divisions that have 100 or more units.

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Table 6: Residential Unit Size


Residential developments with 50-to-200 dwelling units are required tohave two (2) amenities. Only one (1)of the required amenities may be asmall amenity.

Residential developments with morethan 200 dwelling units are required tohave three (3) amenities. of which one(1) amenity may be considered a smallamenity.

Residential DevelopmentAmenity Guidelines

Amenities within residential subdi-visions are an important factor whenpotential home buyers consider pur-chasing a home. Amenities enhance theoverall value of a neighborhood andallow residents to meet and get to knowone another.

Amenities are required for each resi-dential subdivision. The requirementsare based on the number of units withinthe subdivision.

Residential developments of anyunit type with fewer than 50 dwellingunits are required to have one smallamenity.

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Table 7: Residential Amenity Guidelines

Residential amenities


Mixed Use ResidentialGuidelines and DesignConsiderations

The community needs a variety ofhousing choices for long term sustain-ability. The Land Use Plan, Map 10,illustrates areas where mixed use resi-dential development is recommended.These locations have good access tomajor road arterials and have availablesewer access.

The following guidelines and Table8 describe and define the unit types andamenities required for mixed use resi-dential development proposals.

Guidelines:Development sites should be at least25 acres in sizefor mixed-use ormixed density residential projects.

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Sites that are less than 25 acres insize are recommended for singlefamily detached residential develop-ment.

Establish an overall design themefor a mixed use residential plan.

Design streets within residentialneighborhoods to connect to adja-cent uses.

Avoid designing subdivisions thathave all the same unit type and lotsize.

Encourage a variety ofarchitectural styleswithin each neighbor-hood.

Establish landscapestandards that providean overall theme for thedevelopment.

Table 8:Mixed-Use ResidentialMixed use example


Overall Planning and DesignQuality of Design

A common theme throughout all ofthe community workshops and meet-ings was the concern and desire thatnew development be of the highestquality. In the major tourism area nowknown as Village West, the UnifiedGovernment has effectively used designguidelines to achieve the high qualitydesign that was desired.

Quality design impacts both the sitedesign and the building design. Thiswould include establishing standards ordesign guidelines for:

New residential neighborhoods, Commercial centers, andEmployment areas.

Actions

The Unified Government will workwith property owners and develop-ers to establish well planned, com-mercial centers and technologyready business parks along majortransportation corridors.The Unified Government will work with residential developers to coor-dinate residential subdivisions to function as neighborhoods with community services including parks, religious institutions, schools and open spaces.The guidelines within this planshould be used to evaluate newdevelopments proposed within thestudy area.

Land Use CompatibilityNew development should be com-

patible or 'fit' within the overall setting.

GuidelinesNew residential developments thatare proposed to adjacent residentialsubdivision should have lot sizesand unit sizes that are similar insize, or

New residential developments thatare proposed to adjacent residentialsubdivision should have lot sizesand unit sizes that transition in sizefrom the existing development tothe new development if a variety ofunits types and lot sizes are pro-posed. The transition can beaccomplished by utilizing existingnatural features, setbacks, bermsand landscaping, or by placing larg-er lots along a property line.

Residential Design GuidelinesThe following design guidelines are

for residential developments.

Residential Building MaterialsPrimary materials for the fronts ofhomes should be: masonry, stucco,cement board, and wood siding.

Accent materials should include realor cultured masonry materials.

For side and rear building facadesthe use of use horizontal lap sidingand vertical lap vinyl (minimum 42gauge) siding is acceptable.

Roof materials should be a compos-ite shingle (35 year minimum) orapproved equal.

Use of plain, flat siding is discour-aged as a primary siding material.Use of horizontal siding on the frontof the home with panel siding on thesides and rear is discouraged.

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Residential amenity


Use trim, windows and otherdetails to de-emphasize the visualimpact of the garage in relation tothe rest of the structure.

Safe RoomsAll duplexes and tri-plexes must be

built with a tornado safe room for theprotection of the occupants.

Housing Style VariationResidential units within developmentsof more than 25 dwelling units shouldhave a minimum of three distinctivefloor plans, with a minimum of threeelevations per floor plan.

Identification FeaturesAll residential developments are

required to have entry features. Thesefeatures may include:

Neighborhood name within a land-scape feature

Monuments

Special lighting feature

Enhanced bus stop

Fountain

Special landscape

Commercial Centers:Commercial centers are based on the

concept framework that resulted fromthe community meetings. Commercialcenters should serve the future sur-rounding neighborhoods. The centerswill vary in development intensity andnumber of goods and services to beprovided based on the land capacityanalysis and the proposed residentialdensities.

Specific commercial locations arenot identified on the Land Use Plan.identifying appropriate locations is pre-mature while the area is experiencingrapid growth. Market forces will influ-ence the timing and location of com-mercial centers. The following types ofcenters are considered:

Architectural DiversityAll sides of a building shall displaya similar level of quality and archi-tectural interest. The majority of abuilding's architectural features andtreatments shall not be restricted to asingle façade. However, direct win-dow conflicts across side propertyand/or rear property lines should beavoided.

Incorporate a variety of featuressuch as overhangs, dormers, baywindows, cantilevers, porches,entries, accent materials to providearticulation and interest.

Include single story elements suchas porches, covered entries and sec-ond stories that have a set back fromthe first floor on two story homes.

Fronts of buildings should be articu-lated thorough the use of window-bays, insets, balconies, porches orstoops related to entrances and win-dows.

The overall residential communityshould include multiple buildingelevation designs. One front, sideand rear building elevations shouldnot be used on more than 40 percentof the units.

Garages and CarportsGarages and carports should incor-porate architectural treatments thatderive from the main building interms of materials, detailing, roofmaterials and colors. When possi-ble, side and rear loaded garagesand carports are preferred.

Front loaded garages and carports:Front loaded garages should incor-porate at least one of the followingguidelines to limit the dominance ofgarage doors on the front facade:

Incorporate upper level dormersabove the garage, orDesign porches, stoops and/orfacades should protrude at least five(5) feet in front of the garage, or

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ing's architectural features and treat-ments shall not be restricted to a singlefaçade. However, direct window con-flicts across side property and/or rearproperty lines should be avoided.

Incorporate a variety of featuressuch as overhangs, pitched roofs, spe-cial roof treatments for flat roofs, can-tilevers, entries, covered walkways,accent materials to provide articulationand interest.

Commercial Uses Actions forImplementation:

Developers should illustrate theneed for such centers with appro-priate market information.

Condense number of commercialdistricts and correlate to land useplan.

All neighborhood commercial cen-ters should be a planned district.

Allow on-site density transfer (clus-ter) to protect sensitive areas

Review landscaping requirementsfor all types of development, corri-dors and villages

Establish detailed design criteriafor residential and non-residentialdevelopment

Establish appropriate infrastructureprovision requirements.

Establish minimum and maximumdensities for all commercialplanned districts.

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Rural Commercial CenterThe intent of these nodes is to allow

for commercial retail and limited com-mercial services at major crossroads inthe rural and low-density residentialareas of the community. These areasare not intended to provide a completerange of goods and services. Thesetypes of centers should be north ofDonohoo Road and have access to atleast one arterial.

Neighborhood CommercialCenter

Neighborhood commercial centerswill offer residents of the surroundingarea access to basic, daily goods andservices through limited retail and serv-ice operations (small market, hair salon,dry cleaners, day care) and other com-munity services). Small restaurantscould also be included (coffeeshop/café, take-out, sandwich shop,deli, etc.) Development of these servic-es in the low-density residential areahelps to preserve the rural aspects ofthe landscape while allowing residentsto remain in the "village" if desired toobtain basic goods and services.

The preferred development patternwould be to cluster these establish-ments in a compact pattern, with easypedestrian access among the establish-ments, rather than in a scattered linearpattern that requires automobile use toget from establishment to establish-ment. This will help to maintain thesmall town/village ambience.

These centers will be south ofDonohoo Road and should have accessto an arterial road and a collector roadthat directly connects to adjacent neigh-borhoods.

Commercial Design GuidelinesArchitectural Features

All sides of a building shall displaya similar level of quality and architec-tural interest. The majority of a build-

Small commercial center example

Employment AreasLocations adjacent to the interstate

highway system have been identified asexisting or potential employment areas.The Kansas Speedway and VillageWest development are one center andshould continue to develop. Another isalong K-7 and Donahoo Road. Thispotential center is reserved based on thedesire to improve K-7 to a limitedaccess highway, planned improvementsto Donahoo Road and the plannedinterchange of Donahoo Road with I-435.

In addition to speedway-relatedindustrial development, the locationnear the junction of two major inter-states makes it attractive for wholesal-ing, warehousing and distribution facili-ties. These employment uses also sup-port retail and commercial establish-ments that will be located nearby.

Landscaping and ScreeningThe intent of these guidelines is to gen-erally enhance the quality and appear-ance of developed properties within theCity.

All residential lots shall have twotrees per five thousand (5,000) squarefeet per lot, up to five trees per lot.One tree shall be in the front or cornerside of the lot.

In all multi-family residential devel-opments, one (1) shade tree perdwelling unit is required in the front orcorner side yard, and one (1) tree perfour thousand (4,000) square feet of sitearea for uses other than residences.The latter requirement may be reducedby fifty percent (50%) if specimen treesthat are 10 inch caliper or greater aresaved on-site. A minimum of 10 foun-dation shrubs are required for every200 feet of building perimeter.

The location of all special site fea-tures and amenities. The types of fea-tures that should be identified include,

but not limited to the following: gate-ways, entry monuments, entry medians,special light fixtures, developmentidentifications signs, club house, pool,trails, all open space features, buffers,etc.

All residential lots shall have foun-dation plant materials. These shrubsshould be planted along the front yard-foundation of a building. Sides of resi-dential units that are visible from thepublic right-of-way such as those unitson a corner lot should also have somefoundation plant materials.

Foundation plant materials meansthose shrubs that normally attain aheight greater than 36 inches atmaturity and shall be a minimum of18 inches in height at time of plant-ing.

Streetscape.All developments shall be required

to have a streetscape. Streetscape ele-ments shall typically include trees,street lighting, sidewalks and otherplantings that may be appropriate.Streetscapes may be identified in theCity's comprehensive plan or as deter-mined by the Director.

Generally, streetscape is defined asthe area between the property lineor right-of-way and the curb oredge of a street. Landscape materi-als within the streetscape shall notbe counted as part of the develop-ment site landscape requirements.


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Landscape and streetscape amenities

TRANSPORTATION PLANThe transportation recommendations

address current issues and concernsrelated to mobility in Prairie DelawarePiper plan area. This chapter identifiesthe key elements of the transportationsystem, recommended goals for the sys-tem, system management and demandmanagement policies, a classification ofthe transportation system, a recom-mended future transportation networkand bicycle/pedestrian system elements.A primary issue is the lack of a streethierarchy in the community. This planidentifies policies for establishing astreet hierarchy with the proposed landuse. The recommendations identifyspecific improvements regarding trans-portation needs to guide future invest-ment in the study area and determinehow land use and transportation deci-sions can be brought together to benefitthe community.


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Elements of the TransportationSystem

The study area is served by a gridsystem of roadways, with the primarytraffic coming in and through the com-munity on Interstate 70 (east/west) andInterstate 435, a loop freeway servingKansas City Metropolitan Area. Thegrids of roadways generally follow sec-tion lines creating 1 mile square areasof land. For the most part roadways inthe study area are 2-lane rural high-ways. There are three basic modes orgroups of transportation in the commu-nity:

Motor Vehicles

Pedestrians

Bicycles

Transportation OpportunitiesAs a first step in the planning

process a set of recommended trans-portation goals has been compiled. Thefollowing transportation goals are briefguiding statements for the PrairieDelaware Piper area:

1. Develop an efficient transporta-tion system that will reduce the per-centage of single occupant vehicles andreduces congestion.

2. Establish a hierarchy of road-ways within the community.

3. Design and enhance transporta-tion facilities in a manner that enhanceslivability and are in context with thesurrounding environment.

4. Implement the transportationplan by working cooperatively withfederal, State, regional, and local gov-ernments, the private sector, and resi-dents.

5. Maintain a safe transportationsystem

Policies are statements that describethe actions needed to move the commu-nity toward a achieving these goals.

Each of the following sections providesa description and policy statementsrelated to the above goals.

Roadway Hierarchy The study area is experiencing rapid

growth and this growth is projected tocontinue. These policies for transporta-tion planning are intended to reduce theimpacts of future growth. The trans-portation network could become con-gested. Poor performance on arterialsand collectors would result in substan-tial impacts (added through traffic) toother collectors and neighborhoodroutes (cut through traffic). Ultimately,economic development may be nega-tively impacted due to roadway conges-tion.


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The recommended policies for thetransportation system are to establish ahierarchy of roadways that help dis-perse traffic more evenly in the com-munity, reduce the need to build road-ways greater than four lanes in width,and improve the overall livability of thecommunity. The community is in aunique position to plan early enough topreserve the ability to improve existingroadways and identify where futureroadways may be needed.

The greatest problem areas can begrouped into the following areas:

Lack of a consistent hierarchy ofstreets.

Incomplete network of streets relat-ed to growth areas of the communi-ty.

Lack of relationship between landuse development and transportationsystem development.


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Map 13:Future Transportation

Legend

Establish a Hierarchy of Streets(Functional Classification)

Planning for transportation mobilitystarts by identifying how land useaffects traffic flow. A basic tenant oftransportation planning is to identifyland uses that generate trips (such asresidential neighborhoods) and landuses that attract trips (such as offices,and retail centers). The distribution ofthese land uses affect the number oftrips that residents need to make duringthe day. For example, a typical subur-ban residential home will generate 10trips per day. This includes trips towork, school, the mall, soccer practice,etc. Each of these land uses is separateand in a distinct location within thecommunity or region and requires theresident to drive to the activity. Anotherexample is the distribution of land usewithin established cities where there isa mix of land uses all within closeproximity to one-another. This patternof land use reduces the need for drivingwithin the neighborhood because moreof these activities are established withinwalking distance of the residence.

The transportation planning sectionestablishes a policy framework for ahierarchical system of roadways withinthe community to serve future land usedevelopment and redevelopment in thecommunity. This section of the planrecognizes that communities becomedependent on a small number of majorarterial roads to convey traffic.Typically, when these roads becomecongested they are widened and/ormajor intersection improvements areundertaken in order to maintain theflow of traffic. As roadway cross sec-tions widen to 5 lanes or more, andintersections are designed with rightand left turn lanes and dual left turnlanes the roadway becomes a barrier inthe community. An intersection withright turn lanes, dual left turn lanes, andtwo through lanes in each direction canbe up to 100 feet wide from edge of


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Transportation DefinitionsLimited Access Highway

High-speed roadways with at leasttwo lanes in each direction and havelimited access through ramping sys-tems.

Major ArterialRoadway is two lanes in each direc-

tion with curb, gutter and sidewalk.This roadway is designed to handlehigh volumes of traffic.

Minor ArterialMajor road with one lane in each

direction, but carries a high volume oftraffic.

CollectorThis roadway collects cars from neighbor-hood or local streets to arterial streets.

Rural Arterial/CollectorThe concept for this roadway type is

to have one travel lane in each direc-tion. This roadway section hasdrainage ditches on each side.

ParkwayThis roadway is proposed to have a

wide right-of-way to allow for a medianor extensive planting area on each sideof the road.


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sidewalk to edge of sidewalk. Walkingat a rapid pace (about 3mph) it can take40 seconds to cross the intersection.Often there is not a crossing signal oreven sidewalks.

The intent of establishing a hierar-chy of roadway is to distribute trafficacross a wide range or roadways reduc-ing the demand on any single roadwithin the community. The followingare definitions of the function for road-ways within county:

Limited Access HighwayThese high-speed roadways are at

least two lanes in each direction andhave limited access through inter-changes and ramping systems.Interstate-70 and Interstate 435 areexamples of this roadway. The design,function, maintenance, and operation oflimited access highways are under thejurisdiction of the state and federalhighway. Limited Access Highwaysprovide for rapid and efficient move-ment of large volumes of through trafficbetween areas and across the urbanarea. Not intended to provide landaccess. Interchange locations withinthe community should be consideredcarefully by the local community. TheUnified Government should take anactive role with the state in futureimprovements to Limited AccessHighways within the community.


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Major Arterial RoadwaysMajor arterial roadways provide for

through traffic movement betweenareas and across the study area withdirect access to abutting property.Major arterials are subject to controland coordination over drivewayentrances, exits and curb use(parking/no parking).The following rep-resents the recommended MajorArterial Network for the county:

North South roadways:

99th Avenue

Hutton Street

115th

123rd

131st

East/west roadways:

State Avenue

Parallel Parkway

Leavenworth Road

Donahoo Road

Hollingsworth Road and HubbardStreet

Design Recommendations:Right of Way for 102 to 124 feet.

Typical cross section for residentialareas would include a center turn laneor raised median (dependent on landuse access), two travel lanes in eachdirection, a ten foot parkway and fivefoot sidewalk.

Typical cross section for commercialand mixed use village areas wouldinclude a center turn lane, two travellanes, and ten foot curb-line sidewalks.

Major arterial roadways that inter-sect with other major arterial roadwaysare expected to become signalized inthe future. Recognizing this need forthe future it is recommended that theintersection right of way at these pointsbe increased by 24 to 48 feet (for a dis-tance of 200 feet from the center line ofthe intersecting roadway) to accommo-date dedicated turn lanes.

For residential development areasdirect driveway access to MajorArterial roadways should not beallowed.

Non-residential development areas(commercial/business office and indus-trial) would be allowed to have directaccess (driveways) to major arterialroadways. In order to minimize thenumber of curb cuts and conflict pointson the roadway these access points willbe coordinated between land owners asa part of the development reviewprocess. In addition driveway accesspoints shall be aligned across the streetand shall not be permitted within 100feet of an intersection (Some excep-tions may need to be considered herefor existing gas stations).

All major arterial roadways shouldinclude sidewalks and crosswalks inorder to encourage pedestrian use.Areas designated as Mixed Use VillageCenter would include sidewalks andcrosswalks that are designed to con-form to the overall plan for the area.Areas where bicycle/pedestrian trailscross major arterials should have spe-cial design treatment to warn both usergroups of the forthcoming intersection.Signalization for these intersectionsmay be merited dependent on the levelof bicycle/pedestrian use.

The design of major arterial road-ways shall include parkway and medianlandscaping and community/gatewaymonuments that reflect the character ofthe study area.


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Minor ArterialMinor arterial roadways provide

traffic movement between land useareas within the county and providealternative transportation corridors tothe Major Arterial roadways. Thisallows traffic to be dispersed moreevenly throughout the community.Minor arterials provide direct access toabutting property and are also subjectto control and coordination over drive-way entrances, exits and curb use(parking/no parking).

Within the community there are alarge number of existing roadways thathave been developed in areas betweenthe major arterial roadway network. Atthis point many of these roadways donot interconnect. It is the recommenda-tion of this plan that a system of minorarterial roadways be developed roughlyfollowing the "half" section lines withinthe community. The ultimate designa-tion of these corridors will need to bedeveloped in a manner that respectsimportant environmental and communi-ty features. An example of this systemhas been provided in the graphic below.

Design Recommendations:Right of Way for 68 to 70 feet.

Typical cross section for residentialareas would include a center turn laneor raised median (dependent on landuse access), one travel lane in eachdirection, a five foot parkway and fivefoot sidewalk.

Typical cross section for commercialand mixed use village areas wouldinclude a center turn lane, one travellane in each direction, and five footcurb-line sidewalks.

Other traffic calming measures maybe integrated into the roadway designin order to maintain safe traffic speedand provide safe crossing for pedestrianand bicycle facilities.

Minor arterial roadways that inter-sect with other minor arterial roadwaysare recommended to be served with atraffic circle as the primary intersectiondesign. This creates a focal point forthe development occurring within thesurrounding quarter sections of land.

For residential development areasdirect driveway access to MinorArterial roadways should not beallowed. Access to residential neighbor-hoods should be through collectorstreets.

Non-residential development areas(commercial/business office and indus-trial) would be allowed to have directaccess (driveways) to Minor Arterialroadways. In order to minimize thenumber of curb cuts and conflict pointson the roadway these access points willbe coordinated between land owners asa part of the development reviewprocess. In addition driveway accesspoints shall be aligned across the streetand shall not be permitted within 100feet of an intersection.

All minor arterial roadways shouldinclude sidewalks and crosswalks inorder to encourage pedestrian use.

Recommended Transportation Network


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Areas designated as Mixed Use VillageCenter would include sidewalks andcrosswalks that are designed to con-form to the overall plan for the area.Minor arterials would be appropriateroadways to act as links in the bicycleand pedestrian trail system for the com-munity. In cases where trail systemsneed to be linked together the right-of-way for the minor arterial should beincreased by 16 feet in order to desig-nate two 8-foot bike lanes along thecurb-line of the road. Areas where bicy-cle/pedestrian trails cross minor arteri-als should have special design treat-ment to warn both user groups of theforthcoming intersection.

The design of minor arterial road-ways shall include parkway and medianlandscaping and community/gatewaymonuments that reflect the character ofthe Prairie Delaware Piper area.

CollectorThese streets "collect" traffic from

local streets and distribute it to arterials.Like arterials, collectors are designedfor relatively high volume and speeds.However, collectors do provide accessi-bility within the county to neighbor-hoods and activity centers. As such,both mobility and access issues shouldbe addressed with these streets.

Design recommendations: Right of Way for 45 - 55 feet.

Typical cross section for residentialareas includes one travel lane in eachdirection, a five-foot curb-line parkway,and five foot sidewalks. A designoption for Collector Roadways wouldbe to include a center turn lane orraised median (dependent on land useaccess).

Typical cross section for commercialand mixed use village areas wouldinclude a center turn lane, one travellane in each direction, and five footcurb-line sidewalks.

Other traffic calming measures maybe integrated into the roadway designin order to maintain safe traffic speedand provide safe crossing for pedestrianand bicycle facilities.

All collectors should include side-walks and crosswalks in order toencourage pedestrian use. Areas desig-nated as Mixed Use Village Centerwould include sidewalks and cross-walks that are designed to conform tothe overall plan for the area. Minorarterials would be appropriate roadwaysto act as links in the bicycle and pedes-trian trail system for the community. Incases where trail systems need to belinked together the right-of-way for theminor arterial should be increased by16 feet in order to designate two 8-footbike lanes along the curb-line of theroad. Areas where bicycle/pedestriantrails cross minor arterials should havespecial design treatment to warn bothuser groups of the forthcoming inter-section.

The design of collectors shallinclude parkway and median landscap-ing and community/gateway monu-ments that reflect the character of thecounty.

ParkwayParkways can be designed in several

different manners. One way would beto provide a tree-lined median separat-ing the travel lanes. Or, the parkwaycould be designed in a curvilinear fash-ion that included a large right-of-waythat allowed for double rows of treeplantings and a bikeway along one sideof the roadway. Regardless, the park-way right-of-way will be wider than atypical arterial street to allow for spe-cial landscaping.

Rural Arterial/CollectorThe Rural Arterial/Collector desig-

nation would be used in areas that areexpected to remain undevelopedthrough the plan horizon year. Thebasic design concept for this roadwaytype is to have one travel lane in eachdirection. This roadway section doesnot include curbs and has drainageditches on each side. This roadwaysection is designed to maintain the ruralcharacter. The recent improvements toPolfer Lane exhibit the character for themain rural roadways.

Pedestrian Transportation PlanThe existing pedestrian system is

not well developed in the study area.Sidewalks do not exist in a manner thatconnects traffic generators (neighbor-hoods) with traffic attractions (shop-ping/schools). The objective of thisplan will place greater importance onthe development of continuous side-walk facilities that connect land usestogether.

Pedestrian TransportationStrategies:

Connect key pedestrian corridors toschools, parks, recreational usesand activity centers (public facili-ties, commercial areas, etc.).

Fill in gaps in the network wheresome sidewalks exist.

Signalize pedestrian crossings.

Create pedestrian corridors thatconnect neighborhoods.

Improve streets having sidewalkson one side to two sides.

As development occurs, construc-tion of sidewalks shall also occur(by developers).


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Reconstruct all existing substan-dard sidewalks

Construct sidewalks in existingneighborhoods without sidewalks.

Utilize utility corridors when possible.

Bicycle Transportation PlanBicycle access is a component of the

transportation system that has not beengiven significant attention in previousplanning efforts. The bicycle plan com-ponent recommends bikeway improve-ments that close gaps in the existingbicycle network, as well as establishstrategies for developing a more com-plete network of bicycle pathwaysthroughout the community.

Bicycle TransportationStrategies:

Identify and connect bicycle corri-dors to schools, parks, recreationaluses and activity centers.

Fill in gaps in the network wheresome segments of bikeway exist.

Develop bicycle corridors that con-nect neighborhoods.

Construct bike lanes with roadwayimprovement projects.

Create bicycle corridors providingmobility to and within commercialareas.

Connect regional attractions.

Create multi-use paths with bicycletransportation function: Likely tobe used for commuting, accessingtransit, or traveling to a store,library, or other local destination.Bicycle/pedestrian sidewalks onbridges are included in this classifi-cation. Design includes physicalseparation from motor vehicle traf-fic by open space or barrier.

Utilize utility corridors when possible.


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All arterial and collector roadsshould have bike lanes. The bicycleplan will require incremental imple-mentation. As development occurs,streets are rebuilt and other projectfunding opportunities (such as grantprograms) arise, bicycle improvementprojects should be integrated into proj-ect development.

Concurrency StandardsConcurrency standards require prop-

erty owners and developers to showthat adequate facilities exist to supporta proposed project, considering bothexisting and programmed infrastructure.Such standards ensure that adequateinfrastructure such as improved roads,sewers and schools are built prior to orconcurrent with new development.These standards should be developedand utilized to guide development inWyandotte County. Because of thehigh number of unimproved roads with-in the Prairie Delaware Piper area, roadstandards should be developed first fol-lowed by sewer and schools. The road-way recommendations within thisreport provide an initial step in thisdirection by providing a mechanism tocalculate the impacts of new develop-ments on existing road service levels.If a new development adverselyimpacts road capacity or service levels,it will be the property owner's responsi-bility to provide the necessary improve-ments before such development takesplace.

Planned ImprovementsK-7

Recently, the Kansas Department ofTransportation (KDOT) completed amajor study for the K-7 corridorthrough Leavenworth, Wyandotte andJohnson Counties. A major recommen-dation of this study is to transform K-7into a limited-access high-mobility cor-ridor. The plan recommends inter-changes every two miles. These inter-changes will occur at Parallel Parkway,Donahoo Road and Polfer Road. Theserecommendations will have profoundimpacts upon the transportation net-work and future land use within thePrairie Delaware Piper area. A newfrontage road should be constructed toprovide properties access to K-7 inbetween the interchange areas.

Donahoo RoadDonahoo Road between Hutton and

97th Street is in need of improvements.In addition, the KDOT has planned aninterchange from I-435 in this area.The need for the interchange should bereconsidered based on the land use den-sities recommended in this plan.

97th and Nelson LaneThe roadway known as 97th and

Nelson Lane follows a rather windingway down the valley to the K-5 inter-change. This roadway alignmentshould be reviewed and studied basedon the land use recommendations inthis plan.


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PARKS AND OPEN SPACEThe study area includes two major,

regional parks that are already assets.However, additional small neighbor-hood parks are needed to serve localneeds. Some key park locations havebeen identified on the DevelopmentPolicy Plan.


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Map 14:Open Space Plan

ParksThe project area benefits from two

regional parks, Wyandotte County Park,and Wyandotte County Lake Park.These parks attract people from beyondthe immediate neighborhoods. Both ofthese parks offer a wide range of pas-sive and active recreation.

Existing Open SpaceBesides the regional parks men-

tioned above, there are several existingopen spaces within the study area.Most of these are part of private orinstitutional properties. These openspaces are at Dub's Dread Golf Course,Piper Lake Club, the Wyandotte CountyFairgrounds, Piper Schools on HuttonRoad, and Savior of the World PastoralCenter. These existing open spacescurrently provide recreational opportu-nities.

AttractionsAs mentioned in the land use

descriptions, there are many regionalentertainment areas in and abutting theproject area. These include the VeizonAmphitheater, Wyandotte CountyFairgrounds, Agricultural Hall of Fame,Woodlands Race Tracks, and theKansas Motor Speedway. These attrac-tions play a role in the open space net-work. They act as destinations in thegreenway system. In addition, theyprovide an opportunity to create a net-work that will serve the community ofthe Prairie Delaware Piper area.

Future Open SpaceThere are opportunities to locate

future open spaces to provide recre-ational opportunities in future residen-tial neighborhood and commercial cen-ters. By providing open spaces in theneighborhoods as well as in commer-cial and office developments, visual

resources are protected and the commu-nity has areas to gather and socialize.Overall, the quality of life is enhanced

Action:A small neighborhood park shouldbe included near neighborhoodswith 300-to-500 residential units.

Greenway OpportunitiesThe unique topography, stands of

vegetation, and multiple stream sys-tems, are great opportunities for green-way systems. A greenway system is afeasible method of connecting regionalparks, regional attractions, and neigh-borhood spaces. Providing neighbor-hood connections to significant destina-tions allows a means for the communityto socialize. It also enhances the quali-ty of life by providing alternative trans-portation networks while enhancing thevisual character of the Prairie DelawarePiper area.

Greenways are identified alongstream corridors. These passive openspace areas can maintain the open ruralcharacter that was identified as animportant and desirable characteristicof the plan area. The greenways identi-fied on this plan connect major openspaces throughout the study area.These areas may be acquired throughgifts, development easements or acqui-sition. Some may be used or hiking orbiking trails depending on the widthand the quality of the natural resourceswithin the greenway corridor.


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Greenway example

GatewayGateways note that the user or visi-

tor is entering a special zone. The gate-ways identified on this map will requirespecial design treatment along the pro-posed parkways. These may includemonument structures or special land-scaping to identify the district.

Scenic CorridorsAlthough many scenic corridors

exist throughout the study area, noneare specifically identified within thisplan framework. However, existingtrees and dense vegetation frame manyof these corridors. One particularlyprominent example is along the north-bound lanes of I-435, north of DonahooRoad. Other corridors follow valleysalong roadways. Where possible, thesecorridors should be used as an amenityfor future development.

Residential Open SpaceRecommendations

Every new subdivision should con-tribute towards the outdoors open spaceand recreation needs of the community.

Require land (public or private) tobe set aside for each dwelling unitor subdivision. At a minimum, atleast one-half should be usable,while the other half may be used toprotect a stream corridor.

Allow for fee-in-lieu when land thatis identified for open space doesnot meet the needs of the overallparks and recreation plan. Feescollected should be used within theplan area.


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Gateway example

Open Space Amenity


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IMPLEMENTATIONThis section includes the implemen-

tation tools needed to implement theFuture Land Use, Transportation andOpen Space Plans. The following toolsare discussed:

Phasing of Infrastructure andDevelopmentZoning Design GuidelinesDevelopment ReviewCapital Improvements


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Phasing RecommendationThe timing of development should

take place when infrastructure is avail-able or will be available shortly andwhen the new development will beroughly adjacent to the perimeter ofexisting development. There is current-ly a great deal of undeveloped land inthe planning area, but much of it is notready for immediate development.

The Phasing Plan serves as a guide-line for development over the next 10to 15 years based on the developmentpatterns and demands on the currentinfrastructure that have occurred overthe last few years.

Development should not be permit-ted to leap-frog or sprawl to new, non-contiguous sites, particularly whereinfrastructure costs have not been borneby that development. Instead, new con-struction should follow an orderly pat-tern that is timed in a manner to ensurethat water, sewer, road and storm waterdrainage are all provided as the nextlogical step to existing services.

Area 1 (Years 1-10)Kansas Motor Speedway, Major

Tourism Area, Business and Industrialparks and adjacent residential subdivi-sions

Area 1 is ready for immediate devel-opment. There is excellent road infra-structure and access combined withplans for some short term roadimprovements. Other infrastructure(sewer, water, stormwater) is also avail-able. This site, located in the southeastcorner of the planning area, is adjacentto existing development and located inthe midst of the entertainment center,where most of the projected tourismwill take place. In some instances,development in this area will be infilland/or rehabilitation rather than subur-ban fringe development. The timingfor this location is immediate basedupon current market demands.

Area 2 (Future)Area 2 is currently rural in character

and contains topographic and hydrolog-ic constraints to development. Planningand zoning in this area will be designedto protect sensitive and constrainedbuilding areas and to protect openspaces for passive and active recre-ational uses.

Growth within Area 2 should focuson: (1) provision of infrastructure andinfill development to the areas with thegreatest potential or those areas wheredevelopment on existing streets on ablock perimeter threatens to preventdevelopment on internal lots; and (2)provision of developer-funded infra-structure and construction in areas adja-cent to existing development.

While Area 2 is currently served bylimited water and sewer, this area is notready for large-scale, relatively intenseresidential development. Instead,development in Area 2should befocused around the existing Dub'sDread area and then be limited to largelot (1-5+ acres) in the remainder ofPhase 3. Some of the northern portionsof this phase may remain unserved bysewer for some period of time, and lotsshould be sized accordingly.

Any such development should nottake place until infrastructure is provid-ed and the Unified Government deter-mines that development is appropriatein these areas.

Missouri River Flood PlainFuture Phases of development

include land area currently withoutaccess to public sewer or in the floodplain. These areas may also havepotential for large-scale development,but there are significant constraints.

Development along the MissouriRiver would require the construction ofa levee before the area could be devel-oped.


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Map 15: Phasing Plan


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Implementation ToolsThe residents of the Prairie

Delaware Piper area have a number oftools available to implement the con-cepts of the land use plan. Includedamong these are zoning, subdivision,facility provision (water, sewer, waste-water), and capital improvements pro-gramming. The purpose of this memo-randum is to outline the contents ofeach type of regulation necessary tofully utilize the plan.

Zoning RegulationsThe Zoning Regulations should be

updated to implement this plan. Planimplementation through proceduralrequirements should achieve the fol-lowing:

Require consistency with the planas part of application approval -strengthening ties between plandesign and final development.

Require submission of developmentplan with all zoning applications -allows review of landscaping,design, layout, amenities, on- andoff-site impacts, infrastructurerequirements.

Include plan-based design require-ments in project developmentplans.

Require existing and proposedinfrastructure check for each proj-ect - basis for establishing adequatepublic facilities requirement.

Allow a mix of uses and planneddevelopment to encourage creativi-ty.

Include provisions that require con-sistency between preliminary andfinal plans so that the plans stay thesame as the project moves forward.

Create a front-loaded approvalprocess so that all developmentinformation is submitted at the ini-tiation of the application.

Establish a process for amendingthe plan to ensure that specified cri-teria are met before allowing planchanges.

Allow staff to request additionalinformation to gauge the impacts ofproposed development.

Specify submission and approvalrequirements to create a level play-ing field for both applicant andUnified Government.

Subdivision RegulationsThe Subdivision regulations should

be updated to achieve the following:

All steps and procedures for theapplication process should be speci-fied in the ordinance.

An applicant will need to submit acomplete application - i.e., one thatconforms to all the requirements ofthe regulations - is required to startreview process and timelines.Incomplete applications will bereturned to applicant.

Neighborhood meetings should berequired for residents included inthe statutory notice area.

Enhance the notice requirements.Mailed notice should include aproject sketch and description.Posted notice will be required onthe subject property.

Establish criteria for review of eachapplication type to allow PlanningCommission and Board ofCommissioners to follow standard-ized review process. Note that onlythe process should be standardized,outcomes are not.

Each application type should have areview and appeal process speci-fied.

Development plan approval shouldbe added as a prerequisite forrezoning to a non-planned district.

Development applications shouldbe required to be compatible withthe comprehensive plan.

There should be procedures for per-mit expiration and revocation.Where rezoning is involved, thereshould be the option of providingnew notice and hearing to revoke arezoning where the applicant hasfailed to comply with approval con-ditions.

There should be procedures foramendments to preliminary plansand triggers to send amended plansthat have not been approved by thestaff/PC/BOC back through thedevelopment approval process.

The regulations should establishoverlapping preliminary plan andpreliminary plat requirements for astreamlined approval process.

Final plans should be required to bein conformance with preliminaryplans or be subject to a secondapproval process.

Planned Development CriteriaPlanned developments are intended

to meet or exceed the following:

Protect and design for the sensitiveuse of the natural environment,

Preserve and enhance existing man-made and natural environs on andadjacent to the site,

Improve access for pedestrians andvehicles to and from the site,

Encourage urban design solutionsthat will add long-term value to thecommunity,

Encourage attractive spatial andvisual organization of buildings andother site elements,

Encourage an appropriate mix ofland use, building types and urbandesign features, and

Encourage efficient land use activi-


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ties on and around the site.

The following list identifies thedevelopment and planning review crite-ria that should be considered on everyzoning and development proposal:

Compliance with the PrairieDelaware Piper Master Plan and theComprehensive Plan,

Compliance with the ZoningOrdinance (criteria including sec-tion 27-1049) and the SubdivisionRegulations,

Compatibility with natural site fea-tures,

Compatibility with adjacent uses,

Road network and connections toadjacent properties,

Open space and amenities, includ-ing trail connections to existing andproposed parks,

Landscaping and buffering betweenresidential units, non residentialbuildings and/or adjacent develop-ments that exceed minimumrequirements,

Special residential features includ-ing entry monuments, neighbor-hood markers, special lighting fea-tures, and other neighborhoodamenities,

Percentage of proposed ownershipand rental mix, and

Architectural details of all buildingtypes that are not single familydetached units.


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Impact ReviewAs part of the planning process, the

citizens of the Prairie Delaware Piperarea have expressed a strong interest inmaintaining the rural character of thecommunity. To implement this throughthe regulatory process, it is important tounderstand the impacts of each poten-tial development on the surroundingneighborhoods and overall community.Typical impact review includes trafficimpact, environmental impact and fiscalimpact. The results of an impact analy-sis can be used as part of a land usedevelopment approval process.

Adequate Public FacilitiesEach new development has a meas-

urable impact on the level of service ofexisting or proposed new public servic-es and facilities. As part of the growthcoordination the Unified Governmentcan incorporate required levels of serv-ice for specific facilities and services(water, sewer, stormwater, streets) andrequire that all new development ensurethat adequate facilities exist to serveproposed new development. Adequatepublic facilities can also be addressedthrough a separate ordinance that dealswith facilities and services only

Development AgreementsLarge or multi-phase developments

can be achieved through a negotiatedagreement that specifies the terms ofthe development and the requiredapproval process. This provides bene-fits to the development community interms of flexibility and reduced possi-bility of change to land developmentregulations, and allows the governingbody greater oversight of the project.Agreements can address timing, loca-tion and intensity of development, aswell as the timing, location, sizing andfunding of infrastructure improvements.Well written agreements can assure theUnified Government that adequatefacilities and services will be available

LandscapingLandscaping and buffering serve a

critical function of buffering moreintense uses from less intense uses, aswell as adding beauty and interest toindividual building sites. With a planthat blends commercial and retail usesand provides for a change of densityover three separate areas of develop-ment through the Development PolicyPlan, it is necessary to ensure that dif-ferent categories of use are bufferedfrom each other. It is equally importantto ensure that landscaping is integratedinto all site development to reflect thearea's rural character and provide for ablending of uses in the existing land-scape.

Design GuidelinesDesign guidelines are included in

this plan in the Future Land Use plansection. Additional standards should beprepared. The intent is to establish acohesive design for all developmentwithin the Prairie Delaware Piper area.Architectural style of buildings mayvary and unique designs are encouragedas part of this commercial entertain-ment showcase.

Design standards may address thefollowing topics:

Site and environmental preserva-tionOpen space. BuildingsStreetsParkingSignage


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to meet new demands, and assuredevelopers that their investment in aproject will not be lost due to somefuture change in Unified Governmentregulations or policy.

On- and Off-Site ImpactsReview of proposed developments

at a subdivision level also permits theUnified Government to establish condi-tions to address on-site/site designimpacts and off-site (traffic, road main-tenance, signals, emergency services)impacts.

Planned Unit DevelopmentPlanned unit development is a com-

bination of zoning and subdivision thatallows a development to vary from thespecific terms of the zoning ordinancein a manner that is consistent with theintent of the ordinance and the require-ments of the comprehensive plan.

Capital ImprovementsProgramming

The Unified Government shouldprepare, adopt and maintain on anannual basis, a five-year capitalimprovements program (CIP) whichprioritizes and directs resource alloca-tion for appropriate projects includingstreets, water, wastewater, drainage andparks. This should include a financingplan and a schedule for high priorityprojects. The CIP should also incorpo-rate a one-year capital improvementsbudget.

The long-range CIP is an importantplanning tool to ensure the UnifiedGovernment has planned the most cost-effective facilities and to determinewhether the government will have thecapability to fund needed public facili-ties. The long-range CIP should reflectthe size, approximate location and esti-

mated costs of improvements needed toserve anticipated growth for the next 15to 20 years. This plan is not an engi-neering document, but should provideenough specificity to determine whichcosts are required to remedy existingdeficiencies and which costs providenew capacity that will be demanded bynew development. The long-range CIPshould be updated at least once every 5years or when significant changes tothe base systems modify the UnifiedGovernment's long term capital invest-ment strategies.

Retention BasinsThe Unified Government is consid-

ering the concept of establishing sub-stantial retention basins to help controlrunoff in three watersheds. One shouldbe in the upper Connor Creek water-shed somewhere west of Hutton Road.A second would be on the main tribu-tary of Wolf Creek just east of K-7Highway. The third proposed retentionbasin would be on the principal streamdraining south into Bonner Springs,north of State Avenue and theSandstone Amphitheater. At this point,it has not been determined if thesewould be wet or dry. Obviously, theplacement, size and type (dry or wet) ofthe proposed drainage basins couldhave significant impact on the type andconfiguration of land uses in the imme-diate vicinity.

Protect Natural SystemsConsider establishing buffer areas along streams to minimize impacts of future development and the natu-ral systems. These buffers could range from 75 feet to 100 feet or more on each side of the stream depending on topographic features.


Promote Area’s IdentityThe study area is no longer the met-

ropolitan area's best kept secret. Withits rolling hills, convenient access toKCI, Johnson County, downtown andbeautiful regional parks, this area isbeing discovered by developers andnew homeowners.

Actions:Promote area's marketing advan-tages for commercial, business and residential development. Publicize assets.Meet with local real estate officials and inform them about current planning efforts and the intent of this plan.Establish common themes throughout the area with signage, streetscaping, lighting and other landscaping features. Establish an overall design theme for a mixed residential plan.Require streets within residentialneighborhoods to connect to adja-cent uses. Avoid designing subdivisions that have all the same unit type and lot size. Encourage a variety of unit types within each neighborhood. Encourage mixed uses and mixed densities.Establish landscape standards thatprovide an overall theme for thedevelopment.

Gravity Sewer

Actions:Encourage development where gravity sewer service and pumping stations are currently in place before opening new lands for development.Coordinate with property owners toprovide gravity sewer service toproperties north of WyandotteCounty Park.Examine limiting the number of years that property taxes for agri-culture use of land will be available once sewer service is in place. Encourage land with sewer service to develop.

Protecting the Study Area'sQuality of Life

It is imperative that the rural, low-density character that many resid

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