Leaders are focusing on the future of Wichita with the Community Investments Plan.
The goal is to look at long-term effects of the area, including anything from the economy to development.
In a meeting last week, city council members were presented some of the research behind the CIP.
Some were concerned with how residents and businesses continue to move to suburbs, abandoning older parts of town.
“I think it will be the biggest challenge because we need to make it easier for people to do business with city hall, whether it’s the individual home owner or a business willing to expand and employ people,” said City Council member James Clendenin.
Cindy Miles, co-chair for Comprehensive Planning Committee, presented before the council. She addressed the issue of revamping redevelopment.
“Part of doing that is just overcoming some of the obstacles related to infill-strategy, such as getting neighborhoods on board or finding the financing to revitalize some of those areas,” she said.
Right now, the city is still researching and developing the CIP. The current plan was created in 1993, and some say it needs serious updates because of how the city has changed.
As people move to the outskirts of town, it can create challenges for resources.
“It drives up the cost of the city’s infrastructure, while homeowners pay to hook into main sewer lines, main water lines, the city has to pay for the main lines going out to new development,” said city council member Janet Miller.
Miller said issues like transit and the fire department could see challenges with the current CIP.
So far, the committee is looking at a CIP that will focus on filling in district that have lost business and other areas that are seeing growth.
Eventually, the city will ask for feedback from the public and other government agencies.
“We’re going to continue to tackle those challenges. They aren’t going away,” Clendenin said. “There are other challenges on top of that that we’re going to have to tackle as well. It’s going to be difficult, but we’re Wichita. We’ll handle it.”
The City of Wichita has had a comprehensive plan since 1923. There has also been a joint Wichita-Sedgwick County comprehensive plan since the early 1960’s.