LEAVENWORTH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. Into the Third Century

Transcription

1 LEAVENWORTH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Into the Third Century April 1998

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City Commission* H. B. Weeks, Mayor Ken Bower, Mayor Pro-Tem Bill Johnson Eric J. Thompson Phil Urban Bob Adams (former member) Larry Dedeke (former member) Marguerite B. Strange (former member) Planning Commission* Jack Walker, Chair Jim Thomas, Vice-Chair David Drake John Garlinger Jo Ann Hendricks Michael L. Huey Barbara Lee Medler Cheryl Muller John Bloom (former member) Marti Crow (former member) David Freeman (former member) Steve Ketteler (former member) Lawrence Schumake (former member) City Staff Mark Pentz, City Manager John Krueger, AICP, Director of Community Development Jerry Gies, AICP, City Planner Consultants HNTB Architects Engineers and Planners * Members since planning process inception, August 1995 June 9, 1998 Page i

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PROLOGUE... P-1 1. Leavenworth History... P-1 2. Planning History... P-3 3. Leavenworth Today...P-5 4. Introduction...P-1 Exhibit 1: Cohort Population Projection... P-5 Exhibit 2: Occupational Classifications... P-6 5. Into the Third Century Plan...P-6 II. CITIZEN SURVEY RESULTS... C-1 1. Survey Purpose...C-1 2. Summary Results...C-1 III. VISION CHAPTER... V-1 1. Introduction...V-1 2. The Visions...V Community Betterment...V Transportation and Infrastructure...V Land Use and Growth...V Housing and Neighborhood Preservation...V Economic Development...V-9 IV. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Community Betterment Heritage Education... 2 Exhibit 1: School District Enrollment Citizen Needs Urban Design Entertainment Parks and Recreation... 9 Exhibit 2: Existing Park Inventory...12 Exhibit 3: Additional Recreation Facility Needs Parks and Trails Plan Public Safety Exhibit 4: Fire Station Locations Transportation and Infrastructure Roadways Major Street Plan Exhibit 5: Recommended Local Street Section June 9, 1998 Page ii

4 Exhibit 6: Regional Road Network Water Service Sanitary Sewer Service Stormwater Sewer Service Other Utilities Land Use and Growth Extraterritorial Issues Annexation Issues Map Current Land Use Pattern Environmental Issues Map...43 Exhibit 7: Views and Vistas Existing Land Use Pattern Exhibit 8: Existing Land Use Acreages Existing Land Use Map Existing Zoning Exhibit 9: Existing Quantity of Zoning Future Land Use Plan Future Land Use Plan Growth Housing and Neighborhood Preservation Housing Exhibit 10: Age of Housing...52 Exhibit 11: Analysis of Housing...54 Exhibit 12: Gross Rent Affordability Infill Strategies Exhibit 13: Assisted Housing and Section 8 Sites District Rehabilitation Programs Exhibit 14: Neighborhood Target Area Historic Preservation Planning Public Amenities Neighborhood Access to Services Organizations and Networks Economic Development Economic Development Efforts V. EPILOGUE... E-1 1. Introduction... E-1 2. Questions for future generations... E Land Use...E Facilities... E Housing Issues... E Transportation... E-5 3. Conclusion... E-6 June 9, 1998 Page iii

5 I. PROLOGUE 1. Introduction The purpose of preparing a new, all encompassing comprehensive plan, is singular: to assure the community s future as a viable place to work, live, visit, and recreate. This process included a citizen survey, a future vision created through five task forces and a review of previous planning efforts each of which helped create the new plan. 2. Leavenworth History Modern-day Leavenworth s growth and development has been shaped by the cumulative results of actions and policies by federal, state, local, and civic institutions and organizations; and also by its citizenry. The specific events, milestones, institutions, and planning responses that have shaped the community are chronicled in the following pages Early History The first European settlement of the area dates back to 1744 when a French fort was founded. Leavenworth played an important role in the early development of the west. The first European settlement of the area dates back to 1744 when a French fort was founded. Lewis and Clark explored the area during their expeditions of 1804 and The settlement of the State of Kansas proceeded from east to west, and since many of the pioneers arrived by water transportation, the earliest settlements were along the Missouri River. Leavenworth was the first city of Kansas on the river or elsewhere; earning the moniker of Pioneer City of Kansas. Prior to the settlement of the city itself, in 1827 Colonel Henry Leavenworth established Fort Leavenworth to protect travelers on the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. The fort was the first organized white settlement in the Kansas Territory, making the land south of the reserve a choice site for the establishment of a city. June 9, 1998 Page P-1

6 A tent city emerged soon after the first troops arrived. The first permanent buildings were erected in the 1830's. Although no examples of Leavenworth s unincorporated days remain, the Rookery on Fort Leavenworth (built in 1831) is the oldest standing man made structure in Kansas since the arrival of white settlers Founding of the City The settlement of the State of Kansas proceeded from east to west, and since many of the pioneers arrived by water transportation, the earliest settlements were along the Missouri River. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, signed in 1854, opened the area for settlement. Leavenworth became Kansas 'first city when it was founded in By 1861, when Kansas was admitted to the Union, Leavenworth had a population of 7,500. The City experienced rapid growth during and immediately after the Civil War. In 1867 the population was estimated to be nearly 22,000. Leavenworth was the largest city in Kansas and was recognized as a coal mining and manufacturing center as well as a distribution point. Generals George A. Custer, William T. Sherman, and Robert E. Lee all were stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Leavenworth became the "jumping off point" for the opening of the west. Many famous people of the time lived in the city. Buffalo Bill Cody spent his youth here and later worked as a pony express rider and Army scout. Generals George A. Custer, William T. Sherman and Robert E. Lee all were stationed at Fort Leavenworth. The Sisters of Charity in Leavenworth arrived in the city in 1859 and opened Saint Mary Academy in March of that year. They also built and staffed the Saint John Hospital in Both were the first institutions of their kind in Kansas. In 1881, the school that was later to become the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College was founded at Fort Leavenworth by President Ulysses S. Grant. Fort Leavenworth differs from other military installations by virtue of the college-like atmosphere. Field grade officers of all U.S. military services and over 100 international officers attend the College for training courses each year. The expansion of these learning facilities in the 1980 s has contributed to a period of population growth in recent years. In 1875 the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks was established at Fort Leavenworth. A quarter of a century later in1897, the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary was established on the Fort Leavenworth Reservation. This has been another stable source of employment for the local economy. June 9, 1998 Page P-2

7 The economic boom slowed shortly after the Civil War. Other Kansas cities began to grow more rapidly, though in 1880, Leavenworth was still the largest city in Kansas. The city's growth stabilized to an average increase of less than one-half a percent per year after In the last three decades, average growth has increased to 1% per year. 3. Planning History The advantages which will result from careful planning are certain to attract additional inhabitants City Plan 3.1. Planning and Zoning Comes to Leavenworth Leavenworth has benefited from public policies and actions resulting from city planning activities for nearly fifty years. The first city plan, A City Plan for Leavenworth, Kansas, was adopted November 15, 1949 and closely followed the adoption of a zoning ordinance on June 14, 1949 and the establishment of a City Planning Commission on March 12, The plan was an outgrowth of a June, 1945 report on opportunities, problems and procedure recommendations for planning in Leavenworth prepared for the Chamber of Commerce. The plan assumed Leavenworth would reach 25,000 to 33,000 by The actual population in 1970 was 32, Plan The 1950 plan incorporated many significant long range perspectives. Twentieth Street Trafficway, trails, roadways, parkways, and standards for development were created. The City adopted its first comprehensive zoning ordinance to support the new plan Regional Planning Perspective On February 15, 1962, the Leavenworth Regional Planning Commission adopted The Regional Plan for Leavenworth, Kansas. This plan was broader in scale than the 1950 Plan, and demonstrated Leavenworth s important role in the County. It emphasized linear parks which are yet to be acquired and improved, and called for downtown anchors with performing arts at one end and a community center at the other. This plan for downtown did materialize. To help Leavenworth develop more professionally, the city s first subdivision regulations were adopted setting standards for utilities and street improvements required of developers for the first time Community Renewal Plan June 9, 1998 Page P-3

8 The 1973 Community Renewal Plan created the neighborhood concept and supported urban renewal activities in the Bain City area (raw sewerage infested shacks outside the Veterans Administration facility), the Central Business District (Second Century Urban Renewal Plan) and Cheyenne Redevelopment (first attempt to eliminate blight in northeast Leavenworth). These significant accomplishments vastly improved the urban landscape and created blight removal processes that are never-ending Plan Amendments The 1980 amendments recommended exclusive use zoning districts to replace the old anything goes pyramid structure, reinforced the neighborhood concept and provided excellent land-use design and decision making planning principles. These were incorporated into the 1985 Zoning Ordinance Comprehensive Plan The 1987 Comprehensive Plan successfully guided the development of 20 th Street Trafficway. City Staff completed an in-house comprehensive plan in It was the last effort at neighborhood definition. The plan reinforced all the previous planning efforts and created detailed appendices for transportation, parks, and annexation plans which helped guide the development of 20 th Street Trafficway. The 1987 Plan successfully concluded all of the 1950 planning concepts with the exception of the linear park system. This is an idea which is still worth pursuing as Leavenworth heads into the 21 st Century. A linear park system could protect many of the erodible slopes, streamways and hilltop vistas for future generations to enjoy while providing wildlife habitat, controlling erosion, and aiding drainage West Leavenworth Land Use & Annexation Plan The 1993 West Leavenworth Land Use and Annexation Plan sets forth a plan for the southwest urban fringe area. The 20 th Street Trafficway was the impetus for needing a plan for appropriate development in this area. The plan laid out three tiers of annexation areas: 1). Immediate, 2) Near-term (5 to 10 years), and 3) Long-term (10 to 30 years). To date, significant portions of the immediate annexation tier have been annexed. June 9, 1998 Page P-4

9 The 1993 West Leavenworth Land Use and Annexation Plan sets forth a plan for the southwest urban fringe area. Exhibit 1: Cohort Population Projection 4. Leavenworth Today The City of Leavenworth in 1997 with a population of 40,000 people is expected to continue steady growth into its Third Century. The population of Leavenworth is highly educated. Nearly 14% of residents 25 years or older hold a graduate degree compared to 6.5% for the entire state. Considering a relatively stable prison and Fort population, a population projection model 1 yields an estimated population for Leavenworth of 49,300 in 2010 and 63,400 in ,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10, A cohort population model, using a net migration rate of 1.15 generated the numbers illustrated on this text and shown on exhibit 1. A 1.15 migration rate assumes 115 people will migrate into the population for every 100 who leave. June 9, 1998 Page P-5

10 The many institutions of Leavenworth (especially the Fort) result in an ethnically diverse cosmopolitan atmosphere. More than 10% of Leavenworth residents moved to the city from a foreign county and the population has above average percentages of African Americans, American Indians, Aleuts, Eskimos, and Asian Pacifics when compared to the Midwest and the State of Kansas. The occupational makeup of working Leavenworth residents is overwhelmingly white collar professional. Again, Leavenworth is greatly influenced by its large institutions in this regard. Nearly half of the Leavenworth work force can be categorized as executive, administrative, managerial or other office related jobs. 2 Exhibit 2: Occupational Classifications Occupation Breakdown for Leavenworth City Farming, Production and Operators 20% Executive, Administrative, Managerial, and Other Office Related Jobs 49% Sales, Protective and Other Services 31% 5. Into the Third Century Plan The need for a new road map to the future became apparent when the current validity of existing comprehensive plans was questioned by the city commission. In response to this position, the elected officials asked for a new comprehensive plan to be prepared. The creation of this plan needed to have 2 The data source for Leavenworth resident s occupations noted here and shown on Exhibit 2 is the 1990 US Census. June 9, 1998 Page P-6

11 a professional appearance and would be written with the expectation of having a horizon well into the next century. The resulting comprehensive plan began with the Citizen Survey (see summary results in Section II, page C-1) to establish a base line of community perceptions and issues. This process was followed by a visioning process (see Vision introduction in Section III, page V-1) which sought to form a vision for Leavenworth s future and establish direction for policies and strategies for the Comprehensive Plan. This comprehensive plan, Into the Third Century, seeks to establish a clear, useful, decision making tool for public policy. June 9, 1998 Page P-7