KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
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Kansas City is launching a new effort to plan the future of the Kansas City International Airport area, and city leaders want residents to have a say in what comes next.
According to the KCI Data Book, the KCI area, which is one of 18 area plans in Kansas City, has doubled in population in the last two decades.
“There's been a lot of changes. This is the fastest growing portion of Kansas City," said 1st District Councilman Nathan Willet.
The area's growth continues with the addition of the new KCI terminal and many new developments. It was the best fit for Charesse Wright when she moved to Kansas City four years ago.
“I like the suburbs. [It] is nice, there’s a lot of places to shop," Wright said.
As the area continues to grow, the city has released a KCI In-Process Area Plan, a long-term planning guide that will influence decisions on housing, roads, parks, public services and economic development. It’s part of a broader initiative to replace outdated plans with ones that reflect today’s needs and future goals.
"I think change is great," Wright said. "You have to change a lot of things... Change is great, staying the same is not."
Councilman Willett, who focuses on the northern parts of Kansas City, said it's important to have plans that will meet today's needs while also hearing from those who live in the area.
"I want to make sure that the neighborhoods up there are represented well," Willett said. "It's about bringing everyone together, fighting it out ... advocating for everyone's interests.”
The KCI Area Plan is a comprehensive study outlining plans for developments that focuses on surrounding area of the airport through the next 10 years. Those plans will focus on daily use, so things like roads, housing, transportation, parks and new developments.
During the process, the city wants to hear from those who live and work in the area.
“They'll make a recommendation. Then, Council can take it from there," Willett said. "It's about protecting the integrity of the work that they do. If you're going to put all this effort in there, we can't just be redoing the plans, constantly amending them. It's commitments made to neighborhoods and to the Northland, especially the people who live in Platte County. [We] want to make sure that they trust their local government and make sure that we do what we're supposed to do in terms of keeping our commitments.”
The city will hold several public workshops before finalizing a plan by this summer. The next meeting will be held May 15.
You can view the survey here.
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