This year’s update to Overland Park’s comprehensive plan will soon be underway.
Here’s what that means and how Overland Park residents can get a say in where the city goes from here.
What is the comprehensive plan? Although it gets reviewed each year, the comprehensive plan currently in place was drafted almost 40 years ago, and the city’s first one ever was adopted in 1963.
In general, the plan is primarily focused on development and land use.
The city defines its comprehensive plan as a “policy guide that describes … the City’s intentions for directing future land development.”
Who does it impact? At last week’s State of the City address, Mayor Curt Skoog invited residents from across the city to voice their opinions about what the city should keep in mind when drafting the new plan.
“Throughout the process, (residents) will be the experts on Overland Park,” he said. “We want to hear from all corners of the community from 47th Street on the north to 203rd Street on the south.”
How long will it last? The next comprehensive plan aims to lay out the city’s guide for future land development over the next 20 to 25 years.
Some of the factors it considers include population, housing and economic trends.
The comprehensive plan that gets drafted this year will incorporate insight from other community plans, including the Johnson County Housing Study and the Mid-America Regional Council’s Climate Action Plan.
What is the process? At Monday’s meeting, the Overland Park City Council approved an agreement for consulting services for crafting the plan.
The update process will kick off in just over a month.
Before its formal adoption in 2023, the process will include a public engagement component, where members of the community can provide their input on what the plan should consider.
How can I give my input? In preparation of the public engagement part of the process, residents can watch the city’s Planning the Plan Speaker Series about Overland Park’s current approach to different planning topics.
Residents can also fill out this survey to get city updates on specific aspects of the plan.
Click here to learn more about the city’s comprehensive plan process.
