Preparing for Change- The 1993 Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan

     

In 1988, a series of contentious debates took place before the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (MAPC) and the Wichita City Council regarding the proposed placement of a discount department store near several fashionable single-family subdivisions. The "Wal-Mart case" came to symbolize the perception held by many people,  that the community was "unplanned," and development decisions were being made in a vacuum. The 10-year old land use plan was out-of-date and seemed irrelevant to this kind of land use conflict.

In response, the City Council requested that the 1978 plan be updated. With assistance from four citizen technical and advisory committees, the MAPC has developed Preparing For Change: The Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan. Preparing For Change provides a rational basis and legal foundation for more wisely guiding land use activities in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare. The plan also promotes the efficient expenditure of public funds for community facilities and services to meet the future needs of the city and county.