Phase 1: Understanding Existing Conditions and Issues/Data Collection

The 1st phase will begin with interviews of key groups and organizations from the Olathe community. These interviews allow people to express their hopes and concerns about their hometown.

In conjuction with the interviews, the project team will create a GIS database of data from the City of Olathe and neighboring communities. This would include data for:

A Quality of Life and Sustainability audit will be prepared, showing how Olathe performs relative to several neighboring and comparable communities in terms of livability.

Phase 2: Formulate a Community Vision

Phase 2 focuses on community visioning and goal setting based on collected information. Tools for smart growth and sustainable development, and case study examples of successes and failures in managing growth, will be shared with the community through workshops. Citizen review of vision statements and visual preference exercises will help determine support for different development patterns.

Citizen input will culminate in a Vision Document that includes an overall community vision, as well as vision statements for each plan element, key goals, and benefits of achieving the vision. Graphics, including maps, photos and hand renderings, will illustrate each vision statement and its associated goals.

Phase 3: Develop Key Planning Principles

The intent of Phase 3 is to identify issues which Olathe citizens are important as focus areas for developing the Comprehensive Plan recommendations

Phase 4: Develop Plan Alternatives

Under Phase 4, two “What If?” scenarios to accomplish the big ideas the community desires will be generated. Such ideas could include infill and redevelopment areas, new growth areas, affordable housing, economic development, downtown enhancements strategies, and community connections. The scenarios will be depicted spatially through large format maps and perspective hand-renderings of the big ideas. The goal of this phase is to develop scenarios that accomplish the vision previously described.

Phase 5: Evaluate Plan Alternatives

Based on technical data and public input, these ‘big ideas’ will be tested and refined in Phase 5 to reflect community preferences.

Phase 6: Develop Preferred Plan

Phase 7: Discussion Draft Plan

This phase involves the drafting of Plan chapters and working on the layout and design of the document. The Discussion Draft of Plan Olathe will be made available to members of the public in both print and Compact Disk format, as well as posted on the website. Neighborhood, community and business organizations, and citizens who had signed up to be on the notification list will be advised of the availability of the Discussion Draft Plan via mail, email, a list serve, and through posters and flyers, and media advertising and notices. Following the roll-out presentation, additional public meetings will be held throughout the City to provide an opportunity to learn about, ask questions, and offer comments on the Draft Plan. Multiple opportunities for the public to submit comments on the Discussion Draft Plan will be provided by mail, email, and through an interactive comment form on the Plan Olathe web page. All of the comments received will be compiled, together with a response, for review by the Planning Commission as it considers potential revisions to the discussion draft.

Phase 8: Final Public Review and Adoption

A revised Public Hearing Draft of Plan Olathe will be released for public review and discussion. An ordinance adopting the Plan will be introduced to the City Council for referral to the appropriate City boards, commissions and committees, and public hearings. Similar opportunities for public comment on the Draft Plan will be provided, and a response to all comments received will be prepared for consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council.