Salina planning staff previews update to 2010 comprehensive plan, highlights bicycle, river and redevelopment priorities

City planning staff reviewed the city’s 2010 comprehensive plan and outlined steps toward a full update at the Salina City Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, April 15.

The review, presented by city planning staff member Dean, summarized amendments and maps adopted since the plan’s 2010 adoption and described priorities staff expects to include in a new request for proposals this summer and fall, including multimodal street design, bicycle connections to K‑State Salina, river-channel improvements and neighborhood revitalization incentives.

Dean told the commission that the Kansas Planning and Zoning Enabling Act identifies the planning commission as the custodian of the comprehensive plan and requires the commission to review the plan at least annually. He said staff prepared a packet that traces changes made since the February 2010 adoption and that the packet is intended to inform scope development for a new plan.

The presentation emphasized several existing map products in the packet: an in‑house future land use map, a street classification map (collector, arterial, local), and a bicycle/pedestrian master plan showing existing trails, planned routes and segments that “require infrastructure” before they can function as safe bicycle corridors. Dean identified Magnolia Road as a corridor where multimodal reconstruction is planned and where a parallel hike‑bike path would help provide a safer route between K‑State Salina and the rest of the city.

Staff also reviewed the city’s neighborhood revitalization area and a special redevelopment area north of Iron and State streets. The neighborhood revitalization program offers a property tax rebate for qualifying infill projects; staff described the mechanism as locking a beginning assessed value so new construction receives rebate treatment for a set period. As an example, staff said one infill project’s base value was about $12,000 and its post‑project assessed value approached $3,000,000, which made the rebate an important financing element. Staff said the special redevelopment area waives building permit fees for new construction or rehabilitations within its boundaries.

Dean described sub‑area planning work, including an East Salina master plan that studied utilities, regional stormwater detention and potential park space east of the Smoky Hill River. The East Salina work looked at consolidating individual subdivision detention ponds into a regional detention feature and planning sewer extensions to reduce the need for small pump stations. He cautioned that the master plan covers property owned by multiple private owners and said full implementation would depend on future developers following the plan’s framework.

The commission heard that the Salina Regional Health Center and downtown historic districts reached an understanding that steered hospital expansion east and north rather than west toward the historic neighborhood. Staff said a new Hospital‑Medical zoning district was adopted to allow hospital expansions within that district without frequent planning commission reviews.

Staff pointed to the River Renewal Project as a major anticipated investment. The presentation described replacing multiple box culverts with bridges (staff counted seven) so hike‑bike trails can pass under roadways rather than forcing trail users to cross busy streets. Dean said that design change is intended to improve trail continuity and public access along the Smoky Hill River.

Commissioners asked how city planning dovetails with Saline County planning. Dean said the county planner splits time between the county and the city and noted two cooperative tools: an interlocal agreement requiring joint approval of plats within one mile of the city limits, and a practice of the city reviewing major commercial building plans located in the county. He described interjurisdictional communication as lower than in some past years but said the maps in the packet show the county adopted a land‑use map that mirrors the city’s in the urban service area.

Staff outlined next steps: scoping meetings and study sessions to develop a request for proposals or qualifications for a consultant, consultant selection, public engagement (surveys and meetings), and a gap analysis to incorporate new data. Staff signaled the planning commission would be involved throughout the scoping and plan‑making process. Dean and other staff invited commissioners to identify priorities now that could shape the RFP, for example adding a transportation element emphasizing multimodal connectivity and pedestrian safety.

This discussion was an informational, administrative item; the meeting recorded no policy vote on plan text or a consultant contract. The agenda’s formal votes were procedural: commissioners approved the March 18 minutes by voice vote and later moved to adjourn; both motions carried by voice vote.

Staff notified the commission that the May 6 meeting will include text amendments, a temporary‑use regulation item tied to the downtown ACE district, a review of the South Ninth overlay district and a commercial site plan for a proposed Valvoline oil‑change facility between two existing businesses near the Holiday Inn. Dean also announced his retirement effective May 16; staff said there will be refreshments after the May 6 meeting and a separate retirement celebration to be scheduled.

Daisy, the planning commission clerk, confirmed at the start of the meeting that the meeting packet had been posted and that the required public meeting notice was provided.

No members of the public were present for comment during the recorded meeting segment.