Planners present conceptual Southeast Topeka development plan; city staff to refine policies and partnerships

Development Strategies presented a conceptual plan for Southeast Topeka to the Topeka City Infrastructure Committee on May 20, emphasizing options to increase housing variety, preserve open space and connect new neighborhoods to Lake Shawnee.

The plan, led by Andy Feaster, principal with Development Strategies, examined market trends, infrastructure needs and two primary build scenarios — a conservative “business-as-usual” subdivision approach and a higher-density traditional neighborhood design (TND) aimed at producing more housing types and higher per-acre value. "This plan is conceptual, so it sets the table for future development, but it does not address all of the details," Feaster said.

Why it matters: Committee members said the area has been targeted for growth but land ownership patterns, infrastructure limits and amenities have slowed development. The presentation laid out long-range choices the city can make now — zoning, infrastructure funding and partnerships — to influence what private development will ultimately build.

Feaster summarized the market review and scenarios. He told the committee that Topeka had a tight for-sale housing supply (about 1.4 months of inventory at the time the data were pulled) and that recent price growth has increased demand for new lots. The consultants estimated a roughly five- to six-year supply of shovel-ready lots in the broader market, strengthening the rationale for proactively planning additional development-ready land.

Under a conservative scenario modeled for partial site buildout (labeled 1a), the team estimated about 1,250 housing units over time. A full buildout of the conservative model (1b) would amount to roughly 2,000 homes and about $780 million in development value in today’s dollars. By contrast, a TND approach could yield higher density and value — the team estimated the whole site could support more than 3,000 units under an ambitious TND buildout and that value per acre and average property-tax revenue would be 30–40% higher under TND compared with the conservative scenario.

Feaster and the team stressed that the plan does not compel existing property owners to build but instead proposes “guardrails” — policy changes, partnerships and infrastructure sequencing — to make certain development outcomes more feasible. He also highlighted opportunities to preserve natural drainage basins as open space and to create a trail and green-space network linking the new neighborhood to Lake Shawnee.

Committee members pressed on practical barriers. Councilwoman Ortiz said residents and developers frequently ask why growth concentrates elsewhere and not in the east/southeast. Ortiz noted utility limits, parcel ownership patterns and the need for grocery and medical services as constraints. "We don't do anything with East Topeka," she said, summarizing constituents’ frustrations, and added that younger buyers are looking for townhomes and lower-maintenance options rather than large yards.

Feaster responded that a relatively small number of property owners control much of the land in the study area, which can slow or fragment development, and that the city’s role is to create predictable policy and infrastructure pathways to encourage coordinated private investment. He said the team will provide a full written report and that staff expects to present an overview to the planning commission for additional public review.

Next steps: The consultant team will publish a full report with implementation steps, cost and service comparisons (including a future comparison of service cost per household versus revenue). Committee members and staff discussed follow-up outreach and coordination with utilities, the school district, Shawnee County and rural water providers.

The committee did not take formal action on the plan at the meeting; city staff indicated they will return with the final report and a subsequent overview before the planning commission.