City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan Growing toward prosperity since 1867 September 2008 Peridian Group, Inc. Shockey Consulting Services, LLC McClure Engineering Company City of Greenwood, Missouri
Comprehensive Plan Page II LIST OF PARTICIPANTS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan Greenwood Mayor Richard DeCourcy Greenwood Board of Alderman Mark Dziedzic James Payne Sara Ring Denise Simpson Greenwood Planning Commission Jim Carpenter Andrea Cohen Mark Dziedzic Darrel Grooms Ryan Meyers James VanAcker Matthew Wagner Greenwood City Staff Gary Bonine, Police Chief Darrel Steven Carlyle, Former City Administrator Ryan Hunt, Public Works Director Cliff McDonald, Building & Zoning Director Dustin Young, City Channel Greenwood Study Committee Participants Ronald Baldwin, Jackson County PWSD No.12 Michael Coomes, Greenwood Park Board Robert Leslie, Greenwood Police Dept. Tom Kurucz, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Teera Rogers, Greenwood Elem. School Bonnie Routon, Greenwood Families Helping Families Jeff Shook, Little Blue Valley Sewer District Sandy Slover, Greenwood Econ. Development Corp. Diane Williams, Citizen Janet Wehmeir, Developer January 29, 2008 Public Workshop Attendees Phil Alvarado Ron Baldwin Chad Blumberg James Brown Andrea Cohen Charles Dittmer Cheryl Dittmer Bill Forster Cassy Gabbert Bob Gillespie Becky Hughes Pete Kenney Tom Merker Tony Nunn James Payne Sara Ring Teera Rogers Denise Simpson Sandy Slover Larry Thomas James VanAcker Matt Wagner March 4, 2008 Public Workshop Attendees Phil Alvarado Charles Dittmer Judy Dittmer Charlene Hacking James Payne Sara Ring Denise Simpson Sandy Slover Sharon Theriot
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan Page III
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
1.1 GROWING A QUALITY COMMUNITY SECTION
1.2 STUDY AREA BOUNDARY SECTION
1.3 REGIONAL PLAN CONTEXT SECTION
1.4 NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SECTION
1.5 PURPOSE OF PLAN SECTION
1.6 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Chapter
2 VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS SECTION
2.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
2.2 2028 VISION STATEMENT SECTION
2.3 DISCUSSION OF GOALS SECTION
2.4 CITY PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SECTION
2.5 PRIORITIZATION OF GOALS
Chapter 3 CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES SECTION
3.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
3.2 CITY GROWTH FRAMEWORK SECTION
3.3 COORDINATED INFRASTRUCTURE
Chapter 4 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES SECTION
4.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
4.2 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN SECTION
4.3 FUTURE LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES SECTION
4.4 LAND USE PLANNING POLICIES SECTION
4.5 URBAN FORM & LAND DEVELOPMENT SECTION
4.6 TRANSPORTATION & MAJOR ROADS SECTION
4.7 ANNEXATION
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan Page IV
Chapter 5 POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS SECTION
5.1 STATE AND REGIONAL OVERVIEW SECTION
5.2 LOCAL OVERVIEW SECTION
5.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION SECTION
5.4 CURRENT ASSESSMENT OF GREENWOOD SECTION
5.5 COMPONENTS OF CHANGE SECTION
5.6 POPULATION GROWTH & CHANGE SECTION
5.7 CONCLUSIONS
Chapter 6 EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS SECTION
6.1 WATER SUPPLY SECTION
6.2 SANITARY & STORM SEWER SYSTEMS SECTION
6.3 SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SECTION
6.4 NATURAL GAS & ELECTRIC SERVICE SECTION
6.5 EDUCATION SECTION
6.6 LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTION
6.7 FIRE PROTECTION SECTION
6.8 EMERGENCY SERVICES & PREPAREDNESS SECTION
6.9 PUBLIC BUILDINGS SECTION
6.10 PARKS & RECREATION SECTION
6.11 TRANSPORTATION SECTION
6.12 ENVIRONMENT SECTION
6.13 HOUSING SECTION
6.14 LOCAL BUSINESSES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION
6.15 SOCIAL SERVICES SECTION
6.16 COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
6.17 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
Chapter 7 EXISTING LAND USE SECTION
7.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
7.2 LAND USE INVENTORY SECTION
7.3 CITY OF GREENWOOD SECTION
7.4 UNINCORPORATED PLANNING AREA
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan Page V LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 2.1 LIST OF COMMUNITY PLANNING GOALS TABLE
4.1 EXISTING ARTERIAL AND COLLECTOR STREETS IN GREENWOOD TABLE
5.1 CROSS SAMPLE OF CHANGE IN POPULATION OF GREENWOOD & AREA COMMUNITIES TABLE
5.2 CROSS SAMPLE OF CHANGE IN POPULATION OF MISSOURI COUNTIES IN THE KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA TABLE
5.3 MEDIAN AGE OF THE POPULATION – UNITED STATES, MISSOURI, JACKSON COUNTY AND GREENWOOD, 1990 AND 2000 TABLE
5.4 AGE COMPONENT CHANGE IN THE POPULATION OF MISSOURI, JACKSON COUNTY AND GREENWOOD, 1990 AND 2000 TABLE
5.5 SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DATA AND PROJECTIONS FOR GREENWOOD FOR 2008 TO 2018 TABLE
6.1 LEE’S SUMMIT R-7 SCHOOL DISTRICT ENROLLMENT FOR SCHOOLS THAT SERVE GREENWOOD TABLE
6.2 GREENWOOD PART I CRIMINAL OFFENSES, 2001-2006 TABLE
6.3 MEDICAL FACILITIES SERVING GREENWOOD TABLE
6.4 NURSING HOMES IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TABLE
6.5 GREENWOOD RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS, 2000-2006 TABLE
6.6 RESIDENTIAL SALES IN GREENWOOD, 2000-2007 TABLE
6.7 GREENWOOD BUSINESS STATISTICS, 1994-2004 TABLE
6.8 TOTAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FY2005-FY2007 LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1.1 REGIONAL CONTEXT MAP
FIGURE 1.2 GREENWOOD POPULATION GROWTH, 1960-2006
FIGURE 3.1 PLANNING GROWTH AREA MAP
FIGURE 3.2 DRAINAGE MAP
FIGURE 4.1 FUTURE LAND USE MAP
FIGURE 5.1 GREENWOOD POPULATION GROWTH, 1960-2006
FIGURE 5.2 AGE & GENDER OF GREENWOOD POPULATION, 1990
FIGURE 5.3 AGE & GENDER OF GREENWOOD POPULATION, 2000
FIGURE 6.1 LEE’S SUMMIT R-7 SCHOOL DISTRICT MAP
FIGURE 6.2 LEE’S SUMMIT FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION MAP
FIGURE 6.3 AVERAGE MONTHLY HIGH AND LOW FOR GREENWOOD IN DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
FIGURE 6.4 AVERAGE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION FOR GREENWOOD IN INCHES
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION
PAGE 1-1
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
1.1 GROWING A QUALITY COMMUNITY SECTION
1.2 STUDY AREA BOUNDARY SECTION
1.3 REGIONAL PLAN CONTEXT SECTION
1.4 NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SECTION
1.5 PURPOSE OF PLAN SECTION
1.6 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION
PAGE 1-2
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION SECTION
1.1 GROWING A QUALITY COMMUNITY In the 1990s and 2000s the City of Greenwood, Missouri experienced historic population growth, which resulted in numerous community changes and new challenges for local officials. Local leaders want to ensure that growth continues and that Greenwood remains a quality community for people to live. What makes a community a quality community? Does it simply emerge from random and independent decisions? Or, does it require forethought and a commitment to a shared vision? Greenwood City officials believe the decisions they make regarding land use, infrastructure, parks, streets, and public investments in civic buildings affect the quality of life in Greenwood. They also understand that cooperation with other public entities, such as the School Board, County Commission, Rural Water Districts, to name a few, is necessary to grow a quality community. Most importantly, City officials know that ultimate responsibility to growing a quality community rests with the citizens of Greenwood. Individual initiative and commitment are necessary to reach community goals; without public support, growing a quality community is difficult to achieve. The collective action of community members leads to ensuring a quality place to live. The following community design and planning ideas promote the concept of growing a quality place. Unique Character One reason for Greenwood's current growth is the attraction of its small town character. A unique identity is often missing from today's homogenous, franchised and predictable city sprawl. People desire a strong sense of community in which they have control of their environment. Pedestrian Character Community design should foster a sense that this place was made for comfortable human living. Outdoor spaces should function as social settings that encourage City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-3 people to walk within their neighborhoods. Pedestrian friendly streetscapes will enhance activity and commercial viability. Safety and Comfort Safety allows people to fully engage themselves in civic life. It attracts people to Greenwood because it is a safe place to reside. As more families with children and elderly citizens reside in Greenwood, the need to ensure that they are safe and comfortable becomes a priority. Economic Vitality Ensuring that future development projects work together within a unified framework fostering civic life and economic vitality is essential for Greenwood. The need to diversify the economic base is becoming more acute as demand for local infrastructure and services increases with a growing housing sector. Mixed Use Multiple use neighborhoods results in a community with distinct characteristics and qualities, and evolves into a rich and vibrant place to live, work and play. Diversity should be expressed in the built environment by varied function, use and style to support economic growth. Density Communities that offer a housing choice by facilitating varying density types create urban environments and places that are by nature highly diverse in character. By allowing housing that accommodates people in different “life-cycle” stages ensures people can age in their own community. Sustainability A community should balance their support of existing resources with investment in the future in order to survive over a long time period. Existing buildings should be renovated and reused, new structures should be built for long life spans, affordability and future flexibility.
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-4 Sense of History By valuing a sense of history as we create the future, our efforts will someday become a part of history worth protecting. A sense of history is important in the preservation of valuable community resources and the continuity of past, present and future life in our community.
SECTION 1.2 STUDY AREA BOUNDARY The focus of this plan is on the area within the city limits of Greenwood and the unincorporated land surrounding Greenwood. The plan seeks to address the interface of the existing land use pattern and the development of vacant land. The second area of focus is on the land outside the city limits. Much of this area is viewed as the logical growth area of Greenwood. If not viewed as a logical growth area, the surrounding unincorporated area is seen as the city’s sphere of influence. Therefore, the plan wants to ensure that future land use conflicts are avoided.
SECTION 1.3 REGIONAL PLAN CONTEXT The City of Greenwood is greatly influenced by the Kansas City Metropolitan Area where over 1,967,405 people live1. Greenwood lies within six miles of Downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri and is 25 miles from Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, with convenient highway access to both cities. From 2000 to 2006, the metropolitan area has grown, on average, 1.7 percent annually compared to 0.7 percent for the State of Missouri and 1.5 percent for the United States. Greenwood is located on 150-Highway, which connects the community to Highway 7 to the east and 291 Highway to the west. This allows for a convenient homeowner commute to Kansas City, but is a disadvantage for attracting businesses or industries dependent upon a convenient highway access. Figure 1.1 displays Greenwood and the region. 1 2006 statistic obtained from the United States Census Bureau at www.census.gov City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-5 Figure 1.1: Regional Context Map Map courtesy of www.mapquest.com
City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan
INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-6 SECTION 1.4 NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The very rapid growth in Greenwood’s population from 1990 to 2000 is one reason why the City needs a Comprehensive Plan. According to the US Census, the population increased 90 percent between 1960 and 1970 and another 42 percent between 1970 and 1980. Moderate growth continued in the 1980s, followed by explosive growth in the 1990s. From 2000 to 2006, Greenwood grew another 16 percent, far exceeding the growth of the state of Missouri (0.7 percent for the same period) and the growth rate of the United States (1.5 percent). Figure 1.2: Greenwood Population Growth, 1960-2006 Population is a key indicator of future development, vitality, and growth potential for a local community. Anticipated growth or decline in the number of residents and changes to the age, gender, and general structure of the population impact directly on the availability of public institutions (e.g. schools and churches), types of public facilities improvements needed (e.g. sewer or water), and the local economy (i.e. jobs and industries). Rapid growth also has the potential to create problems for communities such as: increased traffic congestion, loss of open space, fiscal strains on the local government to meet demands for services and facilities, and loss of “small town” sense of community. However, the underlying premise guiding the preparation of this plan is that population and employment growth can be beneficial for Greenwood and should be encouraged. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-7 SECTION 1.5 PURPOSE OF PLAN An important consideration of this plan is to define public policy on community growth that balances the interests of existing residents, protects important civic and environmental resources, and increases the tax base of Greenwood. In other words, this plan seeks to accommodate growth and identify policies and principles that promote smart growth. What is smart growth? A smart growth plan attempts to anticipate in advance the realistic needs of development in terms of land supply, location, and public facilities. The result is improved decision-making by both public officials and the development community. Smart growth planning also stresses important physical elements that contribute to improving the quality of life in the community and its neighborhoods. Another smart growth principle is to anticipate and provide for growth by maximizing existing infrastructure; new infrastructure is funded fairly and provided in a timely manner. A community using smart growth principles is focused on promoting compact development pattern, protecting natural resources, providing public open space, offering a variety of housing, and creating walkable neighborhoods. This plan recognizes that that land development can increase the tax base of a community. Since there is limited industrial tax base in Greenwood, the challenge lies in diversifying the tax base through economic development programs and incentives. At the same time, however, city leaders desire to create a positive climate to stimulate continued residential growth. The local tax structure is an important consideration to creating a positive economic development climate for businesses and homeowners contemplating locating in Greenwood. Greenwood is facing intense pressures for revenue to expand infrastructure and services to accommodate growth. City leaders must contemplate and plan how to pay for infrastructure and maintain community livability. The Greenwood comprehensive plan advocates using “smart growth” planning principles to accommodate continued growth and link land development to sound local public fiscal policies and practices. SECTION 1.6 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A critical component of this plan is the use of community-based workshops to allow local officials and concerned citizens an opportunity to identify a vision for their future. Public workshops were held on January 29 and March 4, 2008. This City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan INTRODUCTION PAGE 1-8 grassroots involvement contributes to an informed citizenry and lays a foundation for the plan by developing community goals and priorities. The community workshops accomplish the following tasks: Identified a shared vision for the future of Greenwood. Identified strengths and weaknesses in Greenwood. Determined what community features should be protected/maintained, changed, and created. Identified community goals as a basis of the plan. Received citizen explanations on the location and types of housing, commercial and industrial activities envisioned in the future. Discussed land use possibilities. Another critical component of the plan is the use of a study committee. The study committee members were selected by Greenwood City Staff. The study committee met four times to discuss the following topics: Current issues in Greenwood. How to involve area stakeholders. Potential growth and land uses for the planning area. Community goals as a basis of the plan. Public infrastructure and facilities to meet future needs. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 1 Chapter 2 VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS SECTION 2.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION 2.2 2028 VISION STATEMENT SECTION 2.3 DISCUSSION OF GOALS SECTION 2.4 CITY PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SECTION 2.5 PRIORITIZATION OF GOALS City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 2 Chapter 2 VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS SECTION 2.1 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this plan is to provide the City of Greenwood a basis for making land use and community development decisions. The foundation of a plan begins with a set of goals and a future vision of the city. Planning decisions that are consistent with the goals and vision statement help to ensure the city’s ability to achieve desired outcomes for a healthy, thriving, and sustainable future. The vision statement, along with the goals for the plan, were identified at public work sessions. The goal statements have been given letters instead of numbers so that one goal is not give preference over another. SECTION 2.2 2028 VISION STATEMENT In the year 2028, Greenwood is a growing and thriving bedroom community of the Kansas City metropolitan urban area. Households of all ages are attracted to the Greenwood community because of its peaceful, safe, small town atmosphere. Young families and retirees are moving into the City because of good schools, shopping, parks and recreation, housing availability, and jobs. SECTION 2.3 DISCUSSION OF GOALS A Manage new growth to keep small town character. The challenge facing a growing community is to encourage growth, but not at the expense of losing the very qualities that make it an attractive place to live. Since growth guarantees changes in a city, the task is to manage those changes and attempt to create a place where people and businesses are afforded an opportunity to build a community based on a shared vision of the future. A compact, pedestrian-oriented community with similar buildings of similar style will help maintain and enhance the feeling of the small-town character. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 3 B Improve city-wide traffic circulation. The transition of Greenwood, from a small community to a bedroom community of Kansas City, has heightened the predicament of having 150-Highway as the only east/west road and Ranson Road as the only north/south road allowing people to travel through the city. Moreover, with the only school located on the south side of 150-HIghway, the increased traffic created with children being driven to school is making the traffic on 150-Highway an undesirable situation. C Focus on keeping and growing existing businesses, while developing and attracting new and unique small businesses. Encouraging new commercial and industrial growth is part of a strategy to create a diverse and sustainable local economy. New businesses offer goods and services without citizens traveling to Lee’s Summit or Kansas City; they also create local employment opportunities and keep tax dollars in the local economy. Success in bringing new business into a community depends on many factors such as access to transportation facilities, availability of labor, availability of land with urban infrastructure, supply of affordable housing, quality of schools, and how potential investors perceive the locality as a place to live. Favorable quality of life is important for recruiting and retaining the skilled workers and management personnel that new and expanding businesses require. Growing a diverse economy is important for Greenwood because it is currently almost entirely dependent upon a residential tax base. This puts the community in a challenging position since it needs to make investments in roads, schools, parks, sanitary sewer service, police and fire service in order to offer citizens an acceptable level of public service. D Maintain quality and access to public services as Greenwood grows. The citizens of Greenwood recognize that the community needs to ensure that facilities and programs are available to its citizens. Meeting this goal is consistent with the desire to build a community center and swimming pool. Likewise, it is recognized that quality police and fire protection is a critical element to promoting Greenwood as a viable community. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 4 E Will meet the current and future housing needs of the community by improving existing housing stock, promoting new residential development, and increasing the variety of price ranges available. The purpose of this goal is to encourage varying housing types and densities within a neighborhood to allow young, old, singles, and families, and those of varying economic ability to remain or move to Greenwood. The aspiration is to allow Greenwood to become a community that is an attractive place for young families, but also people looking for a community to reside during their early retirement years. Young singles starting their careers should also find housing opportunities, because they will discover the benefits of Greenwood, and may eventually purchase a starter home. The revitalization and stabilization of existing Greenwood neighborhoods is equally important as encouraging the growth of new residential development. For this reason, making sure improvements to the existing infrastructure of builtup areas remains a priority. This means local officials need to work with citizens to find a method of cost sharing. Since certain areas of the community were developed with open drainage ditches, no sidewalks, no curbs and gutters, and limited streetlights, it is unrealistic to expect a total conversion of neighborhood infrastructure. But when citizens are willing to financially assist in making improvements to their neighborhood, then local officials should ensure funds are available to invest. F Develop a system of open space corridors and places to preserve environmental resources and recreation opportunities. There is an opportunity to protect and preserve creeks and streams in the City of Greenwood and its wooded shelterbelts along the streamways. These natural assets offer opportunities to build a linear trail system linking different areas of the community together. Preserving these areas reduces erosion, improves water quality, and provides a habitat for wildlife. G Encourage commercial businesses to develop in planned shopping clusters at strategic locations, as opposed to a linear strip of continuous retail along main roads. Uncontrolled new commercial development is likely to create a linear strip pattern along 150-Highway. While some commercial uses make sense on 150- City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 5 Highway, the intent is to not allow 150-Highway to be one continuous retail strip. Instead, the desire is to encourage commercial businesses to develop in planned shopping clusters at major intersections. This allows for better traffic access management, creates a more aesthetic appearance for the community, and allows for other land uses to develop on 150-Highway. H Achieve Greenwood’s vision through sustainable and systematic public investments. Greenwood is facing a series of municipal infrastructure needs to accommodate anticipated growth. On top of the need for expensive infrastructure, is the desire to keep local taxes low for property owners. Therefore, local officials are looking for innovative ways to pay for the extension or expansion of infrastructure. While commercial and industrial businesses are going to be encouraged to move to Greenwood, it may require the use of incentives or tax abatements to attract new investment. In general, Greenwood is going to need several more years of extensive home building before market thresholds are reached for certain businesses. Commercial developers require a defined population base to support a business before they invest in new commercial ventures. This is commonly referred to having enough “rooftops” to support a business. The point is that Greenwood is in the early stages of “bedroom community” growth. It is going to be several years before commercial and industrial development contribute to local tax revenues. This is why identifying cost-sharing methods between developers and local government is going to be essential to pay the cost of infrastructure extension and expansion. I Protect and preserve cultural and historic community resources. Buildings, structures, or landscapes (such as the Katy Trail) that inform citizens about the history of Greenwood should be preserved. Protecting links to the past help maintain the sense of community and contribute to civic pride and local identity. SECTION 2.4 CITY PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goal A: Manage new growth to keep small town character. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 6 Objective A.1.: Promote compact, contiguous growth in locations where infrastructure and utilities can be economically provided and annex land into Greenwood to take advantage of the tax base. Objective A.2.: Develop design standards that create a small-town feel with quality development. Tree-lined streets and sidewalks Slow, easy-moving traffic Pedestrian-oriented Mixed-use development Connected grid street network Objective A.3.: Incorporate the use of site plan review and pre-application meetings for all developments. Objective A.4.: Encourage infill development on vacant land or underutilized parcels. Objective A.5.: Create attractive entrances to Greenwood. Goal B: Improve city-wide traffic circulation. Objective B.1.: Create a transportation network to minimize conflicts between land uses. Objective B.2.: Create a major north-south route. Objective B.3.: To services and expand industrial development, create an east-west connection to Missouri Highway 291. Objective B.4.: Minimize conflicts between transportation modes (pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, and rail). Objective B.5.: Continue with sidewalk maintenance/installation program focusing on downtown and areas near the school. Objective B.6.: Continue to annually apply to the State’s Safe Routes to Schools Program as funding is available. Goal C: Focus on keeping and growing existing businesses, while developing and attracting new and unique small businesses. Objective C.1.: Retain and expand local businesses by upgrading 150- Highway, creating sufficient parking, and by establishing City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 7 personal relationships with the business owners. Objective C.2.: Work with existing businesses to identify opportunities to stimulate local economic growth. Objective C.3.: Work with local bankers to create a community-based economic development strategy that promotes local ownership of businesses. Objective C.4.: Work with economic development agencies and organizations in Jackson County and the Kansas City area to assess and identify development strategies that link Greenwood to the metropolitan/regional economy. Objective C.5.: Utilize State and Federal economic development and community development programs and resources such as the Missouri Economic Development Council. Objective C.6.: Continue to invest in excellent schools and expand life-long skills and learning opportunities. Objective C.7.: Capitalize on the Katy Trail to expand specialized retail, bringing visitors to Greenwood by getting the citizens involved and by obtaining funding assistance through grants. Goal D: Maintain quality and access to public services as Greenwood grows (Police, Fire, Schools, Social Services, Infrastructure, Parks and Recreation). Objective D.1.: Establish Park and Recreation Department or division that has staff devoted to maintain and develop parks/facilities as well as to provide recreational opportunities for residents. Objective D.2.: Develop partnerships between the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Jackson County Parks & Recreation, private and nonprofit organizations to foster a wide range of recreational opportunities. Objective D.3.: Support the development of the Katy Trail through Greenwood. Objective D.4.: Identify a funding mechanism to purchase parkland before land development occurs. Objective D.5.: Construct a public swimming pool and/or community center for use by all citizens. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 8 Objective D.6.: Expand the Police Department as the community grows and establish a minimum response time. Objective D.7.: Continue to be incorporated into the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District and attract new schools to Greenwood. Goal E: Meet the current and future housing needs of the community by improving existing housing stock, promoting new residential development, and increasing the variety of price ranges available. Objective E.1.: Promote new residential development and increase variety of price ranges available. Objective E.2.: Enforce property maintenance codes throughout the community. Objective E.3.: Conduct a feasibility study to determine demand for housing needs of people of all ages and income levels. Goal F: Develop a system of open space corridors and places to preserve environmental resources and recreation opportunities. Objective F.1.: Create an ordinance (i.e. stream setback ordinance) that will require open space preservation with development and redevelopment. Objective F.2.: Develop a parks and trails master plan that will identify preferred locations for parks, open spaces, and trails that displays city-wide interconnected parks and trail system. Goal G: Encourage commercial businesses to develop in planned shopping clusters at strategic locations, as opposed to a linear strip of continuous retail along main roads. Objective G.1.: Maintain and enhance historic character of downtown by burying power lines, encouraging small novelty shops, and creating design standards that encourage elements such as outdoor seating and decorative lighting. Objective G.2.: Create an ordinance that protects and preserves existing buildings and businesses downtown. Objective G.3.: Create a civic and business cluster that serves as the City center and Katy Trail stop which will attract specialized City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 9 businesses to the area. Goal H: Achieve Greenwood’s vision through sustainable and systematic public investments. Objective H.1.: Identify grants and other funding mechanisms that will create funding for special projects throughout the City and that will help citizens get more involved in the community. Objective H.2.: Evaluate fees and taxes that may be good sources of stable revenue (franchise feeds, development fees, stormwater fees, dedicated sales tax). Goal I: Protect and preserve cultural and historic community resources. Objective I.1.: Work to establish a historical society for historic buildings and homes throughout the City. Objective I.2.: Continue efforts to tie into the Katy Trail and move the historic Depot near the future Katy Trail head. Objective I.3: Encourage City officials to create a marketing plan promoting Greenwood as an affordable, safe and pleasant community. Objective I.4.: Form a committee to improve community appearance, cooperative spirit and pride. SECTION 2.5 PRIORITIZATION OF GOALS At one of the community workshops, each participant was involved in identifying what citizens believed were the most important community planning issues or goals. The results of this exercise are listed in Table 2.1, with the highest number of votes indicating the topic of highest priority. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan VISION STATEMENT & PLAN GOALS PAGE 2- 10 Table 2.1: List of Community Planning Goals Goals # of Votes Create businesses and destination retail 11 Improve the look of downtown 10 Keep the truck route away from the elementary school 5 Protect community history 5 Maintain green space and natural beauty 5 Protect Greenwood's existing businesses 5 Protect and maintain a safe environment/ community 4 Change the location of downtown to link to the Katy Trail 4 Create design standards 4 Clean up the City 4 Create linkages to the Katy Trail 4 Maintain the small-town atmosphere 3 Maintain quality services (parks, schools, police, fire) 3 Invest in infrastructure improvements 2 Improve the community's appearance and code enforcement 2 Construct sidewalks and bike paths that could also link to the Katy Trail 2 Create a light industrial area 2 Establish sustainable resources and funding 2 Encourage public involvement through activities and events 2 Encourage a healthy community 2 Build a library 1 Ensure businesses provide services of all residents (medical clinic, beauty shop, banks, mechanics, etc.) 1 Look for ways to continue to promote the community (Chamber of Commerce, website, etc.) 1 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 1 Chapter 3 CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES SECTION 3.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION 3.2 CITY GROWTH FRAMEWORK SECTION 3.3 COORDINATED INFRASTRUCTURE City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 2 Chapter 3 CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES SECTION 3.1 INTRODUCTION This section of the plan addresses three critical planning issues facing Greenwood over the next two decades. The first issue is a review of where Greenwood is anticipated to grow and develop, which is entitled Planning Area Growth Plan. In this subsection, the plan identifies the logical areas where urban growth should occur during the planning period. The second planning issue is in the subsection Urban Form and Land Development. This section of the plan explains the importance of encouraging compact urban form and return to the traditional development of neighborhoods to create a cohesive urban fabric. As Greenwood expands incrementally with each new subdivision, it is critical that these subdivisions are designed to create neighborhoods that allow for people to walk, streets that are interconnected, diverse housing types, and public spaces or parks. Several important planning issues that will influence the future of Greenwood are also reviewed, such as the Katy Trail expansion, transportation improvements relating to the quarry, and future annexation issues. The final significant planning issue presented in this section details the Preservation of Community Character. A clear message from the citizens involved in the public meetings is the importance of redeveloping and maintaining the small town feel. It is clear that the residents of Greenwood want to protect the integrity of older neighborhoods and the downtown area. SECTION 3.2 CITY GROWTH FRAMEWORK Sound fiscal policy and land use planning principles are essential to Greenwood’s future growth. The growth framework identifies logical areas where new development should take place. The determining factor for identifying where growth is encouraged is based on the practicality and feasibility of extending sewer service. The reasons for outlining a growth framework is to address uncontrolled urban sprawl, preserve open space, and consider the costs of development on local government and taxpayers. In addition to showing a conceptual plan for the growth of Greenwood, the framework identifies land that should be preserved as open City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 3 space because of its limitations for urban development or environmentally sensitive characteristics. The Planning Area Growth Area Map (Figure 3.1) shows the concepts of the growth framework. The elements of the growth framework include the following: Planning Area Open Space Corridor Arterial & Collector Roads Urban Growth Objectives 1. Promote compact urban development and direct urban growth to locations where sewer services exist or can be economically extended. 2. Discourage the development of new rural subdivisions and scattered large-lot housing on individual tracts in areas shown as the Planning Area. 3. Protect and preserve area streams and creeks as open space corridors. 4. Plan for a network of arterial and collector streets based on a grid of one mile for arterials and half-mile for collectors. Planning Area The Planning Area is the area where sewer service can readily be extended. This is the area where the development of Greenwood is encouraged to locate. Basic services, such as sewers and police and fire protection can be extended or offered by the city. The amount of land contained within the planning area is more than sufficient to accommodate projected population growth. There are several reasons why the planning area covers much more land than required to support projected population growth during the 15-20 year time horizon of this plan. The development pattern of Greenwood is highly dependent upon the willingness of landowners to sell their property to a land developer. The intent of this plan is to encourage new urban development in accordance with the ability of Greenwood to extend utilities based on sound fiscal practices. In other words, the city wants to promote growth and economic development but not City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 4 jeopardize its financial health and create a high tax structure. In rapidly growing suburban communities, it is not uncommon to find developers working with landowners to create a benefit district within a drainage basin to extend a sanitary sewer main. The creation of a “benefit district” allows for the extension of sanitary sewer and/or water mains with the cost assessed against the landowners. Landowners of rural or agriculture land in slow growth areas, however, are unlikely to consent to the creation of a benefit district, because they must pay the special assessments against their land until there is market demand for urban development. In the absence of a rapidly growing community, city officials need to work with developers to devise cost-sharing formulas to pay for the extension of properly sized sewer interceptors. For example, if a developer wants to subdivide a 40-acre parcel into residential lots, the developer approaches the city to extend utilities. The city must make sure the sanitary sewer interceptor is properly sized to allow future developers/landowners to connect to the sewer main and is compatible with longrange utility plans. The consequence of this practice can lead to a patchwork of urban development interspersed amongst tracts of rural/agricultural land. Another significant downside of this technique can result in a city being over-committed to extending infrastructure in too many locations and directions. In an attempt to be accommodating to new growth, a city can overextend its financial ability to keep up with providing adequate public facilities (sewer/water mains, treatment plant expansions, roads). The purpose of designating the planning area is to provide property owners with information about the future expansion of the City and provision of public services. This is also important information for private investors who are looking at development options in the planning area. It will be important to not allow extensive large-lot housing in the planning area because of the conflicts created if and when urban services and development are extended. Future Land Demand. The total land area includes land for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. The Planning Area consists of 22.16 square miles. Open Space Corridor The purpose of an open space corridor is to preserve important natural resources of areas creek and streams. The identification of the open space corridor is based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain and the wooded City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 5 areas and streamside vegetation adjoining the floodplain, commonly referred to as riparian areas. Riparian areas are important for the survival of plant and animal species. They are critical to stabilize stream banks, and thus reduce erosion and water contamination. They also provide additional environmental services by reducing the severity of floods. Finally, they provide economic, social, and aesthetic value to the land and community. Arterial & Collector Roads A grid of arterial roads is planned for the planning area based on one-mile section line roads. A grid of collector roads is planned for the planning area based on a series of inter-connected one-half mile roads. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 6 Figure 3.1: Planning Growth Area Map City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 7 Utility Extension The extension of water and sanitary sewer lines are important in determining the location and timing of urban growth. The feasibility of extending these basic services will likely dictate the order and magnitude of urban growth. Sanitary Sewers. The natural drainage basins and the location of ridgelines determine where gravity flow sewers can be installed. Gravity sewer service extending along natural drainage ways is the most cost effective sewer service for proposed growth areas. Depending on the location of the wastewater treatment facility, gravity sewers typically terminate at a pumping station, which in turn pumps the collected wastewater to the treatment facility. The proposed planning area surrounding Greenwood is comprised of 3 separate natural drainage basins. Gravity interceptor sewers can extend up natural drainage ways within each basin to provide sewer service to the entire areas. A pump station is necessary within each basin to transport the collected wastewater to the existing municipal wastewater treatment facility. Water Supply. The majority of the land mass of the City of Greenwood falls within the boundaries of the Jackson County Public Water Supply District (PWSD) #12 who provides water to Greenwood residences and businesses. A minority of the land mass receives water services from Cass County Public Water Supply District #6. There are no water supply issues identified to prevent future growth. As the City continues to grow into the future the Public Water Supply utilizes a demand based extension policy. As development requires additional water service in the future the developer will be responsible for paying for all future main extension required to service the development. Public Water Supply #12 has adequate volume of water to service the planning area identified within this plan. One challenge that will be site specific will be availability of meeting fire flow demands. This is an issue that will be required for verification on a site-bysite basis. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 8 Leapfrog Development The opposite of a compact urban form is one characterized by scattered or leapfrog growth. This results in a dispersed community pattern commonly known as urban sprawl. The intent of this plan is to discourage leapfrog development. However, a contradiction can emerge between promoting a compact urban form and being responsive to developers seeking to promote land development. The timing and location of new urban development depends upon the rate of growth and market demand for urban services and utilities. The intent of this plan is to allow city leaders to respond to marketplace demand within the planning area, but each development proposal must be evaluated with the growth framework of this plan, the financial ability of the city to extend services, and consistency with the pattern of development contemplated in the future land use map and plan policies, objectives, and goals. SECTION 3.3 COORDINATED INFRASTRUCTURE The purpose of this section is to identify locations of infrastructure for extending water and sewer service into the proposed Planning Area. The proposed growth area fro Greenwood is 22.16 square miles. Water Service As stated previously, the City of Greenwood’s water service is through Jackson County PWSD #12. Any major improvements in the future will be determined by PWSD #12’s Board of Directors. Sewer Service The existing sanitary sewer collection system includes gravity service within 2 drainage basins for the City and immediate surrounding area. One (1) pump station is currently located within Greenwood city limits. Little Blue Valley Sewer District has completed upgrades in the city limits of Greenwood most recently. Gravity sewer service extending up natural drainage ways is the most cost effective sewer service for proposed growth areas. Depending on the location of the wastewater treatment facility, the gravity sewers typically terminate at a pumping station, which in turn pumps the collected wastewater to the treatment facility. The proposed 22.16 square mile planning area surrounding Greenwood is comprised of 3 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 9 separate natural drainage basins. Gravity interceptor sewers can extend up natural drainage ways within each basin to provide sewer service to the entire areas. A pump station is necessary within each basin to transport the collected wastewater to the existing municipal wastewater treatment facility. Internal collection systems can be built off of the proposed interceptor sewer lines. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 10 Figure 3.2: Drainage Map City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan CITY GROWTH & PLANNING ISSUES PAGE 3- 11 Conclusion Water and sewer services are located within the city limits of Greenwood. Future extension of services will be requested by a developer and not the City of Greenwood. There does not appear to be any major issues that would limit the location of services. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-1 Chapter 4 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES SECTION 4.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION 4.2 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN SECTION 4.3 FUTURE LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES SECTION 4.4 LAND USE PLANNING POLICIES SECTION 4.5 URBAN FORM & LAND DEVELOPMENT SECTION 4.6 TRANSPORTATION & MAJOR ROADS SECTION 4.7 ANNEXATION City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-2 Chapter 4 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES SECTION 4.1 INTRODUCTION A future land use plan is a general guide to assist local civic and government leaders, business interests, and citizens to make informed decisions on growth, efficient use of land, and anticipated changes to already developed areas of Greenwood. The future land use plan is an impermanent document, which is to say that it must adapt to community needs over time and undergo frequent changes through yearly review. The land use plan forms the basis for all development and redevelopment decisions. The plan must represent the "best practices" available to decision makers and provide a relatively stable set of policies to achieve a vision of what the community is expected to become during the 20-year life of the plan. The land use plan is an important vehicle for dealing with the challenges, opportunities, and needs that Greenwood will experience over time. The land use plan is an important tool to frame some of the fiscal issues facing local taxpayers. The land use plan should be used to guide new local development to minimize the expense in extending public infrastructure into developing fringe areas. See Chapter 3 City Growth and Planning Issues. Finally, a land use plan reveals a commitment to the future. The land use plan is based on public input and community values. A community achieves its goals through leadership, vision and determination. The land use plan is one source of a community vision. SECTION 4.2 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN The City of Greenwood experienced a successful decade in the 1990s and early 2000s in attracting new homeowners to the community. During the next two decades, the City looks forward to building on this success and creating a socially City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-3 and economically vibrant community that is environmentally sustainable. The growth of the 1990s and early 2000s heightened the awareness of the City to plan for the growth of the community. The decisions that City officials will make regarding land use, infrastructure, parks, streets, and public investments in civic buildings affect the quality of life in Greenwood. The future land use plan is designed to achieve the community design and planning principles identified in Chapter 1 Introduction as well as the planning goals contained in Chapter 2 Vision Statement and Plan Goals. Future Land Use Categories The Future Land Use Map (Figure 4.1) illustrates the recommended future land use pattern for the City of Greenwood. The graphic map depicting the future land use pattern should be used in concert with the land use policies. The map and policies outlined in this plan document are intended to guide the City in making decisions regarding rezoning of property and the approval of subdivision plats. Commercial Retail stores, shopping centers Automobile service, car washes Restaurants, bars, night clubs Banks, financial institutions Building supply, garden centers Mini –warehouse storage Entertainment facilities Offices, personal services, medical clinics Light industry Manufacturing and warehousing Mixed Use Retail stores, shopping centers Offices, personal services Restaurants Multi-family housing Residential Single family structures and duplexes Townhomes Garden apartments City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-4 City Government offices and facilities Institutional Hospital, nursing homes Cemetery Day care centers Schools Places of worship, community organizations Social services Cultural facilities, museums, libraries Greenway Parks Recreational facilities City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-5 Figure 4.1: Future Land Use Map City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-6 Land Use Plan Overview The future land use plan map is based on the concept that a section of land represents a neighborhood. This allows the community to grow incrementally, yet in accordance with a set of planning principles to guide the development of Greenwood. This recognizes that the growth of Greenwood is going to be relatively slow and that some landowners may not want to sell their property for urban development. Therefore, it is important that each residential subdivision is designed to work with adjacent subdivisions and contribute to creating a neighborhood that sustains the small town character of Greenwood. The land use plan map shows a more detailed land use pattern around the existing built-up and platted areas of Greenwood. The land use plan map does not show future land uses for the entire “Planning Area”. This does not mean, for example, that neighborhood commercial or moderate density residential land uses are inappropriate for areas not depicted on the land use plan map. Commercial and moderate density residential land uses contemplated for the eastern portion of the planning area need to be evaluated using the policies and planning principles contained in this plan. The preferred development pattern is to encourage development to occur adjacent to the built-up areas of Greenwood. The use of a grid system of arterial roads following section lines and collector roads on the half-mile is another fundamental concept of the future land use plan. A key element of the plan is to use this grid street network to ensure that each neighborhood is connected and that the entire community is linked together. The final cornerstone of the future land use plan map is the depiction of future park sites. Specific sites are not identified on the plan; instead a park symbol is shown. During the review of a site plan or preliminary plat, the City must implement measures to ensure that individual developments conform to the long-range street network of arterials and collectors and reserve sites for neighborhood parks. Residential Land Use To help Greenwood retain its small town character it is important that the community continue to grow using traditional neighborhood design principles. When a community encourages the built physical environment to be based on the City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-7 scale, size, and function of a neighborhood, it enables people to connect with their neighbors and community. The challenge is to ensure that certain key elements are provided in each new neighborhood. This requires that as each new subdivision plat is reviewed and approved that it compliments and achieves the neighborhood unit concept. Those key elements are based on the following planning principles: Residential Neighborhood Planning Principles Principle 1. Each neighborhood needs a public space or park. When practical it should function at the center of the neighborhood. The space can be a public square, park, or an important street. The public space needs to accommodate citizens of all ages. Principle 2. A network of interlinked pedestrian walkways is essential within each neighborhood. Close attention to the design of roadways with sidewalks to create a public space where people feel safe and are encouraged to move comfortably is essential. Principle 3. Various home types are important to allow people of all life-cycle stages to reside in a neighborhood. Allow housing of various densities to locate in a neighborhood. The key is to ensure the location, size of the project (i.e., total acreage), density, building size and mass, open-space proportions, and architectural design of apartment or townhouse compliment surrounding homes and the scale of the neighborhood. Principle 4. Accommodate religious, governmental, or educational institutions. These activities should be located in the center of the neighborhood. Principle 5. Encourage new neighborhoods to respect historical patterns, precedents, and boundaries. When feasible encourage new subdivisions to adhere to a grid street/block pattern. Principle 6. Careful attention to street tree planting is vital to strengthen the visual appearance and character of a neighborhood. Principle 7. Preserve existing natural amenities that might exist within a neighborhood boundary, such as woodlands, hedgerows, and water bodies. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-8 Commercial Land Use (includes Industrial) The commercial land use sites shown on the future land use plan map include existing retail developments, vacant sites presently zoned commercial, and several new locations planned for commercial and industrial land use. The new locations planned for commercial development include the following: Greenwood Town Center located on 150-Highway, east of the railroad tracks. See Greenwood Town Center in Section 4.3 Future Land Use Opportunities. Neighborhood Retail Center at the south and northeast corners of 150-Highway and Smart Road in the planning area. This area would provide services to residents on the eastern portion of the City. Downtown Redevelopment Area is envisioned to support new commercial goods and services as Greenwood population grows and Downtown will need to adapt. This area will also add services that will tie in to the future Katy Trail expansion. See Downtown Redevelopment Area in Section 4.3 Future Land Use Opportunities. The future land use plan has been prepared with a set of commercial development policies to guide decision-making on rezoning requests for commercial land use not depicted on the map. This recognizes that land may need to be rezoned to commercial uses for activities not suited for the locations on the future land use map. The intent is to not rezone 150-Highway to higher intensity commercial districts. Since 150-Highway is the principal retail commercial corridor in Greenwood it is important that the uses, signage, architectural, and site design present a positive community image. Industrial land uses are currently included in the commercial land use designation to allow for flexibility. The future land use map for the planning area anticipates industrial activity near 7-Highway on the eastern portion of the planning area. This area was selected due to access to 7-Highway and 50-Highway. This area is capable City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-9 of supporting a planned industrial or business park. Another area that was discussed is in the northwestern portion of the planning area adjacent to the railroad. Communities like Greenwood, which are located on the periphery of a metro area, can become depositories of industrial land uses that other suburban communities find unacceptable or when the business owners want less expensive land to store equipment. Local officials should carefully evaluate development proposals in this area to ensure that the proposed businesses and land uses contribute to the tax based and marketability of Greenwood. The types of land uses that are suitable in the business park and industrial areas include warehousing, shipping and distribution centers light manufacturing and assembly, and telecommunications or technology. The intent of the plan is for these industrial areas to support environmentally safe and clean industry, and contributes to the long-term economic stability of the community. The intent is that each of these industrial areas should be developed as a “planned industrial park”, whenever feasible. A planned industrial or business park means a development site designed with local streets, storm drainage, utility extension, and conceptual lot configuration. In most cases, planned industrial areas are controlled and administered by a single entity and regulated by restrictive covenants that ensure a high standard of design and development. There are instances when a business or landowner may seek industrial zoning outside of the areas designated on the future land use map. Individual industrial or business sites outside a planned industrial park should not be encouraged. Most start-up industries that succeed past five years outgrow their site capability and it is much easier to expand to vacant lots in a planned industrial setting. After an initial stage of capitalization and growth, these ventures are forced to seek multiple sites for storage and facilities for new laborers. The end result is scattered, small industrial sites. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-10 SECTION 4.3 FUTURE LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES Presented below is review of several locations in Greenwood identified as special development or land use intensification areas. These areas are envisioned to support creative land use arrangements of greater density or land use intensity. Responsibility rests with the developer/landowner to demonstrate to the Planning Commission and Governing Body, as well as nearby property owners, that their development proposal achieves the planning principles expressed in this plan. These sites are identified as unique opportunities in Greenwood and should be subject to site and architectural plan review. Greenwood Town Center The creation of a “town center” is an important planning principle of the plan. This idea received support from some members of the public at the public meetings. The intent of a town center is to create an alternative to 150-Highway becoming a traditional linear commercial strip corridor. The strategy is to create a center of commercial, social, civic, and services for the citizens of Greenwood. The vision is to build a modern version of the traditional Town Center and Main Street, a place that accommodates the automobile and contemporary large-scale shopping buildings, but also combines the pedestrian-friendly emphasis of Main Street. The future land use map shows the Greenwood Town Center south of 150-Highway at The Wilds Parkway. This location was selected because of its central location in the Planning Area and access and visibility to 150-Highway. The town center needs the visibility, access, and convenience of 150-Highway to accommodate the automobile. Equally important is the need to create a town center that integrates pedestrian shopping with a public plaza that can serve as a focal point for community activities. Consideration should also be given to incorporating new City facilities such as an expanded City Hall or library into the Greenwood Town Center. The idea is to create a synergy of mixed land use activities that contribute to the pedestrian and retail character of a town center. The intent is to create a focal point for retail activity capable of supporting public events. The “Main Street” or “Town Square” common in Missouri’s small towns is the intent behind planning a town center location. Rosewood Street North City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-11 Housing opportunities is the third central element of creating a vibrant and successful town center. Allowing moderate to high density housing within walking distance of the town center contributes to the formula of a modern town center. This allows for people of all ages to have convenient access to shopping, government services, and public spaces. To achieve the creation of the “town center”, a public-private partnership may be necessary to ensure integrated architecture and a cohesive site design. A “district plan” will be important for creating a town center. This requires a landowner and developer committed to implementing the concept of a town center. The district plan will need to consider site plan elements, such as how buildings address the street and sidewalks. The plan needs to carefully consider vehicular traffic movement from arterial and collector roads. How can consumers interested in onestop shopping be accommodated while at the same time fostering an overall sense of a town center? Buildings and parking areas will need to clearly define pedestrian pathways, street crossings, and activity zones. The plan will also need to accommodate retail expansion over a twenty-year period. Architectural guidelines and standards need to be included in the “Town Center District Plan”. The guidelines need to address building intensity, orientation, and massing, along with windowed storefronts, and architectural features that create pleasant walking environments. Landscaping, lighting, signage and other site and architectural elements should be contemplated in the plan. Implementation of the town center concept will need public and political support because of the 20-year time horizon and investment necessary to create and build an integrated town center. The creation of a town center as envisioned requires that retail services be concentrated in accordance with the “Town Center District Plan”. This means that competing retail strip centers need to be carefully scrutinized before approval, otherwise franchise businesses, retail shops, and restaurants may choose to not locate at the town center shopping district. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-12 Downtown Redevelopment Area A fundamental planning principle of this plan is that Downtown Greenwood needs to adapt to a growing population, shifts in the locations of residential subdivisions, and new retail developments in the community over the next two decades. The downtown also will need to provide businesses and amenities to support the future Katy Trail expansion that will likely run through Greenwood’s downtown. A clear vision of the future of downtown needs to be defined so that public officials and private landowners know what is desired and expected. Presently, downtown contains a wide variety of land uses. The goal for downtown is to recreate its business function by attracting new commercial uses and businesses. Some keys to success are: making sure the types of permitted businesses are located entirely within the building; the uses do not require structures that are out of character and context of downtown; and the uses do not create nuisances such as excessive light, noise, vibration, smoke, etc. Downtown could become an area attractive as an incubator of small businesses. Developing a successful downtown district requires the creation of amenities such as unified streetscape and architecture design guidelines to protect the historical integrity of downtown and promote a pleasing environment. Change may occur slowly in downtown, but to reach its potential every effort should be made to ensure that incremental changes promote architecturally compatibility. Public improvements of the streetscape, street lighting, public parking, and other amenities are envisioned for downtown. Investing in public infrastructure and streetscape amenities demonstrates a civic commitment to downtown. It is important to show private investors, property owners, and homeowners in the area that the City of Greenwood is serious about redevelopment. Public improvements must be planned for downtown located on each side of the railroad tracks. The City will need to coordinate the infrastructure improvements with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) on this particular project as this is a State highway and all improvements require approval prior to funding being allocated. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-13 The future Katy Trail expansion to Greenwood has the potential of bringing many types of tourists to Greenwood. Greenwood will need to have a unique element that will draw people to not only the trail, but to local businesses as well. Along with public improvements that make the downtown area attractive, small businesses such as bike shops, coffee shops, and small cafes will make Greenwood a destination spot. New zoning districts may be necessary for the downtown area as a way to restrict incompatible commercial uses from locating into the area, encourage shared parking, and identify building setbacks consistent with downtown. SECTION 4.4 LAND USE PLANNING POLICIES Land use policies are intended to guide land use decision-making in conjunction with the future land use map. The Planning Commission should review the policies when considering a request to change land use or community development and redevelopment. Planning Area Policies Policy 1. New residential, commercial, or industrial development within the planning area shall meet minimum urban site design criteria for rightsof- way, drainage, road construction, and utility connections. Policy 2. Protect the planning area from premature spot zoning. Policy 3. Residential subdivisions in the planning area should be required to meet the City of Greenwood zoning and subdivision regulations. Policy 4. Discourage development in the planning area until adequate sewer systems can be provided. Policy 5. Require landowners seeking the extension of municipal utilities to annex their property. Policy 6. Plan for municipal utilities into the planning area and ensure their extension when the market can support the increased demand for service. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-14 Natural Resource Protection Policies The development of a linear trail system should be created within the preserved open space. Policy 1. Establish a stream buffer ordinance to protect riparian areas and the floodplain. Policy 2. Encourage private landowners to preserve and protect riparian areas and streambeds from destruction. Policy 3. Encourage the retention of natural amenities and incorporate into the design of all new developments. Policy 4. Adopt stormwater policies and practices for new development. These guidelines should address stormwater quality during and after construction and should be consistent with the American Public Works Association. Policy 5. Work with State of Missouri, Jackson and Cass County officials to protect water quality and the natural habitat of the South Grand River watershed. Neighborhood Preservation Policies The residential neighborhoods of Greenwood represent a tremendous private and public investment in the community housing stock and support people of all ages. The following policies are intended to enhance the physical character of Greenwood neighborhoods and provide guidance for future development. They should be contemplated during each request for zoning in residential neighborhoods. Policy 1. Protect property values and encourage homeowner investment by enforcing housing and property maintenance codes. Policy 2. Preserve structures of historical significance. Policy 3. Continue to rebuild or restore deteriorated streets, add sidewalks, and improve storm drainage. Policy 4. Improve the vehicular and pedestrian connection of residential neighborhoods between each other and with shopping areas and parks. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-15 Policy 5. Preserve the original character of older residential neighborhoods, when feasible, when capital public works projects are designed and constructed. Policy 6. Encourage infill development that is compatible with surrounding properties. Policy 7. Encourage new residential housing construction to comply with established setback lines and the small town character of the community. Policy 8. Protect the character and quality of established residential neighborhoods from the intrusion of incompatible land uses and excessive through traffic. Commercial Development Policies Retail activity in Greenwood is generally located in downtown. This presents two challenges for the community. The first is to prevent 150-Highway from becoming a continuous linear strip corridor. The second challenge is to allow new retail locations while downtown is adapting to new consumer shopping patterns and needs. The intent is not to expect downtown to compete with the new retail along 150-Highway, but allow downtown to recreate itself. The following policies are to be contemplated during each request for commercial zonings and provide guidance in making decisions. Policy 1. Discourage commercial strip development along 150-Highway by encouraging new commercial development to cluster into planned shopping centers, subject to the following criteria: a The development shall utilize a uniform architecture that is in scale and harmony with nearby structures. b The site design shall accomplish a desirable transition with the streetscape and provide for adequate plantings, safe pedestrian movement, and parking areas. c The site shall contain landscape plantings that enhance the architectural features or provide shade, buffering or screening. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-16 d Exterior lighting, when used, shall enhance the building design and the adjoining landscape. Lighting standards and building fixtures shall be restrained to avoid excessive brightness. e All signs shall have appropriate scale and proportion in their design and visual relationship to buildings and surroundings. Every sign shall be designed as an integral architectural element of the building and site. Policy 2. Encourage commercial development to use internal connections between building sites and/or parking lots to maintain access control. Policy 3. Encourage landscaping on the perimeter, and landscaping islands in the interior of a parking lot to screen and soften the negative impact of large parking lots. Policy 4. Encourage the creation of buffer zones with landscaping and screening when commercial development is located adjacent to incompatible uses. Policy 5. Encourage the development of neighborhood retail centers to serve specific neighborhoods. Policy 6. Ensure that commercial retail centers or individual uses have controlled access to arterial or collector streets. Encourage the use of shared driveways and access between commercial sites. Policy 7. Discourage isolated commercial rezoning in established residential developments, unless it can be demonstrated that adverse impacts on nearby residents are avoided. Policy 8. Encourage the upgrading, beautifying and revitalization of existing commercial buildings and signage. Industrial Development Policies Economic development is a vital component of this plan. The creation of new jobs is essential to ensure the long-term competitiveness of Greenwood. The City of Greenwood is committed to attracting new industry to the community and assisting local industry to expand. The following policies identify the intent of the Planning Commission concerning land use issues related to industrial development. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-17 Policy 1. Discourage isolated industrial rezoning in the Greenwood planned urban area and concentrate industrial development at planned locations. Policy 2. Require new urban industry be connected to public water and wastewater treatment systems. Policy 3. Encourage infill industrial development to locate near the railroad tracks, provided the use is compatible with surrounding uses and adequate transportation network. Policy 4. Encourage adequate buffer space and landscape plantings between industrial uses and adjacent residential uses. Policy 5. Prevent unscreened outside storage of industrial activities located adjacent or near a major road or highway. Policy 6. Require safe ingress and egress to industrial sites to minimize traffic hazards and congestion on local streets. Residential Development Policies The City of Greenwood is committed to promoting new housing opportunities for all citizens in the community. Housing is viewed as an important element of economic and community development. The following housing policies identify key positions of the Greenwood Planning Commission and should be used during zoning map amendments. Policy 1. Provide a full range of safe and affordable housing opportunities and choices for all residents in Greenwood. Policy 2. Promote new residential development in areas adjacent to existing urban areas and areas of redevelopment or infill development of existing residential developments. Policy 3. Support public policies and private sector initiatives to increase the supply of affordable housing. Policy 4. Support efforts to provide move-up housing for people of all ages so that residents will not have to leave Greenwood to find a different housing choice. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-18 Policy 5. Encourage each new residential development to incorporate a pedestrian-orientation by encouraging sidewalks, a network of interconnected streets, a mixture of housing types, and a neighborhood park. Policy 6. Allow medium to high-density multi-family developments to occur within developing/new neighborhoods, provided that careful attention is paid to site design and neighborhood compatibility. This includes site design factors of overall density and size of project, building size and scale, buffering, screening, open space, lighting, traffic, and on-site parking. Policy 7. Require all multi-family and/or duplex developments to provide buffering and/or screening and landscaping. Policy 8. Encourage the use of durable and high quality architectural finishes. Policy 9. Support home-based businesses that are compatible with the residential character of the neighborhood. Policy 10. Support development of a retirement or elderly housing development and encourage it to locate within walking distance of community services. Park, Open Space, & Recreation Policies A fundamental component of any community is its parks, open space, and recreation facilities. These policies are intended to ensure new housing development is planned with future parkland to ensure Greenwood maintains an adequate park system. Policy 1. Encourage the development or preservation of land for a public park in each of the planned neighborhoods. Policy 2. Preserve natural drainage ways along area creeks as open space with a linear trail. Policy 3. Promote the development of a community center and swimming pool. Policy 4. Plan for safe pedestrian and bicycle connections within neighborhoods and schools or parks including connections to the regional parks and the Katy Trail. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-19 Policy 5. Continue to require all developers to contribute a portion of their development property as public parkland or pay a fee in lieu of dedication as is stated in the Land Dedication Ordinance. Policy 6. Ensure that a wide selection of public recreational facilities and programs are provided to meet the interests and needs of all ages, incomes and abilities. Policy 7. Develop a balance of various sized p ark lands throughout the City limits. Intergovernmental Cooperation An area of concern to the City of Greenwood is the long-term planning and development of the unincorporated area surrounding the City. An issue related to the urban fringe is the ability of Greenwood to plan and determine land uses. In addition to the issue of fringe land use development and management, the City of Greenwood understands the importance of working with Jackson County and Cass County in collaborative relationships on issues such as housing, economic development, road improvements, parks, and environmental protection. Policy 1. Work with Jackson and Cass County officials to identify areas outside the city limits where urban growth is projected to occur, and plan future land development in the extra-territorial area. Policy 2. Promote annual meetings between the City of Greenwood, City of Lake Winnebago, City of Pleasant Hill, City of Lee’s Summit, and Jackson and Cass County Planning Commissions to share planning issues, concerns, and strategies. Policy 3. Promote regular meetings between the City of Greenwood, Little Blue Valley Sewer District, Jackson County Public Water Supply, and the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District to share planning issues, concerns, and strategies. Stormwater Management Policies A Stormwater Management Plan was recently drafted by the City to determine ways to protect properties and aquatic resources from damage caused by pollutants carried in stormwater. The plan was created to meet, at a minimum, the requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-20 the requirements of the Missouri State Operating Permit (MSOP) for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4). Policy 1. Develop a public education and outreach program to educate the public about stormwater, the impacts of pollution and steps they can take to reduce the pollution. Policy 2. Solicit involvement by the general public and civic and private organizations to assist in or perform various activities relating to stormwater management. Policy 3. Develop and implement a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges into the City’s waterways and stormwater conveyances. Policy 4. Continue to refine and enforce the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance to meet or exceed many of the requirements of the General Permit. Policy 5. Work to create a comprehensive plan to minimize stormwater pollutants in newly developed and redeveloped areas. Policy 6. Develop and implement pollution prevention and good housekeeping measures for a municipal operations policy manual that contains documentation of the City’s municipal operations, facilities, and equipment as well as maintenance procedures and record-keeping requirements. Local Transportation Policies Policy 1. Require all public and private transportation construction to meet American Public Works Association (APWA) criteria at a minimum. Policy 2. Prevent direct access to major arterials from adjacent residential lots in platted subdivisions and encourage access to residential lots from local streets. Multi-family developments may have direct access to an arterial. Policy 3. Ensure the implementation of a system of arterial streets on the one-mile section grid. Policy 4. Ensure the implementation of a system of collector streets within each section of land. Policy 5. Promote the design of Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) to offer an alternative street design and pattern to encourage connectivity, City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-21 pedestrianism, and mixed-use development, subject to the following guidelines: a Two-lane roadways that are interconnected to provide continuous and a comprehensible pattern and create shared street space. b Adequately landscape parkways must be provided to ensure street trees and the creation of safe and pleasant place for people. c Curb return radii must be carefully reviewed and designed to decrease pedestrian crossing distance by reducing the curb radii. d Allow parallel parking on one or both sides a street and lower the maximum speed. Policy 6. Ensure adequate public right-of-way is reserved or dedicated for all classification of public streets during the plat approval process. Policy 7. Establish a method of funding to ensure that landowners and developers are financially responsible for paying the cost of new local and collector streets. Policy 8. Maintain a network of streets that effectively serve all residents and that ensures all developments have adequate emergency access, provides safe ingress and egress, and minimized adverse impacts on the function of adjacent collector and arterial roadways. Policy 9. Ensure that the transportation needs of children, elderly, and handicapped are adequately met. Policy 10. Provide for pedestrian safety by building and maintaining sidewalks. Policy 11. Integrate safe bicycle and pedestrian circulation into new and existing road networks. Economic Development Policies Policy 1. Encourage City officials to work with Greenwood Economic Development Corporation, Missouri Department of Economic Development, and other regional economic development organizations to promote Greenwood. Policy 2. Encourage new businesses to locate in areas with existing urban services. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-22 Policy 3. Encourage the development of a Chamber of Commerce or similar group that will help bring businesses and visitors to Greenwood. SECTION 4.5 URBAN FORM & LAND DEVELOPMENT This section of the plan identifies and explores some factors that are expected to influence the urban form and how land develops in Greenwood: Compact Urban Form 150-Highway Commercial Corridor Compact Urban Form Compact urban form is encouraged and is a basic tenant of the new land use plan. The benefits of compact urban development are numerous. Research has showed that leapfrog development incurs the highest capital costs because of the distance from central facilities. In addition to increased costs to taxpayers, leapfrog development encourages urban sprawl and tends to diminish the character of small towns by breaking the linkage between the network of streets, spaces, and human interaction. A frequent citizen comment from the public meetings was the importance of maintaining the “small town feel and character of Greenwood.” The promotion of pedestrianism is critical to creating a compact urban form and maintaining the small town character. It is important to design for pedestrian dimensions and distances when contemplating the urban form, layout, and linkages. Consequently, neighborhoods form a central element of creating a compact city with a pedestrian character. 150-Highway Corridor 150-Highway is the most important transportation corridor in the City of Greenwood. The road functions as the western and eastern entranceway into the community and contains the commercial activities that serve Greenwood. For the purpose of this plan, the boundary of the 150-Highway Corridor is defined 300 feet north and south of 150-Highway. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-23 Presented below are planning issues and concerns that should be considered when contemplating the improvement or land use changes within the corridor: Coordinated Land Development Pedestrian Streetscape Design Community Entranceways Appearance of the Corridor Site Planning & Access Control Coordinated Land Development. One of the characteristics common in a commercial corridor is fragmented development. This is due to varying land ownership and individual goals for development. The can lead to disjointed development and land use patterns. Typically, a parcel of land is sold to accommodate one particular business and then an adjacent parcel is carved off to serve another business. The result is each business is developed with little attention to compatibility with the surrounding areas. Pedestrian Streetscape Design. An opportunity exists to create a pedestrian streetscape in the corridor. The intent is to create a safe and pleasant public space along the corridor where it is feasible to accommodate pedestrians. The introduction of pedestrian scale lighting and street trees/landscaping will create a cohesive public space and help define the visual character. The City should undertake a study with a joint engineering and landscape architectural team to assess what options are available. Community Entranceways. An important design consideration of the corridor is to create defined entranceways. The commercial development of the corridor must stop and begin at defined points. Otherwise, the corridor becomes an extended ribbon of commercial highway commercial development. It is important to inform the public about Greenwood. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-24 Appearance of the Corridor. There are numerous freestanding pole signs, expanses of paved parking lots, little or no landscaping of the public right-of-way or private property. The architecture of the buildings is primarily focused on getting the attention of the motorist and pays little consideration to creating a cohesive image of the corridor. A new vision of the corridor needs to be created and supported by public and private action. The City should consider incorporating the use of design guidelines for architectural style or styles for the corridor including façade treatment, relationship of building to site; compatibility with adjoining areas; signage, and landscaping. The overall objective is to obtain better design in the corridor of commercial buildings and improve their aesthetic appearance. Site Planning & Access Control. Site plan review by the Planning Commission is a common technique to allow public officials to understand how a proposed commercial development will function and what the buildings will look like. In order to change both the visual character and operational standards of the 150- Highway Corridor, it becomes important to understand building location, topography, drainage, utility placement, driveway location and design, and onsite parking and circulation. A site plan is essential to access the flow of traffic. As more commercial development along the corridor is allowed more driveways and more conflicting traffic movements are built. Eventually, the situation can become dangerous at worst and congested at best. SECTION 4.6 TRANSPORTATION & MAJOR ROADS One of the major transportation planning needs facing Greenwood is a safe and uninterrupted road for the transportation of materials from the quarry. This section of the future land use plan identifies major streets serving the City of Greenwood, along with planned major streets intended to serve future urban growth. There are three broad functional classifications of streets serving Greenwood, as outlined below: Local Streets. There are two types of local streets – primary and secondary. Primary local streets accumulate traffic from residential clusters and conduct vehicles to collector streets. Secondary local streets, which represent the City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-25 lowest form of traffic capacity, distribute vehicles within residential neighborhoods. Collector Streets. The collector street intercepts traffic from a number of local streets and carries it to the nearest major streets. Arterial Streets. The primary purpose of these streets is to intercept collector streets and carry through traffic at high speeds. Land use planning is coordinated with the street hierarchy to provide appropriate levels of traffic and access. Under this concept access is freely provided on all local streets, is distance separated on collector streets, and is restricted to intersections and turning points on arterials. Low and moderate density residential uses are appropriate on local streets, high density residential on collectors, and commercial or business on arterials. Table 4.1: Existing Arterial & Collector Streets in Greenwood Arterial Streets Collector Streets 150-Highway (western city limits to Ranson Road) 150-Highway (Ranson Road to eastern city limits) Ranson Road (150-Highway to northern city limits) SECTION 4.7 ANNEXATION Based on the estimated total land demand for 2028, and the limited inventory of undeveloped ground in the City of Greenwood, the City is facing annexing land to accommodate future growth. It is reasonable that Greenwood annex territory within the planning area. Annexation must be viewed as a tool necessary to accomplish orderly growth management. Missouri statutes1 set forth the procedures for involuntary and voluntary annexations. Section 71.015 allows a city, town, or village to initiate involuntary 1 Missouri annexation statutes obtained online on June 16, 2008 at: MISSOURI STATUTES SECTION 71.012 http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C000-099/0710000012.HTM and MISSOURI STATUTES SECTION 71.015 http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C000-099/0710000015.HTM City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan FUTURE LAND USE PLAN & POLICIES PAGE 4-26 annexation of a contiguous, unincorporated land area by proposing an ordinance. Following a public hearing and passage of the ordinance, the municipality must file a declaratory judgment action in circuit court, seeking authorization for the annexation. An election also must be held in the municipality and the proposed territory, during which the involuntary annexation must be approved by a majority of the total votes cast. Voluntary annexations are authorized by Section 71.012. Landowners in unincorporated areas can initiate the procedure by submitting a verified petition for annexation to the governing body of a contiguously located city, town, or village. Upon receipt of the petition, the municipality must hold a public hearing to determine if the annexation is reasonable and necessary for proper local development. If so, the municipality can annex the territory by ordinance without further action. When two municipalities seek to annex the same territory, Missouri courts generally invoke the doctrine of prior jurisdiction to determine which one has authority to proceed. The doctrine provides that the municipality undertaking the first "valid step" toward annexation has priority over the territory, regardless of which municipality completes its proceedings first. The proposal of an ordinance is the first valid step. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 1 Chapter 5 POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS SECTION 5.1 STATE AND REGIONAL OVERVIEW SECTION 5.2 LOCAL OVERVIEW SECTION 5.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION SECTION 5.4 CURRENT ASSESSMENT OF GREENWOOD SECTION 5.5 COMPONENTS OF CHANGE SECTION 5.6 POPULATION GROWTH & CHANGE SECTION 5.7 CONCLUSIONS City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 2 Chapter 5 POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS SECTION 5.1 STATE AND REGIONAL OVERVIEW At the turn of the 20th century, Missouri was one of the fastest growing states in the nation. Since then, however, this growth rate has declined. The state was ranked 15th most populous in 1990, but fell to the 17th most populous state in 2000. According to the Missouri Office of Administration, Budget and Planning1, Missouri's population is expected to approach 6.8 million people in 2030, a growth of roughly 1.2 million people from the year 2000, which will represent a 21 percent increase in the state's population. Missouri's projected growth rate of approximately 6 percent per decade is slower than the nation's projected rate of 10 percent per decade. By 2030, persons over age 65 will represent more than one-fifth of all Missourians. Senior citizens are expected to increase 87 percent between 2000 and 2030 when there are projected to be 1.4 million seniors. The number of children under the age of 18 in Missouri is expected to increase but not as rapidly as persons 18 and over. Between 2000 and 2030, Missouri children are expected to increase by roughly 7 percent while the 18 and over population will increase by nearly 25 percent. Unlike Sunbelt states where net in-migration is the primary cause of population increase, Missouri's increases are mainly due to natural increase (births minus deaths). From 1930 to 2000, natural growth averaged about 287,000 people per decade. This growth was offset by a net out-migration of about 6,000 people per decade. However, Missouri experienced an in-migration of almost 260,000 people during the 1990s. Natural change (births minus deaths) will continue to add the largest number of people to Missouri's population. Natural change is expected to add an average of 244,000 Missourians per decade. Moreover, net migration (those migrating in 1 Missouri Office of Administration, Budget & Planning information obtained online on June 16, 2008 at: http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/population/pop_proj_2030.stm City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 3 compared to those migrating out) is expected to further increase Missouri's population by 139,000 persons every ten years. Population shifts among Missouri regions have followed similar patterns for many years. Shifts have been from rural agricultural areas to urban areas and to rural areas rich in recreational amenities. Projections show that these patterns will continue, and there will be more movement to urban fringe areas. Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area Demographically, Greenwood is classified as a "metropolitan overspill" community and is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. Greenwood lies within 25 miles from Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Greenwood city limits are primarily located in Jackson County; however the planning area extends into Cass County to the south. As of 2006, the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)2 consisted of 15 counties in both Kansas and Missouri. Jackson County and Cass County in Missouri are included. The core population for the area is Kansas City with 447,306 persons. In 2006 Jackson County and Cass County had a combined population of 759,859 persons. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the Kansas City MSA was ranked as the 26th most populous MSA in the nation3. SECTION 5.2 LOCAL OVERVIEW Communities tied economically to the component economic area typically exhibit growth stability if their financial, housing, and infrastructure capability is at a low level, or rapid growth if the community is able to expand their infrastructure to supply new housing opportunities and services. A cross section of Kansas City Metropolitan Area communities located in near Greenwood and their growth characteristics are shown in Table 5.1. 2 www.census.gov: Metropolitan statistical areas are geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use by Federal statistical agencies in collecting, tabulating, and publishing Federal statistics. 3 Kansas City MSA information obtained online on June 16, 2008 at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t29.html City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 4 The national average for growth between 1990 and 2006 was over 20 percent. The Missouri average for the same time period was 14 percent and the Kansas City MSA average was 26 percent. Table 5.1 displays many cities, including Greenwood, which experienced growth from 1990 to 2006 far exceeding the national, state and Kansas City MSA averages. Jackson and Cass Counties As of the 2000 census, Jackson County was one of the top five most populous counties in the State of Missouri with a population of 654,880. Projections state that in 2030 Jackson County will continue to be one of the top five most populous counties in the state. The County is projected to have a population of 714,467 in 2030, an increase of 9.1 percent. As of the 2000 census, Cass County had a population of 82,092. Projections state that Cass County will increase its population by 2030 to 136,933, an increase of 66.8 percent. This would make Cass County the tenth most populous County in the State of Missouri. Table 5.2 is a sampling of county growth patterns in the Missouri counties included in the Kansas City MSA. County growth patterns can be a more accurate indicator of Table 5.1: Cross Sample of Change in Population of Greenwood & Area Communities Place 1990 Pop. 2006 Est. Pop. Percent Change Belton 18,270 24,124 32.04% Blue Springs 40,650 53,885 32.56% Grain Valley 2,071 9,430 355.34% Grandview 25,136 24,373 -3.04% Greenwood 1,505 4,558 202.86% Harrisonville 7,814 9,804 25.47% Lake Winnebago 756 1,102 45.77% Lee’s Summit 46,535 81,913 76.02% Pleasant Hill 3,927 6,903 75.78% Raymore 5,702 16,544 190.14% Raytown 30,908 28,577 -7.54% City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 5 population change than local community data due to the sprawling nature of development in metropolitan areas. Table 5.2: Cross Sample of Change in Population of Missouri Counties in the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area Place 1990 Pop. 2006 Est. Pop. Percent Change Cass County, MO 63,808 95,781 50.11% Clay County, MO 153,411 206,957 34.90% Jackson County, MO 633,234 664,078 4.87% Lafayette County, MO 31,107 33,186 6.68% Platte County, MO 57,867 83,061 43.54% Ray County, MO 21,968 23,999 9.25% Bates, Caldwell, and Clinton counties in Missouri were not considered in these calculations since they were added in the Kansas City MSA AFTER 1990. The average growth for counties in Missouri from 1990 to 2006 was 14 percent. Table 5.2 displays three counties that exceed the 14 percent, one of those counties is included in the planning area boundaries for Greenwood- Cass County. SECTION 5.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION Estimates of the current population and forecasts for the future are difficult to perform for small communities that are located in a metropolitan area. The factors that complicate the process are: 1. Data on the county level is reasonably detailed, and can be used to make interpretations, but only when the target community contains a significant portion of the county's population. 2. Projections of the labor force, population, and housing activity for small communities must be placed in a regional context. Unless the community is an "anomaly," such as those based on high levels of tourism, recreation, natural resource exaction, or retirement, the region (rather than the local area) will offer the best clues to future activity. In Greenwood’s case, the regional context is metropolitan. As a result, the only meaningful method of forecast must be based City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 6 on the performance of the metropolitan area as a whole, which assumes that the local community will receive a share of the new growth. 3. Population flows to opportunity. In a metropolitan context, population can and will flow to amenities, educational opportunities, affordable housing, and, to a certain extent, small town life styles. However, population cannot shift to small town areas that are characterized has having few jobs, poor resources, lacking essential services, or an inadequate supply of suitable housing for sale or rent. This presents a difficult task for the forecaster since it is assumed that the community will not "develop in place" and must wait for other, faster growing areas, to make job, housing, and service investments in the local area. The possibility of outside investments, especially jobs creation, is not an unreasonable assumption. 4. Finally, estimated demographic data typically has a high degree of accuracy in large and populous areas, but not for small communities. Estimates using sophisticated methods are provided for areas of 10,000 persons and over on a timely basis by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the State of Missouri. Estimates below this population level must resort to local indicators of change such as building permits, water usage, deaths and births information from local hospitals, or vehicle registrations by place of residence. Although this type of data can be used to support short-range forecasts, it cannot detail the level of activity that takes place around the town boundaries or even give accurate estimates of change within the community. SECTION 5.4 CURRENT ASSESSMENT OF GREENWOOD Looking toward the future and planning for the next 20 years before major growth occurs will ensure a growth pattern that is sustainable. A key driver for future population change in Greenwood is the city’s location along major transportation corridors within a growing metropolitan area. Greenwood lies within six miles of Downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri and is 25 miles from Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, with convenient highway access to both cities. Greenwood has experienced significant growth since 1960. According to the US Census, the population increased 90 percent between 1960 and 1970 and another 42 percent between 1970 and 1980. Moderate growth continued in the 1980s, followed by explosive growth in the 1990s. From 2000 to 2006, Greenwood grew another 16 percent, far exceeding the growth of the state of Missouri (4.4 percent for the same period) and growth rate for the nation (6.4 percent). City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 7 Figure 5.1: Greenwood Population Growth, 1960-2006 Population Growth 1960-2006 925 1,315 3,952 488 1,505 4,558 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2006 Year Population Greenwood more than doubled in size to an estimated 4,001 persons by 2000. The community’s rate of growth from 1990 to 2006 was over 200 percent. From 1990 to 2006 Greenwood was one of the top five fastest growing cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area along with Grain Valley Missouri, Gardner Kansas, and Kearney Missouri. SECTION 5.5 COMPONENTS OF CHANGE The two most important elements of population change over time are the median age and the component ages of the total population. A total count of the population only indicates directionality - growing or declining. In contrast, the median age is an indicator of population vitality as reflected in changes in the aging structure and birth rate. Table 5.3 shows the relationships among the various measures of median age in the United States, Missouri, Jackson County, and Greenwood from 1990 to 2000.4 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 8 The median age for the United States in 2000 was 35.3 years, up from 32.9 in 1990. Missouri’s median age also went up from 35.4 in 1990 to 36.1 in 2000. The median age in Jackson County was below the state norm at 35.2 years in 2000. This decrease may be due to the younger population consisting of families that live in the suburbs. Greenwood had a significantly lower median age in the year 2000 than the State of Missouri and Jackson County as a whole at 30.0 years. Greenwood’s median age was also affecting by growth of younger families. Greenwood is subject to a direct metropolitan influence and will experience an influx of persons aged 0–10 and 25– 40 years as long as the population of the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area continues to increase. Table 5.3: Median Age of the Population – United States, Missouri, Jackson County and Greenwood, 1990 and 2000 Place 1990 2000 United States 32.9 35.3 Missouri 35.4 36.1 Jackson County 33.2 35.2 Greenwood 31.25 30.0 Source: U.S. Census Bureau The age structure for Missouri, Jackson County and Greenwood is displayed in Table 5.4. Age components are separated into 5 year groups starting with 0-4 years of age and continuing to age 85 and above. Data was not available from the U.S. Census Bureau for the City of Greenwood in 2006; therefore only 1990 and 2000 census data was used. 5 1990 Greenwood Median Age obtained online on June 17, 2008 at: http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/cgibin/ broker?_PROGRAM=websas.dp1_2kt.sas&_SERVICE=sasapp&st=29&pl=29494 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 9 Table 5.4: Age Component Change in the Population of Missouri, Jackson County and Greenwood, 1990 and 2000 Age Groups Missouri 1990 Missouri 2000 Jackson Co. 1990 Jackson Co. 2000 Greenwood 1990 Greenwood 2000 0-4 369,244 369,898 48,167 45,894 120 474 5-9 378,850 398,898 45,896 47,345 150 389 10-14 360,481 412,080 42,312 47,964 108 298 15-19 362,817 413,296 41,674 44,831 102 200 20-24 360,625 369,498 44,166 42,528 90 167 25-29 420,001 362,305 57,854 48,927 140 445 30-34 432,041 376,428 58,564 48,202 171 559 35-39 389,625 443,250 50,239 53,443 120 441 40-44 345,146 444,319 43,240 52,893 100 276 45-49 284,337 395,616 34,587 46,480 103 180 50-54 238,840 346,846 28,695 39,720 70 137 55-59 228,556 279,073 27,778 30,616 75 121 60-64 228,829 228,325 27,595 24,056 47 73 65-69 218,973 205,372 26,168 22,007 26 74 70-74 175,229 187,854 19,850 20,648 17 49 75-79 143,185 157,207 15,677 17,494 33 33 80-84 99,077 106,375 11,187 11,343 20 16 85+ 81,217 98,571 9,583 10,489 13 20 Total 5,117,073 5,595,211 633,232 654,880 1,505 3,952 Source: U.S. Census Bureau The City of Greenwood experienced growth in every age category except for those in the 75-79 age group and the 80-84 age group, where the population actually declined. Jackson County, on the other hand, experienced growth and decline every few age in the early age categories, decline in the 20’s through mid-30’s, growth primarily in City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 10 the middle age categories, decline in the 60’s, and increases in the population from 70 years and older. A similar pattern was found for the State of Missouri. Figure 5.2 describes the age and gender of the population for Greenwood in 1990. Population groups are displayed for each four years for each gender. The highest age category was the 30-34 years category. Overall, the population of Greenwood in 1990 was balanced between the age groups of under 5 years all the way through 45- 49 years. With comparison to gender, there were slightly more females than males according to the 1990 U.S. Census (764 to 741 persons). Figure 5.2: Age & Gender of Greenwood Population, 1990 Age & Gender of Greenwood Population 1990 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 Under 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years 30 to 34 years 35 to 39 years 40 to 44 years 45 to 49 years 50 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 to 69 years 70 to 74 years 75 to 79 years 80 to 84 years 85 years and over Male Number of Persons Female Figure 5.3 shows the age and gender of the population of Greenwood in 2000. The largest number of persons was in the 30 to 34 years age group for both genders. The number of persons throughout each age category increased dramatically from 1990 to 2000. It is apparent from the graph that many young families moved to Greenwood between 1990 and 2000 due to the increase in the under 5 years category and the categories ranging from 25 all the way to age 39. With comparison to gender, there were City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 11 slightly more males than females according to the 2000 U.S. Census which differs from the 1990 Census (1,986 to 1,966 persons). Figure 5.3: Age & Gender of Greenwood Population, 2000 Age & Gender of Greenwood Population 2000 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 Under 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years 30 to 34 years 35 to 39 years 40 to 44 years 45 to 49 years 50 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 to 69 years 70 to 74 years 75 to 79 years 80 to 84 years 85 years and over Male Number of Persons Female SECTION 5.6 POPULATION GROWTH AND CHANGE Normally, projections for a small community such as Greenwood are based on expected birth rates, deaths, and migration within the community. However, since Greenwood is firmly in the grasp of the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area it is necessary to analyze the population projection for the greater metropolitan region under the simple but generally valid assumption that the change in any component of the metropolitan region is directly related to the performance of the entire region over time. Utilizing Mid-America Regional Council’s 2004 Kansas City Metropolitan Area Long Range Forecast6, the Forecast sees continued growth for the 8-county region 6 Mid-America Regional Council’s 2004 Kansas City Metropolitan Area Long Range Forecast obtained online June 10, 2008 at: http://www.metrodataline.org/longrangekc.htm City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 12 through 2030. Between 2000 and 2030 the region’s population will grow from 1,695,764 to 2,248,933, or 32.6 percent. According to the Forecast, Jackson County will see an expansion in population by 8.3 percent from 2000 to 2030, but Cass County will become the fastest growing county in the area with a forecasted growth rate of 67.7 percent. The Forecast’s projections for Cass County and Jackson County are very similar to the projections stated earlier from the State of Missouri (Jackson County 9.1 percent increase; Cass County 66.8 percent increase). School District Lee’s Summit R-7 School District also does forecasting to determine future needs for schools in the planning area. Table 5.5 displays the projected enrollments for the current schools serving Greenwood students. The school district recently announced plans to build an additional elementary school in the planning area as well, which may affect the enrollment figures displayed. Table 5.5: School Enrollment Data and Projections for Greenwood, 2008 to 2018 School Year Greenwood Elementary Summit Lakes Middle School Lee’s Summit West High School 2008/2009 469 832 1,658 2009/2010 490 879 1,717 2010/2011 492 964 1,803 2011/2012 506 1,039 1,851 2012/2013 518 1,080 1,970 2013/2014 528 1,136 2,114 2014/2015 540 1,135 2,239 2015/2016 549 1,124 2,357 2016/2017 554 1,148 2,363 2017/2018 558 1,168 2,376 Source: Lee’s Summit R-7 School District- Applied Economics, November 2007 SECTION 5.7 CONCLUSIONS Greenwood is a moderate to rapid growth community tied directly to the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The vast majority of population increases for the next 20 – 25 years will be the result of metropolitan overspill as the pattern of in and out-migration to the Kansas City area continues. Projections and forecasts all predict that Jackson and Cass Counties to have an increase in population by 2030. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS PAGE 5- 13 Greenwood should expect to see growth rates similar to those projected for the counties as well as what has been seen in the recent past. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 1 Chapter 6 EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS SECTION 6.1 WATER SUPPLY SECTION 6.2 SANITARY & STORM SEWER SYSTEMS SECTION 6.3 SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SECTION 6.4 NATURAL GAS & ELECTRIC SERVICE SECTION 6.5 EDUCATION SECTION 6.6 LAW ENFORCEMENT SECTION 6.7 FIRE PROTECTION SECTION 6.8 EMERGENCY SERVICES & PREPAREDNESS SECTION 6.9 PUBLIC BUILDINGS SECTION 6.10 PARKS & RECREATION SECTION 6.11 TRANSPORTATION SECTION 6.12 ENVIRONMENT SECTION 6.13 HOUSING SECTION 6.14 LOCAL BUSINESSES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION 6.15 SOCIAL SERVICES SECTION 6.16 COMMUNICATIONS SECTION 6.17 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 2 Chapter 6 EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS SECTION 6.1 WATER SUPPLY This section describes the public water supply system that supplies water to the City of Greenwood. The section also describes the growing demand for water and steps that the Water District has taken to ensure that the current water supply will meet future demands. Public Water Supply The water supply to the City of Greenwood is provided by Public Water Supply #12. The Water mains installed through out the city are owned and maintained by the Jackson County Public Water Supply District (PWSD) #12. Public Water Supply bills directly to the residents and business in the City. Jackson County PWSD #12 is in current supply contracts with Tri-County Water Authority from 260,000 gallons per day and Kansas City Water Services Department for 1.5 million gallons per day. PWSD #12 owns and maintains a 1.0 million gallon storage facility to provide adequate supply, pressure, and flow within the district. In addition, PWSD #12 has two emergency water supply connections with the City of Lee’s Summit. Future Demand for Water There are no future constraints on providing service for future development growth. Developers are required to pay for extending required infrastructure for all new projects. SECTION 6.2 SANITARY AND STORM SEWER SYSTEMS Sewer systems are vital to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens in any municipality. The availability of sanitary sewers in a growing area encourages development to take place. This section describes the current sanitary and storm sewer systems for the City of Greenwood. A discussion of possible future improvements is also included. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 3 System Overview The City of Greenwood does not own or operate a sanitary sewer treatment plant. The sanitary sewer plant is owned and operated by the Little Blue Valley Sewer District (LBVSD) and is located in Independence, Missouri. According to engineers at the Little Blue Valley Sewer District, the treatment plant is operating in compliance with Federal and State regulations. The Middle Big Creek Sub-district is investigating the possibility of providing treatment facilities to the south near Pleasant Hill to accommodate future growth from Greenwood, Lake Lotawana, Lake Winnebago, Lee’s Summit, Raymore and Pleasant Hill. The City of Greenwood owns the sewer collection system that distributes sewage from each private home and business to pump stations located through out the City. The pump stations distribute the wastewater to a larger sewer pump station owned by the Middle Big Creek Sewer Sub-district, located south of Greenwood. The Subdistrict transports the flow to larger sewer interceptors owned by LBVSD in Lee’s Summit that flow to the treatment plant. A new pump station is being added to Greenwood’s system and two older less efficient pump stations will be removed. These changed will improve the operating cost and long term viability of the City sewer system. Billing Sewer bills are paid to the City once a month along with the solid waste disposal utility fee. In the past, the sewer bill was $41.75 per month; however, a significant change to the sanitary sewer collection system billing was implemented in April 2008. Rather than billing a flat fee for each user in the community, the new billing system is based on the average water consumption during the winter months (November to March) when water use is typically lowest. This change will greatly reduce the average residential sewer bill and place the burden of cost on the customers that require more treatment from the sewer district. Sanitary Sewer Expansion One of the biggest challenges to extending a sanitary sewer main is the cost of installation. Small towns are limited in their ability to issue bonds to construct new sewers, unless they are in a “hot” real estate market. The same is true with City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 4 landowners and developers facing the debt incurred through special improvement districts. Land closest to an existing sewer line is the preferred location for sewer extensions. However, this is not always possible given the desire and intent of a landowner. Future sewer expansion is available to the east of the City limit but will require partnerships with local developers to construct additional sanitary sewer interceptor lines and pump stations. Under the current system no development can take place east of the Wilds Development without major capital investment in sewer lines. Long-term Middle Big Creek Sub-district plans include a gravity interceptor between Pleasant Hill and Greenwood. Construction of the interceptor is not anticipated for more than 20 years. For construction of the interceptor in the near-term, developers would need to initiate a public-private partnership. Stormwater Sewer System Storm sewer systems are vital to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens in any municipality. The majority of the enclosed storm sewer system throughout the City of Greenwood is contained within newer developments in the City. Stormwater management is a vital component of the City’s infrastructure and must be considered as part of the comprehensive plan. Several members of the study committee have identified greenways as part of the future land use map. These greenways should be protected for several reasons, including the conveyance of stormwater through the City. In addition, protection of the riparian corridors (wooded or vegetated corridor) reduces the amount of sediment reaching our streams and allows floodwaters to travel throughout the city without damage to neighboring homes or businesses. Current Storm Sewer System. The current storm sewer system consists of several enclosed pipe networks in new single-family developments. The City of Greenwood has one primary open channel conveyance system that runs through the center of the City identified as Middle Big Creek. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 5 This receiving stream is listed on The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 303d list of impaired streams. This means that the receiving stream is in danger and must be monitored for deposits of sediment runoff. Sediment has a negative impact on streams and steps are underway in Greenwood to minimize the amount of sediment that will be allowed to leave a development site. In February 2008, the City of Greenwood adopted new stormwater design requirements for all new development within the city limits. These new regulations require developers to capture stormwater and treat the runoff before the stormwater can leave the site. The new regulations require the runoff leaving the site to equal the runoff before the property is development. This is a big step forward and in the coming months the City will be presented regulations for adoption to meet new EPA water quality standards as well as surface water (or flooding) standards. For the next several years, the City of Greenwood will be required to implement new measures as part of an overall stormwater management program. The City stormwater program will be required to implement six minimum measures as part of an overall stormwater program. As part of the 2008 Comprehensive Plan all riparian (open space) corridors will be protected from development. These corridors will aid in decreasing sediment entering the local streams and aid in environmental habitat for aquatic species. This in conjunction with public education and outreach programs as well as eliminating illicit discharge locations to the receiving stream will result in higher quality streams and decreased operating cost for the community. Future Storm Sewer System. The future of the City’s stormwater system depends on the vision of the residents and elected officials. Several new ordinances and a maintenance program will be required to meet the intent of the water quantity and water quality requirements. Federal and State funding for programs is not readily available and the City of Greenwood needs to consider development of alternative funding sources for existing and future programs. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 6 For new development within the city limits developers will be required to utilize newly adopted criteria that meets or exceeds Federal guidelines for stormwater management. Unfortunately, there is little to no funding available to maintain this infrastructure under the current City budget. Several communities throughout the nation have implemented a user fee or stormwater utility to maintain existing infrastructure and to build new stormwater facilities. These stormwater utilities are based on use of the system and have been extremely successful assisting communities in meeting Federal guidelines for stormwater management. SECTION 6.3 SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL Solid waste disposal services for the City of Greenwood are currently provided by Town and Country Disposal of Western Missouri, a private firm from Harrisonville, Missouri. Solid waste is collected once per week by Town and Country for a fee of $9.75 charged every month along with the sewer bill. Town and Country also provides recycling services for free to customers who are interested. Solid waste is disposed at the Show-Me Sanitary Landfill located in Warrensburg, Missouri. SECTION 6.4 NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRIC SERVICE Natural Gas Service Missouri Gas Electric (MGE) provides natural gas services for the City and residents of Greenwood. Based on the research for this plan there are no future constraints on providing service for future development growth. Developers are required to pay for extending required infrastructure for all new projects. In 2005, the City and MGE1 entered into a franchise agreement to operate a natural gas distribution plan and system in Greenwood for twenty years. 1 City of Greenwood Ordinance No. 2005-07-05-04 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 7 Electric Service Aquila provides electric services for the City and residents of Greenwood. Based on the research for this plan there are no constraints on providing service for future development growth. Additionally, in 2007, the City of Greenwood renewed a franchise agreement2 with Aquila to furnish, operate and maintain a street lighting system in the city limits for ten years. SECTION 6.5 EDUCATION Schools are an important part of any community. The quality of a community’s schools is often one of the main reasons why people stay or leave a community. Many believe that the school district in Greenwood is one of the main attractants to the area. If the School District can maintain a high quality of education, the City of Greenwood will likely continue to attract young families with children to the community. The City of Greenwood is fortunate to have a school facility that is primarily centralized within Greenwood. In terms of land use, the schools obviously play a dominant role in the southern part of the City. The School District The City of Greenwood falls within the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. The 117- square mile district is one of the fastest growing districts in Missouri. The district serves the communities of Greenwood, Lee’s Summit, Lake Lotawana and Lake Winnebago as well as unincorporated areas of eastern Jackson County. A fully accredited district, the R-7 School District has earned Missouri's prestigious Distinction in Performance Award each year it has been awarded. This award honors districts demonstrating consistent gains in academic performance. See Figure 6.1. 2 City of Greenwood Ordinance No. 2007-05-05-02-04 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 8 Figure 6.1: Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Map City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 9 School Facilities Lee’s Summit R-7 has one school located in the City of Greenwood- Greenwood Elementary School serves children in Kindergarten to Sixth Grade. Greenwood Elementary School is located at 805 W. Main Street. It was originally built in 1910 as a combination high school and grammar school and has had additions and renovations throughout the years. The last construction was in 2002 when a new library media center, computer lab, and two classroom areas were added. Middle School students (grades 7 to 8) attend Summit Lakes Middle School located in Lee’s Summit at 3500 SW Windemere Drive. The school opened in 2000 and accommodated 600 students. An expansion in 2004 increased the capacity to nearly 1,000 students. High School students (grades 9 to 12) attend Lee’s Summit West High School located in Lee’s Summit at 2600 SW Ward. The school opened in 2004 and was designed to accommodate 1,600 students. As enrollment grows, an addition can be added to bring the school’s total capacity to 2,000 students. At this point, the school district plans to continue renovating and expanding as needed. In April 2008, 72.4 percent of voters approved a no-tax increase bond issue for the school district. The bond issue will fund new facilities to handle growth and student needs, additional classrooms to allow the district to implement an all-day kindergarten program, improvements to existing facilities to address school growth and parity issues, technology enhancements and new school buses. A school in the planning area is included in the district’s plans. School Enrollments The Lee’s Summit School District has experienced a general trend of steady growth each year although the opening of Woodland Elementary in the fall of 2001 reduced the enrollment at Greenwood Elementary. According to the 2007/2008 Demographic and Enrollment Update Report issued by Applied Economics (12/07/2007), enrollment will continue modest growth for the next decade, up to 558 students enrolled in the 2017/2018 school year. Enrollment growth at the middle school level will be concentrated in the Summit Lakes attendance area during the next five years, with some growth spreading to the City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 10 Pleasant Lea attendance area in the following five years. This pattern is repeated at the High School level for the corresponding High School attendance areas. The Lee’s Summit West High School attendance area is projected to house the majority of the secondary enrollment growth in the next five years, adding about 400 new students. In the following five years about three-fourths of the 550 new high school students are living in the Lee’s Summit West High School attendance area. Projections for the future are that enrollments will continue to increase (See Table 5.5 in Chapter 5). Table 6.1 shows the enrollment figures for school years 2000- 2001 to the present school year for the Lee’s Summit R-7 schools that serve Greenwood students. Table 6.1: Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Enrollment for Schools that Serve Greenwood School Year Greenwood Elementary School Summit Lakes Middle School Lee’s Summit West High School 2000-2001 502 466 N/A 2001-2002 346 468 N/A 2002-2003 366 515 N/A 2003-2004 419 587 1,576 2004-2005 445 655 1,799 2005-2006 417 766 1,703 2006-2007 448 846 1,769 2007-2008 453 834 1,857 Prior to 2002, Greenwood students attended Lee’s Summit High School until the opening of Lee’s Summit West High School. SECTION 6.6 LAW ENFORCEMENT Safety is often one of the top reasons that people move in or out of communities. Therefore, having an adequately staffed and supported police department is important not only for fighting crime but also to have a positive presence in the community by being involved with people in the neighborhoods and the schools. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 11 The Force and Facilities The Greenwood Police Department currently has nine full-time and four part-time police officers. This police force works out of the basement of Greenwood City Hall located at 709 W. Main Street. The City of Greenwood utilizes the jail facility in Belton, Missouri located in Cass County. Dispatching takes place in Jackson County Missouri by the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department also provides services to rural areas surrounding Greenwood and provides back up officers if needed. The Police Department operates one Dodge Charger and three Ford Crown Victorias to perform their law enforcement duties. Each vehicle has a shotgun, camera system, radar system, Automated External Defibrillator (AED), emergency lights, siren and police radio/scanner. The Department anticipates that in the future they will need upgrades to all equipment that is currently in the vehicles in addition to an additional vehicle. The Department also desires to have their own facility. They have been stationed out of the basement of City Hall and need more space with offices for ranking officers, a squad room, two well-built jail cells and a booking area as well as a property room, a conference/interview room, and a storage and break room. The communications systems will also need to be updated in the near future. Crime Statistics in Greenwood The City of Greenwood has had a track record of little or no violent crime and very low numbers of non-violent crime. Table 6.2 shows the Part I Criminal Offenses break down for the years 2001-2006. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Report Program3 collects offense information for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larcenytheft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. These are Part I offenses and are serious crimes by nature and/or volume. 3 Background information accessed online through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on June 18, 2008 at: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucrquest.htm City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 12 Table 6.2: Greenwood Part I Criminal Offenses, 2001-2006 Part 1 Criminal Offense 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Criminal Homicide 0 0 0 0 0 0 Forcible Rape 0 1 0 0 0 6 Robbery 1 0 1 0 0 1 Aggravated Assault 17 9 1 0 1 3 Burglary 10 9 6 5 10 14 Larceny Theft 38 33 19 12 30 26 Vehicular Theft 1 0 3 1 1 1 Arson 0 0 0 1 0 0 SECTION 6.7 FIRE PROTECTION The protection of life and property from fire is one of the most important and essential services provided by local governments. The provision of this service must be seamless so that all citizens can receive assistance, when needed, as quickly as possible. This section describes the system that is in place to protect the citizens of Greenwood and the Planning Area. The Service Providers The City of Greenwood has a contract with the City of Lee’s Summit to receive fire protection services from their Fire Department. The Fire Department provides services to the community in the areas of fire protection, emergency medical services, rescue services, hazardous materials, and emergency management. The organization is assigned most emergency service functions of the City other than law enforcement. The Stations Currently there is not a fire station in the City limits of Greenwood. Lee’s Summit’s Fire Station #5 is the closest station to respond to emergencies and is located at City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 13 3650 SW Windmere in Lee’s Summit. Figure 6.2 displays the Lee’s Summit Fire Department service area and locations of their fire stations. Inspections are handled through the South Metropolitan Fire Protection District located in Lake Winnebago, Missouri. Station #2 provides services to Greenwood. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 14 Figure 6.2: Lee’s Summit Fire Department Station Map City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 15 Firefighters and Equipment In addition to the Fire Chief and six assistant chiefs, there are 116 personnel with fire/emergency response duties (5 battalion chiefs, 22 fire captains, 54 fire specialists, 15 engineer/paramedics, and 19 firefighters). The Emergency Services Program of the department includes fire suppression, emergency medical services, rescue responses, hazardous materials mitigation, and the response and management of citywide emergencies and disasters. The department provides the emergency services from seven strategically located fire stations. Fire suppression services are rendered from seven staffed pieces of fire apparatus. This includes five pumping engines, three of which are Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) and two combination engine/ladder trucks. All frontline fire apparatus are equipped with thermal imaging cameras, carbon monoxide detectors and vehicle extrication equipment. All sworn personnel who are state-licensed emergency medical technicians or paramedics provide emergency medical service. The department equips all fire apparatus with emergency medical supplies and operates four paramedic-staffed rescue ambulances. All fire fighters are trained as hazardous materials first responders, and the department operates an advanced hazardous materials response team. The fire department serves as the coordinator for the city in managing citywide emergencies and disasters. Additional firefighters and equipment may be needed to continue to serve Greenwood as it grows. Building and Fire Codes In 2007, Jackson County adopted the 2006 International Codes to ensure that future new construction and renovations are done in a safe manor. The City of Greenwood also adopted the 2003 International Building, Plumbing, Fire, Residential, and Mechanical Codes as well as the National 2002 Electrical Codes in October 2007. SECTION 6.8 EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PREPAREDNESS In addition to police and fire protection, it is vital for communities to have access to quality emergency medical services. The local and regional hospitals provide the City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 16 next step in care after the fire department personnel and/or police have assisted someone who has been in an accident, fire, or who is having a health crisis. Having an emergency preparedness plan and designated emergency shelters can mean the difference between a community being able to handle a larger crisis, such as a tornado, or not. And finally, the availability of general health care services, nursing homes, assisted care living facilities and other resident care facilities can offer citizens a peace of mind that they have what they need in their community or nearby. Emergency Medical & Health Care Services The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is responsible for dispatch in the Greenwood area. The City also has a contract with the Lee’s Summit Fire Department to provide the Emergency Medical Service (EMS). The City of Greenwood does not have a major emergency medical center in the city limits. However, the city’s proximity to Lee’s Summit and Kansas City allows Greenwood residents to be near some of the best emergency medical care in the Metro area. The medical centers that are utilized in case of an emergency situation in Greenwood include the following: Table 6.3: Medical Facilities Serving Greenwood Facility Location Services Provided Lee’s Summit Medical Center Lee’s Summit (south) Cardiology Services, Chest Pain Center, Family Birthing Place, Emergency Services, Outpatient Surgery, Primary Stroke Center St. Luke’s East Medical Center Lee’s Summit (north) Maternity Center, Oncology Clinic, Emergency Services, Advanced Heart Care, Outpatient Surgery, Neonatal ICU, ICU Emergency Preparedness Emergency preparedness for the City of Greenwood is really handled at the county level with municipality input and willing participation. Jackson County has an emergency Mobile Command post readily available along with personnel to assist in City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 17 its operation, which can arrive in Greenwood within an hour of request. Greenwood Police personnel have also been through the appropriate National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses. Jackson County has an Office of Emergency Preparedness that is responsible for preparing, planning and coordinating the various agencies that would respond to emergency situations within Jackson County, including Greenwood. The department was created by an Executive Order on November 2, 2007 to develop and maintain an Emergency Operations Plan which will be reviewed and certified semi-annually. The County's plan has been approved twice since the Emergency Preparedness department's inception. The department coordinates both planning and response activities with other local jurisdictions, county agencies, health departments, public works departments, medical examiners, and mapping officials. The department will operate a functional Emergency Operations Center that is on call 24-hours a day and will oversee the training of various county agencies, the development of County facility evaluation plans, generating federal funding, and be involved in community service. The Director of Emergency Preparedness serves on the Regional Homeland Security Council, the Local Planning Committee, and the Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee. The Director is responsible for maintaining agreements of “Mutual Aid” that involves surrounding agencies, jurisdictions and counties in both Missouri and Kansas. The Hazardous Mitigation plans are managed by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) through mitigation grants (flooding for example). These grants are provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and SEMA has oversight. Jackson County offers oversight for emergency preparedness in the County but, does not require that the individual jurisdictions comply. Each individual jurisdiction is responsible for developing and maintaining its own plan. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 18 Emergency Shelters The City of Greenwood has three designated short term emergency shelter locations with a combined capacity of 950. Two of the shelters are in churches and the other shelter is in the Elementary School. Other Emergency Services All sworn Lee’s Summit Fire Department personnel who are state-licensed emergency medical technicians or paramedics provide emergency medical service. The department equips all fire apparatus with emergency medical supplies and operates four paramedic-staffed rescue ambulances. Specialized rescue services include the areas of high angle, fast water, underwater, trench cave-in, automobile extrication, and confined space. All fire fighters are trained as hazardous materials first responders as well, and the department operates an advanced hazardous materials response team. Jackson County does not monitor Hazardous Materials operations from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but, receives daily reports from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources about Hazardous Material incidents in Jackson County. Nursing Homes, Assisted Living and Other Care Centers The City of Greenwood does not currently have a nursing home/care center or an assisted living facility in the city limits. Table 6.4 displays care centers in communities surrounding Greenwood. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 19 Table 6.4: Nursing Homes in Surrounding Communities4 Facility Location # of Beds # of Living Units John Knox Village- Valley View Residential Care Lee’s Summit N/A 1,400 John Know Village- Village Care Center Lee’s Summit 430 N/A Jefferson Health Care Lee’s Summit 120 N/A White Ridge Health Center Lee’s Summit 60 N/A Currently there is not a dedicated facility for persons with developmental disabilities or other special needs to work or reside. Most facilities are located closer to Kansas City. Jackson County Board of Services provides a wide array of programs and services that both directly and indirectly benefit persons with developmental disabilities. These programs and services include transportation, supplemental funding to many local service providers, a building/property leasing and maintenance program and many staff development opportunities through our training program. SECTION 6.9 PUBLIC BUILDINGS Just as with any business, the adequacy of Greenwood’s public buildings impacts the work and activities that take place in those buildings. If the buildings are not adequate to meet the needs of the public or employees, then it is unsuitable for an efficient work environment, and is difficult for the public to use. The City of Greenwood is growing to the point that some of the public buildings, according to city personnel, may no longer be able to hold the number of employees or the amount of equipment needed to do the City’s work. In addition, since public buildings represent the civic architecture of Greenwood, some consideration may need to be given regarding updating the condition and aesthetics of the City’s buildings. 4 Information obtained online. Accessed on April 18, 2008: http://www.hospitaldata. com/dirs/dir82.html; http://www.jkv.org/ City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 20 Greenwood City Hall City Hall is located at 709 W. Main Street. The building was built in 1987 and is 1800 square feet in size. The building is generally functional for the current staff size, but any increase in staff will result in overcrowding. The aesthetics of the building are less than desirable for a building that should have a welcoming and pleasing exterior and interior to encourage public use and show community pride. Greenwood Public Works Building The Greenwood Public Works Building is situated south of City Hall on Ranson Road. Greenwood Post Office The Greenwood Post Office is situated at 604 Walnut Street. SECTION 6.10 PARKS AND RECREATION Parks and recreational areas link people to the outdoors and offer space for the physical, social, and mental welfare of the community. Today, as many of our jobs become increasingly sedentary and lack of activity is considered a major health risk for adults and children alike, the need for parks and recreational areas is perhaps greater than ever. Many communities are recognizing the need by establishing standards to ensure that a certain amount of land is dedicated for parks (i.e., a certain number of acres per a certain amount of development land or per a certain number of estimated people in an area). Many communities have difficulty making park standards a reality because they do not have the financial resources to buy park land and/or they do not have adequate policies that require the dedication of park land. This section will describe the parks, recreational areas and open spaces in Greenwood today. Parks & Recreation Inventory The City of Greenwood offers its residents a few parks and recreational opportunities. There are currently two parks located in the Greenwood City limits: Hitt Park Freedom Park City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 21 Hitt Park (Joel Dean Hitt Park). Located at 813 Allendale Lake Road in the southern part of Greenwood, this is the largest park in the City. The amenities provided include athletic fields, playground equipment, and picnic tables. Freedom Park. Located on the north side of Greenwood on Gambrell Street, this park is a nice neighborhood park of around one acre in size. The amenities include a basketball court, picnic shelter, and playground. Park Development and Recreation Activities Currently, Greenwood does not have staff devoted to parks and recreation. The parks are maintained by the City’s Public Works employees. The City does, however, have a Park Board that meets once a month. The Board has been responsible for several community activities such as the Independence Day celebration, Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and the Christmas Lighting Contest. Parks. The City is looking for ways to obtain additional parkland with limited resources. One way is through the regulations. In the subdivision regulations, it states that a certain percentage of land should be devoted to green space. Currently most of the land that is dedicated are drainage areas, not areas with recreational spaces. The City would like to determine the logistics of how to go beyond the land donation and discuss purchasing and maintaining the dedicated sites. One drainage area, Sunset Park, is approximately 4,500 linear feet of drainage channel that runs from Doc Henry Road to the Lake Winnebago silt pond. The current condition of the drainage channel can be described as overgrown with vegetation and yard waste. It is the desire of the City to reduce flooding, reduce erosion, and to enhance the corridor with park features by making drainage and public works improvements, installing park amenities, and installing stormwater best management practices. Recreation. For recreational opportunities, the Greenwood Sports Association sponsors and manages all sports activities on the ball fields at Hitt Park. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 22 Regional Parks and Recreation Opportunities James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area. The James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area is located in Jackson County, south of 50-Highway. This wildlife area was established in 1952 when Mrs. Nell Reed donated 731 acres of land to the Missouri Department of Conservation in memory of her husband, Senator James A. Reed. Additional tracts were purchased using federal monies and Department funds to bring the area to its present 2,603 acres. The property is owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation and provides recreational amenities such as fishing, archery, boat rental, picnicking, and hunting.5 Katy Trail. Currently this state park trail system runs from St. Charles, Missouri near St. Louis to Clinton, Missouri. The park is operated by the Department of Natural Resources as part of the state park system. Along with other neighboring communities, it is the desire of the City of Greenwood to develop an extension of the trail through Greenwood to the trail in Clinton. A Kansas City area connection to the Katy Trail is a key component to Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) efforts to develop a regional system of greenways and multi-use trails as well. Currently the City is conducting a study to evaluate route locations, identify physical barriers that may exist, show how to incorporate the business district into the trail route and indentify potential funding sources. SECTION 6.11 TRANSPORTATION Access ways for different modes of transportation (i.e., streets, bike paths, sidewalks, etc.) are crucial for day-to-day business of any community. Businesses want to locate where automobile and pedestrian traffic exists. Pedestrians and bicyclists are more likely to walk or ride to their destination if there are sidewalks or bike paths available. The issue does not just revolve around the availability of streets, curb cuts, sidewalks, and bike paths, but rather the careful planning and design of a multi-modal transportation network. This section describes the current 5 Obtained online on April 15, 2008: http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications/moatlas/AreaSummaryPage.aspx?txtAreaID=5501&txtAreaNm=&txtCounty=J ACKSON&txtRegion=&txtUserID=guest&txtDivision= City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 23 transportation network within the City limits of Greenwood and point out some of the issues that face the City for the future The Street Network The City of Greenwood has one arterial street running east-west through the community- 150-Highway (from the western city limits to Ranson Road), but there are no arterial streets that run north-south. There are two collector streets in Greenwood- 150-Highway (from the eastern city limits to Ranson Road) which runs east-west and Ranson Road (from 150-Highway to northern city limits) which runs north-south. All other remaining streets are considered neighborhood streets. Sidewalks The availability of sidewalks in Greenwood is limited. Subdivisions built since the 1990’s, however do have sidewalks. The sidewalks in these areas are located on one side of the street and are approximately four (4) feet in width. The City of Greenwood has constructed a sidewalk network along Allendale Lake Drive, south of 150-Highway. Many new subdivisions are located along this road and children utilize this network to go to and from school. The City applied to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) for 2008 and 2009 funding for the Safe Routes to Schools Program. The program provides safer biking and walking accommodations for children in grades K-8. The program is designed to provide public awareness and outreach efforts and improve biking and walking conditions around schools. In conjunction with the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, the City also intends to build a sidewalk network along the south side of Gambrell Street, on the west side of Harris Avenue, and on the south side of 150-Highway to better facilitate a safe and traversable route to the school property. SECTION 6.12 ENVIRONMENT Land use and development activities of an area are affected by and to some extent dependent upon its physical features and natural resources. These features sometimes form avenues encouraging the development of particular land uses, but they can also sometimes restrict development possibilities and limit directions City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 24 available for urban growth. Consideration should be given to the physical features in an area so that developmental policies and guidelines can be established which maximize their advantages and minimize their disadvantages. Such policies are necessary to guide land use and urban growth in an economically efficient and aesthetically pleasing manner. Topography and Drainage Topography and the resulting drainage systems are important factors in determining land suitability and capability for urban uses. The location and design of sewage treatment plants, water treatment plants, and storm drainage systems are influenced by topography. The location of water and sanitary sewer lines determines the general direction and location of a town’s development pattern and resulting land use pattern. Specific land uses are equally influenced by topography because of the ease or difficulty of construction associated with site grade. Greenwood has two natural drainage basins in the city limits that drain into the South Grand River Basin. The basin is over 2,046 square miles6 and eventually drains to the Harry S. Truman Reservoir near Clinton, Missouri. Climate Jackson County has a continental climate characterized by large seasonal changes of temperature, warm to hot summers, moderate humidity, considerable sunshine, moderate winds, light precipitation in winter, and a pronounced rainfall maximum in late spring and early summer. The average monthly highs and lows for Greenwood are displayed in Figure 6.3. The average yearly high is 63°F and the average yearly low is 42°F. On average, the warmest month is July and the coldest month is January. 6 Missouri Watershed Profiles accessed online on the Center for Applied Research and Environmental Systems website on April 22, 2008: http://ims.missouri.edu/watershedprofile/profile.jsp City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 25 Figure 6.3: Average Monthly High and Low for Greenwood in Degrees Fahrenheit The average precipitation for Greenwood is displayed in Figure 6.4. The most precipitation on average occurs in June. The total annual precipitation in Greenwood is 41.18 inches with an average monthly precipitation of 3.43 inches. 75 percent of the annual precipitation occurs between April and October. Figure 6.4: Average Monthly Precipitation for Greenwood in Inches City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 26 Soil Conditions Soil is an expendable resource and should be protected from activities and uses detrimental to its condition. Conversely, many soil types can negatively affect certain land use activities. Efficient land use planning in urban areas should recognize and consider the potential positive and negative interrelationships between the soil and the way it is used. There are two general soil types in the Greenwood planning area7: 1. Snead- Menfro- Oska association: Moderately deep and deep, gently sloping to steep, well-drained and moderately well-drained soils that formed in loess or residuum from shale and limestone; on uplands. This association consists of strongly dissected uplands that are adjacent to the flood plains of intermediate and small streams. These areas have numerous Rock outcrops 2. Macksburg- Sharpsburg- Sampsel association: Deep, gently sloping and moderately sloping, moderately well-drained to poorly drained soils that formed in loess or residuum from shale and limestone; on uplands. This association consists of moderately wide to wide ridgetops and slightly concave side slopes. It is on the higher divides between the larger streams. Woodland According to the Mid-America Regional Council Natural Resource Inventory, woodland areas are located in the city limits of Greenwood, particularly along areas of streams and creeks.8 The value of these woodland areas is basically not economic, but aesthetic and environmental. Left in their natural state, they provide visual relief from continuous agricultural or urban development and can sometimes serve as buffer areas between land uses. Woodland areas also help to maintain the quality of the air and water, reduce soil erosion, and as a habitat for wildlife. Subdivision regulations can be used to protect such areas when development does occur. 7 Soil characteristics obtained online through Cooperative Soil Survey website at: http://www.soilsurvey.org/survey/pdf.asp?county=Jackson and choosing Soil Survey General Soil Map. 8 Obtained online June 10, 2008 at http://www.marc.org/Environment/Smart_Growth/NRI/index.htm City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 27 SECTION 6.13 HOUSING Housing plays a key role in every community. Communities need a variety of housing types in different pricing ranges, in order to meet housing needs of people in various life-cycle stages. Although people do not decide where they would like to live solely on the type of housing that is available, many times housing does play a deciding factor. In a community like Greenwood, the selection of housing products and affordability is an important factor. Most people choosing to live in Greenwood probably are not doing so because their place of employment is in the city limits. Most people choosing to live in Greenwood are probably doing so because they are attracted to the type of housing along with the quality of schools, and small town character. This section looks at the housing situation in Greenwood. Building Permits Looking at the number of residential permits issued over the past decade shows the main focus for residential development in the City of Greenwood is single-family homes. Table 6.11 shows the breakdown of the residential building permits from 2000 to 2006. There were no permits given for townhomes/duplexes and other residential structures (mobile homes, apartments, group homes, nursing homes) during this time period. Table 6.5: Greenwood Residential Building Permits, 2000-2006 Year Single family 2000 57 2001 47 2002 73 2003 40 2004 43 2005 47 2006 35 As the numbers in the above table show, there was steady residential development in the mid-2000s, peaking in 2002 at 73 single-family homes. The amount of City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 28 development declined in 2003, surged in 2004 and 2005, and seems to slow again in 2006. There is a lot of growth that is occurring in the areas surrounding Greenwood. Lee’s Summit, which borders Greenwood to the north and west, has been developing further to the south and east. Growth in Jackson County typically occurs on the western and northern portion of the County. Lake Winnebago, located southwest of Greenwood in Cass County, recently approved a subdivision proposal with hundreds of homes that will approach the Greenwood Planning Area. Residential Sales The Jackson County Appraiser’s Office keeps track of property sales in the county on a property by property basis. Table 6.6 summarizes city-wide residential sales for each year starting with 2000 obtained from a local realtor9. Table 6.6: Residential Sales in Greenwood, 2000-2007 Year No. Residential Sales Avg. Sale Amount 2000 167 $142,110 2001 144 $149,247 2002 135 $152,918 2003 150 $158,288 2004 126 $159,882 2005 131 $169,113 2006 116 $177,818 2007 129 $163,063 The average sales data in Table 6.6 indicates that the sales prices of residential properties in and around Greenwood have been going up since 2000. This trend is also evident when looking at the price ranges for each year except 2007. This 9 Residential Sales Information obtained from Prudential Kansas City Realtor, Sarah Snodgrass on June 17, 2008. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 29 decrease in housing values may be due to the mortgage crisis that began in mid- 2007. General Housing Market Clearly, the City of Greenwood is considered to be a “bedroom community.” Greenwood continues to attract families. Through the public meeting and study committee meeting processes, there were several predominant reasons why people moved to Greenwood. Rural Character Lots of families/ young people Small town atmosphere with larger cities nearby Affordable housing Nice people Good schools SECTION 6.14 LOCAL BUSINESSES & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT According to the U.S. Census, in 2004 Greenwood had 128 businesses. Table 6.7 displays the number of businesses and employees from 1994 to 2004. Although the number of businesses has grown throughout this time period, the types of businesses have not expanded. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 30 Greenwood currently does not have businesses that provide groceries, pharmaceuticals, clothing, or banking. The major employers in Greenwood are the Lee’s Summit School District at the Greenwood Elementary School, Mr. Long Arm (manufacturer), Buckley Powder Company (explosives), and Arrowhead Kenell Drywall Supplies. Economic Development Economic development is a topic that on the surface seems obvious to maintaining a quality community. Economic development is necessary to help viability and to grow in resources and opportunity. However, economic development can become a controversial topic facing a community. Two opposing factors that come into play are tax revenue/tax incentives and the types of business that a community is asked to accept as economic development. On the one hand, most communities, 10 U.S. Census information obtained on the Mid-America Regional Council website at http://www.metrodataline.org/business_employment.htm Table 6.7: Greenwood Business Statistics, 1994-200410 Total No. Businesses Total No. Employees 1994 91 690 1995 94 727 1996 93 785 1997 108 799 1998 107 867 1999 109 981 2000 113 1,162 2001 115 1,089 2002 135 940 2003 127 1,048 2004 128 1,254 City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 31 especially communities like the City of Greenwood that are heavily dependent upon a residential tax base, want to attract commercial and industrial development to help offset tax reliance on homeowners. The City would like the commercial and industrial development because they bring in a higher percentage of taxes and because it enhances the ability to attract more homeowners and businesses to the community. In addition, in some instances commercial and industrial developers may agree to build roads and other infrastructure to support their development, which reduces public investment (tax dollars) in infrastructure. Economic Development Organizations. The City of Greenwood is fortunate to have an economic development organization (EDC) working to promote the Greenwood community. The organization consists of volunteers from around the community. It has eight (8) members and twenty (20) Friends of the Greenwood EDC. The Board meets once a month. The purpose of the organization is to be the marketing arm for the City of Greenwood. Currently the organization is working on a recruitment packet which is about 90 percent complete. Until recently, funding for the organization was received entirely from private sources; however the City of Greenwood recently passed their City budget that included $4,000 for the EDC. Jackson County government has an Economic Development Department that maintains an economic development website. The website11 was recently created for through regional collaboration and represents the entire County's commitment to progress. The website should be used as a portal to a wide array of County information including buildings and land available for businesses. Greenwood is also included in an 18-county, two-state economic development initiative with the Kansas City Area Development Council. Greenwood currently does not have a Chamber of Commerce; however there is a group of business leaders who are currently trying to get an organization started. The objective of starting the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce is to unite in a non-political environment, the numerous non-profit organizations, small business owners, and especially the many dedicated citizens interested in building a greater sense of community. This effort is still in the organization and recruitment phase. 11 www.jacksongov.org/econdev/ City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 32 Existing Industrial and Commercial Buildings. Almost all the commercial development in the City is located in the downtown area. There are few industrial buildings currently in Greenwood. One area near the railroad tracks is designated for industrial but the remaining buildings are really used more for commercial business. According to the Greenwood Economic Development Corporation, there are very few vacancies in the existing commercial buildings. Adequacy of Support Services. The City of Greenwood currently contains commercial businesses whose primary purpose is serving the population in the City. Restaurants, beauty shops, antique shops, automotive service stations, chiropractor, and a bar make up some of the commercial inventory. According to the Greenwood Economic Development Corporation, people travel from the region to shop at the antique shops. Economic Development Assistance. The community appears to be receptive to government assistance such as tax abatements to bring in businesses. The community would also be open to receiving any assistance that is available from banks or State and Federal grants. Access and Environment. Based on discussions with economic professionals, developers and real estate agents, the two most prominent issues facing the future economic development of Greenwood are access and environment. Access is an issue mainly because 150-Highway is the only road running eastwest through town. Not only is 150-Highway the only road moving traffic east and west through town, but it is also the main road for truck traffic from the nearby quarry. SECTION 6.15 SOCIAL SERVICES The nation’s current economic instability makes social service agencies and organizations even more important. More and more quality child care organizations are needed as it is often necessary for both parts in a household to work. And sometimes when that is not enough, a community needs a local resource or organization that can provide some sort of assistance to get them through the rough times. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 33 Child Care Although Greenwood’s residents tend to be mainly families with school-aged children and also younger children, there does not seem to be an overabundance of child care providers in the City of Greenwood. There are only a few child care centers in town, mostly in-home centers. The First Presbyterian Church in Greenwood also provides preschool and child care services. In general, the two age groups that are most difficult to find child care for are infants and school aged children. Infant openings are more difficult because the ratio of provider to the number of infants is higher than for older children (1 provider for every 4 infants). Thus, there are often many fewer spaces. Some care givers choose not to take infants at all. School aged children are difficult to place because they require particular hours of care. Having these children in care at certain times and not in care at others can decrease the total number that a provider can have. In other words, if a registered provider is only allowed six children at any given time, the provider often prefers to have a full-time child in care that pays full price rather than a part-time school aged child. Local Assistance Programs The City of Greenwood is fortunate enough to have a social service organization that provides local assistance to Greenwood families in need. Greenwood Families Helping Families is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that provides emergency assistance in the way of food, utility, holiday and other means of support.12 They are a member of the Mid-America Assistance Coalition. The organization has grown each year since it was founded in 2003. Each year the need for assistance from our organization has grown rapidly due to a poorer economy, corporate layoffs, medical and fire emergencies and other unanticipated financial hardships. According to Greenwood Families Helping Families, the organization currently serves 6-10 families with a volunteer list of 27 persons and a nine (9) member board of directors. The assistance they provide includes: 12 http://www.gwfhf.net/ City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 34 utility assistance (sewer, water, gas and electric), a fully stocked food pantry, clothing and school supplies as needed and host site for Angelfood Ministries, a grocery relief program for people of all incomes. Most of the funds of the organization come from individuals in the community as well as some donations from area businesses. The organization is also a recipient of the Aquila Cares grant program. In addition to local assistance, the organization organizes the Greenwood Garage sale, an annual Easter egg hunt (free) and a fundraising Breakfast with Santa. The organization would like to expand its services and facilities in the near future to include perishable foods and more clothing as well as used furniture and appliances. The number one set back for this organization is the availability of funding. SECTION 6.16 COMMUNICATIONS Communications systems are essential in today’s technological world in the day-today activities of people and businesses. As greater numbers of people access the Internet and cellular networks expand to cover larger regions, the true impact of these technologies will be felt. It is critical for Greenwood to be connected. Telephone and Cellular Service The primary local telephone service for Greenwood is provided by AT&T. Residents may also receive service from smaller service providers such as Vonage. Cellular service is available in the region provided by many service providers such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T/Cingular, Sprint/Nextel and T-Mobile. Internet and Cable Many companies now provide a bundle of services to provide an added convenience for customers. AT&T is one such provider for Greenwood. AT&T provides DSL City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 35 internet service and satellite and/or digital television service. High speed internet service and cable is also provided by Comcast. DirecTV provides satellite television services. SECTION 6.17 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE In this section, a historical overview of Greenwood local government revenue and expenditures is presented. Implementation of the ideas contained in a comprehensive plan relies on the financial capability of government to finance public improvements or projects. In other words, local government must devise ways to pay for capital expenditures. Long-range planning by local governments demonstrates, particularly to bond rating agencies and private developers, that local officials are taking necessary steps to forecast long-range public needs facing their community. By identifying long-term capital needs facing Greenwood, it allows for the creation of sound government fiscal policies and practices. City Budget Overview Table 6.8 shows revenue collections and expenditures from Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 through FY2007. There are other sources of revenue that contribute to the total cash receipts of Greenwood, such as fines, forfeiture and penalties, interest, rental income, and reimbursed expense and transfers. Several economic factors will impact future revenue collections. If the slow-down in the housing market is prolonged, it may have a negative impact on revenues related to growth (property tax, building permits, etc). Increases in energy, food, and housing costs may drive down consumer spending, reducing growth in sales tax revenue. Any changes resulting from the Hancock Amendment could substantially reduce revenues. Expenditures include all operating expenditures, including personal services, contractual services, commodities, and capital outlay. Fuel and energy will be major cost drivers for the foreseeable future. Inflation and health care costs will also significantly impact expenditures. The economic factors described above will affect the annual budget process and the financial health of Greenwood. By diversifying revenues, expanding the tax base, and using long-term financial forecasting to anticipate needs, Greenwood will become better insulated to variations in the general economy. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING CITY CONDITIONS & TRENDS PAGE 6- 36 Table 6.8: Total Revenues and Expenditures FY2005-FY2007 Year Total Revenues Total Expenditures 2005 $2,871,771 $3,110,798 2006 $3,487,626 $2,708,058 2007 $3,268,172 $2,845,639 Local Mill Levy and Assessed Valuation Each year during the city budget adoption process, the Board of Alderman sets the mill levy. The mill levy is the number of tax dollars per thousand of dollars of assessed value, which describes the municipal property tax rate. The mill levy rates for FY2008 are provided below: General Fund Levy: 0.4238 Fire and Ambulance Protection Levy 0.5752 Fire Hydrant Inspection & Maintenance Levy 0.0183 TOTAL 1.0173 Changes to property valuation impact Greenwood’s property tax revenue. Between FY2006 and FY2007, Greenwood’s taxable property valuation increased $1,541,759. Municipal Bond Issuance Many municipal governments rely on the issuance of bonds to finance capital projects, such as construction of public infrastructure and buildings. General obligation (G.0.) bonds refer to long-term financing paid from local taxes. The bonds have an unlimited claim on a city’s tax base of and are backed by the full-faith-andcredit obligation of the citizens of the community. As of June 30, 2007, the City of Greenwood had no general obligation bonds or notes outstanding. Revenue bonds are a financing tool that allows local government to collect fees from the users of the capital improvement and retire the debt. As of June 30, 2007, Greenwood had $405,000 in revenue bonds and notes outstanding. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING LAND USE PAGE 7- 1 Chapter 7 EXISTING LAND USE SECTION 7.1 INTRODUCTION SECTION 7.2 LAND USE INVENTORY SECTION 7.3 CITY OF GREENWOOD SECTION 7.4 UNINCORPORATED PLANNING AREA City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING LAND USE PAGE 7- 2 Chapter 7 EXISTING LAND USE SECTION 7.1 INTRODUCTION The reason the existing land use pattern is created and studied is to allow for informed decision-making when developing the future land use plan. Documenting the existing land use pattern creates an awareness and understanding of the community. This base knowledge is the underlying basis that allows the future land use plan to be respectful of the existing development pattern. The existing land use pattern allows for a community to identify parcels that might need to be rezoned to become better suited to existing conditions. This is commonly referred to as a downzoning, which will bring a previously zoned industrial or commercial site into compliance with its existing land use. A site also might be rezoned to implement the future land use plan. The community might want to encourage a new development strategy and decide to zone the land to facilitate the implementation of the plan. Further comparison of existing zoning of individual parcels with the actual land uses helps to identify and correct areas that lack continuity or result in continued non-conforming uses. Knowing the existing land use pattern is essential for local officials to protect the integrity of the community and accommodate new growth. SECTION 7.2 LAND USE INVENTORY The land use inventory identifies the current uses of land throughout the City of Greenwood. The following land use classifications describe the current land use pattern. The inventory is based on information obtained from the City. 1) Low Density Residential. That land which is occupied by dwelling units, including accessory buildings, the primary use being for sheltering individuals, families, or groups of persons. 2) Medium Density Residential. This residential classification includes mobile home parks. City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING LAND USE PAGE 7- 3 3) Commercial/Retail. Land or buildings located within the downtown and throughout the community, which is devoted to retail sales, offices and other commercial services. 4) Industrial. Land uses primarily devoted to manufacturing, storage of goods, and transportation of manufactured and processed goods. 5) Public & Semi-Public. Land or buildings occupied by agencies of the government or by religious, educational or civic groups, excluding land used for recreational purposes. Examples include schools, churches and city or county buildings. 6) Parks & Recreation. Land or buildings used for public parks, swimming pools, open space, preserve or golf course. SECTION 7.3 CITY OF GREENWOOD The focus of this plan update is on the area within the city limits of Greenwood and the unincorporated land surrounding Greenwood. The plan seeks to address the interface of the existing land use pattern and the development of this vacant land. The second area of focus is on the land outside the city limits. Much of this area is viewed as the logical growth area of Greenwood. If not viewed as a logical growth area, the surrounding unincorporated area is seen as the city’s sphere of influence. Therefore, the plan wants to ensure that future land use conflicts are avoided. Residential Low density residential (i.e., single-family residential) is the predominant land use in Greenwood. There are several single-family subdivisions located in Greenwood, primarily on the west side of the City. Dalinda Estates is a newer subdivision located on the north side of the City. Since the original town plat occurred west of the railroad tracks, the older housing stock of Greenwood is located in this area. For the most part, the existing land use City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING LAND USE PAGE 7- 4 pattern in the older parts of Greenwood has not changed significantly over the years. Medium and High-density housing have not been built in Greenwood. Recent proposals for townhomes and duplexes have been rejected by the Planning Commission. There is a mobile-home park, however, on the east side of town that is intended for adult living. This development is considered medium density land use. Commercial The retail commercial activity of Greenwood is primarily concentrated on 150- Highway. A few exceptions exist for commercial activity located off of Ranson Road and near the Post Office on 2nd Avenue. Some Greenwood businesses include: Car wash Casey’s gas station Car repair shop Hair salon Lawn Care Chiropractor’s office Used car dealership Construction companies Child care & preschool centers Tax & bookkeeping office Fence companies Downtown Greenwood continues to support several commercial retail businesses. The Downtown Business District is located west of the railroad tracks. The businesses that are downtown are mostly antique shops along with two restaurants and a bar. Industrial Greenwood is home to a few small industrial businesses. Mr. Long Arm is a manufacturer of extension poles and equipment for various uses. Buckley Powder Company specializes in explosives. Arrowhead Kenell Drywall Supplies has a complete line of drywall supplies. Greenwood also has a storage business, heating & cooling businesses, and a foundation repair business. The businesses are primarily located on Walnut Street which is one block south of 150-Highway (Main Street) and on Ranson Road, north of 150-Highway. The City of Greenwood, Missouri Comprehensive Plan EXISTING LAND USE PAGE 7- 5 businesses located on Ranson Road have some access to the nearby railroad. Buckley Powder Company also has a facility in the southeastern part of town on 2nd Avenue South. Public and Semi-Public Public school property represents the largest use of semi-public designated land in Greenwood. The single largest parcel owned by Lee’s Summit R-7 School district is located at 150-Highway (Main Street) and Ranson Road. The Lee’s Summit R-7 School district also recently announced plans to build an additional elementary school in the planning area boundaries. Other semi-public land uses include churches. Currently there are three churches in Greenwood- First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church, and Greenwood Christian Church. The public land uses include Greenwood City Hall, Public Works building, and the Post Office. Public parks also are included under the public category. SECTION 7.4 UNINCORPORATED PLANNING AREA Rural Residential There are two general types of rural residential housing located within the planning area. The first type is the individual parcel located in a ribbon pattern along county roads. The second type is the platted subdivision, such as the subdivision located off of Doc Henry Road. Public or Semi-Public James A. Reed State Wildlife Preserve Cemetery Public Water Supply No. 12 Water Tower Little Blue Valley Sewer District Pump Station
The City of Greenwood has adopted the following codes:
American Public Works Association Standard Specifications and Design Criteria, 2003;
International Building Code, 2003; International Plumbing Code, 2003; International Fire Code, 2003; National Electrical Code, 2002; International Mechanical Code, 2003; and the International Residential Code, 2003.
Code Enforcement Contact Officer Paul White709 West Main StreetGreenwood, MO 64034
Ph: (816) 537-6969, ext-32
Fax: (816) 537-7461
codesenforcement@greenwoodmo.com
Hours
Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Responsibilities
The City of Greenwood is a well-kept community and citizens expect that neighbors will keep up and maintain their property. The City’s Code Enforcement Officer identifies, investigates, and responds to complaints concerning violations of the City Code and policies. The City's full-time code enforcement officer is available to assist residents with issues related to:
- Weeds or Tall Grass
- Lack of property maintenance
- Unlicensed or inoperable vehicles
- Trash or debris in yard
- Other situations related to codes
We do encourage neighbors to work out issues without City involvement if possible.
Persons found to be in violation of the City Code are given notification of the violations and an opportunity to correct the situation without further action. Most complaints are resolved after the first contact. Citations to appear in City Court may be issued if compliance is not obtained.