Client:  City of Kansas City, Missouri

Project:  FOCUS Kansas City Comprehensive Plan

Year: 1992-1994

Project Description:

As Director of City Planning and Development, Vicki Noteis led the FOCUS Kansas City process, supported by Bob Collins, then City Manager, who provided strategic advice and assistance.

A major undertaking, FOCUS Kansas City is City of Kansas City, Missouri’s first comprehensive plan since 1947, and employed an innovative process developed in-house which included extraordinary amount of public participation (15,000 citizens) and analysis of local, regional and national data concerning then-current conditions. 

The project included two intense phases:

• Phase I-The Policy Plan (vision statement and 14 Principles for Policy)
• Phase II- The Strategic and Comprehensive Plan (seven distinct yet interwoven component plans that detail action steps needed (such as the Neighborhood Prototypes Plan and Human Investment Plan).

Vicki and Bob's leadership roles included:

• Compilation of extensive background materials, including national and local data and trends for sharing with public participants 
• Development of process structure with Steering Committee, elected officials, and plan work groups
• Development of project image and outreach strategies
• Development and implementation of collection and review of participant input.

Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that citizen input was documented and counted so that the process would be citizen driven, not consultant and city staff driven. 

In addition, implementation methods were also developed, so that fifteen years after adoption by the Mayor and City Council, the Plan is still consulted and used as a guideline for leading discussion and decision-making by public officials and private citizens.

FOCUS Kansas City updates and background can be found at www.kcmo.org.