In May 2006, the South Central Neighborhood Plan was adopted as an element of The Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan, to guide long-term redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the South Central Neighborhood. The South Central Neighborhood is bound by Kellogg on the north, the Arkansas River on the south and west, and Washington and the railroad tracks from Pawnee to the Arkansas River on the east.
The South Central Neighborhood Plan outlines the community’s vision of what the South Central Neighborhood will be like in 2030. This vision is based upon an assessment of the neighborhood’s top issues and the changes desired to address those issues. The following goals are identified to accomplish this vision:
1. Strengthen citizen involvement
2. Improve the visual appearance of the neighborhood
3. Improve neighborhood safety
4. Improve neighborhood infrastructure
5. Promote the unique character and historical significance of the neighborhood
6. Increase homeownership
7. Improve existing housing stock
8. Preserve the character of residential areas
9. Promote economic opportunities
10. Reduce the negative impact of incompatible businesses
11. Increase education and employment opportunities for residents
12. Increase recreational opportunities
13. Promote the river as a community destination
14. Increase use of existing neighborhood facilities
A total of 36 implementation initiatives are identified in the plan. The implementation initiatives detail the specific objectives and strategies to achieve the plan’s goals. Key initiatives that are important to the overall success of the neighborhood are identified.
Since the Plan’s adoption, a group of citizen volunteers formed the South Central Neighborhood Plan Implementation Committee and has been meeting monthly to actively guide the Plan’s implementation. In September 2008, the Implementation Committee formerly requested that the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission initiate the Plan’s implementation initiatives related to zoning and land use for the neighborhood. As result, the South Central Neighborhood Land Use Plan, February 2009, was adopted to provide development policies for the neighborhood that will guide future land use decisions.