Keep high standards for Kansas City’s boulevards and attract high-quality development

Kansas Citians take great pride in their extensive system of boulevards and parkways, often rightly so.

Now Parks and Recreation Department officials properly want to know what residents would like to see in the future when it comes to development along the roadways.

The parks agency is putting together standards to guide development along boulevards and parkways in older parts of the city south of the Missouri River and in the fast-growing Northland.

These proposals deserve scrutiny at two public hearings.

One is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Northland Neighborhoods Inc. offices, 4420 N.E. Chouteau Trafficway. The other will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Kansas City Police South Patrol station, 9701 Marion Park Drive.

The parks department should be trying to encourage high quality development along boulevards. That should include everything from housing to businesses to extensive bike and running trails.

The parks board and elected officials should listen carefully to suggestions from Kansas Citians. They may have even better ideas on how to spur growth along the boulevards and parkways, to help maintain them as special amenities for current and future generations.

This story was originally published January 27, 2015 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Keep high standards for Kansas City’s boulevards and attract high-quality development."