Parsons Comprehensive Plan
City: Parsons, Kansas
Client: City of Parsons
Service TypeComprehensive Plan
TimeframeAdopted December 2021
Land Use Planning, Community Engagement, Community Dialog Facilitation, Education, Mapping, Housing & Neighborhood Planning, Mobility & Connectivity Planning
Project Activites
Parsons, Kansas engaged Verdunity for a new comprehensive plan, replacing their outdated 2000 plan that lacked actionable steps and a unified vision. Addressing housing challenges and population decline, the City Commission emphasized fiscal health. The contract included a thorough code diagnostic, reviewing zoning and sign regulations, and suggested changes for better fiscal development.
Verdunity's community-focused approach leveraged local resources and resident input. The team analyzed development patterns in Parsons, using graphics to highlight profitable ones and tailoring recommendations to the town's values, rural character, and regional trends. The land use planning strategy aimed for simplicity and efficiency, fostering necessary redevelopment.
The document's writing process focused on engaging residents in governance, with a clear, prioritized implementation plan to combat long-standing apathy and disengagement. This plan, shaped by community feedback, offers explicit policy-making guidance and communication strategies. An appendix with templates for annual updates and low-cost project guides was also included, ensuring ongoing relevance and applicability.
“To say you exceeded my expectations is an understatement. Concise actionable items, clear descriptions of our challenges, presented in an easy to read and easily digestible document.”
Leland Crooks
Parsons City Commisisoner
Key Plan Tenets
Compact, Connected, and Cost-Effective: The Path Forward
For years, Parsons has followed a development pattern that prioritizes outward growth, but this approach comes with hidden costs. Every new street, sewer line, and utility expansion adds long-term maintenance obligations that outpace the city’s ability to fund them. With a sprawling footprint of nearly 9 square miles but a declining population, the city must rethink how and where it grows.
The most financially sustainable way forward is to grow in, not out. Compact, connected development patterns—like those found in Parsons’ historic neighborhoods—maximize land use efficiency, distribute the cost of infrastructure more evenly, and create the kind of walkable, attractive communities that people want to live in.
Turning Dialogue into Action
Parsons’ strength comes from its people, and the most effective plans are built through collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity. That’s why community dialogue was a driving force behind this plan from the very beginning. Residents, business owners, and local leaders came together through surveys, public meetings, interactive workshops, and online engagement tools to define the city’s challenges, uncover opportunities, and craft a vision for a thriving future.
But the conversation doesn’t stop here. A successful comprehensive plan isn’t a static document—it’s a living framework that must evolve with the needs of the community. That’s why Parsons is committed to ongoing engagement, regular check-ins, and open lines of communication between residents and decision-makers.
A Common-Sense Approach to Land Use
For too long, zoning and land use regulations have been overly complicated, limiting the flexibility needed to adapt to changing community needs. Parsons’ Future Land Use Map (FLUM) introduces a more adaptable framework, ensuring that land use policies evolve alongside the city. Unlike the rigid classifications of past plans, the new land use categories prioritize flexibility, making it easier to accommodate mixed-use development, housing diversity, and economic opportunities without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
A clearer, more user-friendly approach to zoning helps property owners, developers, and city officials make informed decisions. The new system includes a six-step evaluation process for land use requests, ensuring that zoning changes align with community priorities while maintaining consistency with the comprehensive plan.
First Steps to a Stronger Parsons
Change happens in steps, not leaps, and Parsons’ approach ensures that progress is both achievable and impactful. By identifying five clear, immediate actions, the city is setting the stage for meaningful transformation without overwhelming resources or capacity. These first steps serve as a catalyst—providing quick wins that build momentum, demonstrate commitment, and create a foundation for long-term success. Instead of getting lost in broad ambitions, this plan prioritizes focused, tangible progress that residents can see and experience. By starting with manageable yet strategic initiatives, Parsons ensures that its vision for the future is not just aspirational, but actionable.
