HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City Council unanimously approved the Downtown Hutch Master Plan on Tuesday June 18th. On June 11th, The Planning Commission reviewed the plan and unanimously recommended approval.
The Downtown Hutch Master plan is a high-level, long-range planning document that will be used to guide policy over the next 20 years. Like the Comprehensive Plan, the Downtown Hutch Master plan assesses infrastructure, land use, and transportation, but also includes an emphasis on economic development, tourism and entertainment.
With funding from the City and private citizens, the plan was initiated in 2022. The planning process was guided by a technical committee, multiple community meetings, and over 800 survey responses. The result was a plan that envisions Downtown Hutch as a thriving and dynamic heart to the community. Focus areas of the plan include land use, transportation, public spaces, programming, and operations.
A technical committee will continue to meet to ensure progress is made on the plan. The technical committee has representatives from the Hutchinson Community Foundation, Hutch Chamber, City of Hutchinson, Hutch Rec, and Startup Hutch.
There were some concerns expressed by council members Steve Garza and Stacy Goss that the plan does not address needs in the neighborhood south of Avenue D, between there and Carey Park. It's not that either don't agree there needs to be a plan for downtown, but both were clear they don't want to see the south end of Main Street left out of improvements as they happen.
City Planner Matt Williams also made clear that he understands that not everything on the Master Plan will happen as it is envisioned in the initial document, but that it is a framework to start from as the city plans ahead for the long term of downtown Hutchinson.
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