Why the Future of a KC Connection to the KATY Trail Depends on YOU

May 31, 2016 Lara Justesen

Raytown's Main Street Association, with members on the Rock Island Corridor Coalition, is identifying the potential held within the Rock Island Railroad corridor through Raytown, hoping for the day it will connect with the statewide KATY Trail system. This video is a "before and after" visualization of Rock Island trail development within Raytown's city limits progressing from southeast to northwest.

Completing the approximate 23 mile Rock Island portion of the system from Pleasant Hill to Kansas City at the Truman Sports complex will complete the connection of St. Louis, on the eastern border of Missouri, with Kansas City on the west; thrilling trail enthusiasts with over 300 miles of contiguous non-motorized recreational trail.

The KATY Trail has had a significant economic impact for the state of Missouri and local businesses, producing annual revenue in excess of 300% more than the trail's original construction cost ($18mil/annually vs. $6mil initial construction according to a 2012 economic impact study by Missouri State Parks).

The development of the Rock Island corridor connection through the communities of Pleasant Hill, Greenwood, Lee's Summit, Raytown and Kansas City is set to provide the same economic benefit, boosting local economies, creating jobs and generating revenue for private businesses and public use. The connection will establish a convenient, healthy, inter-city transportation connection between communities and to the Chiefs and Royals stadiums for thousands of users annually. Who wouldn't love to ditch the long lines and parking congestion to go catch a game?

While the land within the Rock Island corridor is now in the hands of Jackson County, Missouri, there is still much to be decided before the dream that started in the late 1970's becomes a reality for the Kansas City metro area.

Those who are proponents of the rail/trail conversion must get and stay active and vocal, keeping the momentum going. You can do this by attending public meetings, writing to your local government representatives and speaking up on social media. We'd be honored if you would share this visualization video with your comments on your social feeds.

Landgenuity is honored to be a part of this project.

Want to know more?

Check out the recent 41 Action News report on YouTube. (https://youtu.be/wwoqVPf_b9U)

Sources:

http://mobikefed.org/2013/03/katy-trail-186-million-annual-economic-impact-according-new-missouri-state-parks-study

http://www.marc.org/Environment/MetroGreen-Parks/Current-Projects/Katy-Trail-connection

http://www.bikekatytrail.com/default.aspx

Tired of Feeling Overwhelmed by Your Landscape? Here's What to Do

February 12, 2016 Lara Justesen

Have you ever gotten stuck in the details when trying to figure out how to dress up the outdoors? Has your mind ever spun in circles while you think about which plants you should choose? You know you want to create a special place, but how do you get started?

When this happens, you may need to take a few steps back and look at the bigger picture. This is especially important when you want to coordinate uses and experiences across the entire landscape. It's time for a master plan.

Master planning takes a bird's eye view of your outdoor space and uses larger groupings of plants and general hardscape areas to identify spaces and uses. At a final level of detail, master plans can name materials and specific plants to choose from. They typically don't get overloaded in detail; that comes later with further final landscape design investigation. A master plan functions as a road map, coordinating future outdoor development with existing structures, human circulation patterns and rainwater drainage needs.

A master plan gives you license to dream. Put all of your want list down on paper and then implement it over time. If you change your mind along the way, no problem! Just rework that part of the plan.

For example, when Country Club Christian Church changed their minds about what uses they wanted to provide their members and the surrounding neighborhood on a vacant lot adjacent to their main building, they opted for a redo. In two quick meetings, Landgenuity had all the info needed to draw up the new space and incorporate it into their overall plan.

The Church's master plan is now up-to-date and the Green Team is moving forward to implement phases of new installations. If you feel stuck, call Landgenuity today to talk about your master planning needs. We can help.

Bayless Design Premier

November 18, 2015 Lara Justesen

What a transformation for a beautiful brick-front home whose landscape had fallen off the previous owners' priority list. The before and after are testimony that an outdoor refresh can completely change the perception of a home's comfort and usability. This design is a fresh start for new owner, Debbie Bayless, who is looking forward to starting a community garden for the neighborhood right in her own front yard. Debbie likes to add new touches to her landscape each growing season, so ample room was provided in key locations for annuals and bulbs.