Planning commission approves Topeka Bible Church prenatal clinic in split vote

Vacant boarding house approved for duplex conversion in North Topeka

Setback variance clears way for tire shop at former Wanamaker Denny's

City unveils DREAMS-funded Historic Old Town Neighborhood Plan update

Commission debates data center zoning following city council moratorium

Commission explores easing zoning restrictions for modular housing

Factory-built tiny homes could gain legal pathway in Topeka

1. Planning commission approves Topeka Bible Church prenatal clinic in split vote

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Topeka Planning Commission approved a rezoning request from Topeka Bible Church to convert a portion of a vacant 131,000-square-foot building into a prenatal and postnatal medical clinic. The property, located at 1135 S.W. College Ave., formerly served as a nursing home before a portion of it was repurposed by the church in 2001. The new clinic will utilize approximately 35,500 square feet to provide health checkups and postpartum services for women. The commission approved the planned unit development rezoning in a 7-1 vote, with Commissioner William Naeger casting the lone dissenting vote following questions regarding the scope of services that would be offered at the proposed facility.

2. Vacant boarding house approved for duplex conversion in North Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. — In an 8-0 vote, the planning commission approved a rezoning request to convert a long-vacant property at 1035 N.E. Monroe St. into an upstairs-downstairs duplex. The single-family house, which last operated as a boarding house and has sat vacant since at least 2011, was rezoned from a single-family dwelling district to a two-family dwelling district. City staff noted that the project will utilize an existing exterior staircase and will not alter the historic character of the building. The project aligns with the city's housing study goals to provide "missing middle" housing options and received support from neighboring property owners.

3. Setback variance clears way for tire shop at former Wanamaker Denny's

TOPEKA, Kan. — A new tire shop is one step closer to replacing the demolished Denny's restaurant near Wanamaker Road and Interstate 470 after the planning commission unanimously approved a minor planned unit development amendment. Developer Brandon Haverty of WAN15, LLC requested a variance to reduce the required building setback along the east property line from 10 feet to 8 feet. The 2-foot reduction allows the project team to shift the new building slightly out of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 100-year floodplain, avoiding tens of thousands of dollars in costly fill dirt and lengthy federal approval delays.

4. City unveils DREAMS-funded Historic Old Town Neighborhood Plan update

TOPEKA, Kan. — City planners presented the first update since 2003 to the Historic Old Town Neighborhood Plan, outlining a revitalization strategy backed by the Topeka DREAMS Neighborhood Improvement Initiatives Program. The historic neighborhood, bounded by S.W. Sixth Avenue, S.W. Summit, S.W. 10th Avenue and Topeka Boulevard, will receive $1.4 million for infrastructure upgrades, $330,000 for housing rehabilitation and $150,000 for public utility improvements. The plan aims to increase owner-occupied housing, repair aging brick sidewalks and promote economic development by activating vacant lots. The commission will hold a formal public hearing on the plan in August.

5. Commission debates data center zoning following city council moratorium

TOPEKA, Kan. — Following the Topeka City Council's recent adoption of a 12-month moratorium on data centers, the planning commission held an extensive debate on how to regulate the massive technology facilities. Commissioners raised concerns about the heavy electrical loads and water consumption required for server cooling systems, as well as potential noise issues from backup generators. Staff presented a breakdown of facility sizes ranging from small "edge" centers to hyperscale developments spanning millions of square feet. Commissioners directed staff to draft zoning amendments that classify data centers by their utility consumption and footprint to protect the city's power grid and water supply.

6. Commission explores easing zoning restrictions for modular housing

TOPEKA, Kan. — Topeka could soon see factory-built modular homes on vacant residential infill lots as the planning commission explores loosening current zoning restrictions. Currently, modular homes built to the International Residential Code — rather than federal Department of Housing and Urban Development standards — are prohibited on single-family lots without a complex planned unit development approval. A local developer urged the commission to embrace modular construction, arguing that factory production speeds up build times and lowers costs to address the city's affordable housing shortage. Recent momentum follows the passage of Kansas Senate Bill 418, which restricts local governments from using discretionary review to block housing developments that already meet single-family zoning criteria. Commissioners broadly supported establishing a "by-right" legal pathway for modular homes that meet local building codes.

7. Factory-built tiny homes could gain legal pathway in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. — The planning commission discussed amending city zoning ordinances to explicitly permit factory-built tiny homes on residential lots, expanding on statewide efforts like Kansas Senate Bill 418 to cut red tape in housing construction. While site-built tiny homes are currently permitted if they meet building codes, factory-built dwellings under 400 square feet are not allowed as standalone residences on individual city parcels. Commissioners expressed a willingness to update definitions and dimensional requirements to accommodate tiny homes, provided they meet municipal safety and aesthetic inspection standards, as a means to increase local housing inventory.

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