Ottawa puts downtown utilities into $250,000 master-plan brief
Ottawa, City of, Kansas · Meeting date: October 21, 2026 · Published: October 22, 2026
Ottawa City Commission has approved Olsson Inc.’s $250,000 contract to prepare a Downtown Ottawa Master Plan, including a high-level review of water distribution, sanitary sewer and stormwater infrastructure. The plan is intended to coordinate future utility needs with streetscape, redevelopment and public-space investment.
Key points
- The consent agenda approval authorises a $250,000 lump-sum professional-services agreement with Olsson Inc.; reimbursable expenses are included.
- Olsson will assess water distribution, sanitary sewer, stormwater collection and drainage, electric, telecommunications and broadband systems affecting downtown investment.
- The work will identify infrastructure constraints, utility conflicts and planned city projects that could affect streetscape, redevelopment or public-space improvements.
- The agreement anticipates completion by October 31, 2027, with monthly invoicing and payment due within 30 days.
Full report
Ottawa, Kansas, has placed water, sewer and stormwater coordination within a new $250,000 Downtown Ottawa Master Plan contract, approved by the City Commission as part of its October 21 consent agenda.
Olsson Inc. will prepare the plan under a lump-sum agreement that includes reimbursable expenses. The assignment is broader than a utility study, but its infrastructure component is designed to identify where existing systems could constrain future downtown investment, redevelopment, streetscape works and public-space projects.
The consultant’s high-level review will cover water distribution infrastructure; sanitary sewer infrastructure; stormwater collection and drainage systems; electric utility infrastructure; and telecommunications and broadband. It will also consider existing and anticipated constraints, potential utility conflicts, and capital improvements and infrastructure projects already planned by the city.
The stated aim is to identify opportunities to coordinate streetscape, transport, utility and redevelopment work, helping the city sequence future projects, maximise public investment and minimise disruption. Findings are to inform implementation priorities and identify where upgrades may be needed to support downtown improvements, redevelopment opportunities and long-term economic growth.
Olsson’s wider scope includes existing-conditions analysis, a traffic and parking review, pedestrian and bicycle assessments, urban-design and public-realm evaluation, and a market and land-use study. The firm will also lead engagement through questionnaires, pop-up events, workshops, open houses, a planning and design charrette, stakeholder interviews and leadership work sessions.
The final plan is expected to include an infrastructure coordination framework, concept plans and an implementation strategy. That strategy may set out implementation partners, sequencing, potential funding and grant opportunities, planning-level priorities and rough order-of-magnitude estimates where appropriate.
The agreement identifies October 31, 2027 as the anticipated completion date. Olsson will invoice monthly, with city payments due within 30 calendar days.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Commission, Ottawa, City of