Two area cities recognized as Communities for All Ages

Both cities achieved gold-level status, which means the local governing body applied an “age lens” to a major city plan. Grandview adopted age-friendly principles within the city’s updated comprehensive plan. North Kansas City applied an age lens in their updated bicycle master plan.

The Communities for All Ages (CFAA) recognition program was developed by the First Suburbs Coalition and KC Communities for All Ages to support first-tier suburbs, help communities respond to a rapid increase in the older adult population and make communities more welcoming for all age groups. The program is available to all jurisdictions in the nine-county MARC region.

Since the recognition program’s start, 20 local jurisdictions are working to make their communities more age friendly. Previous awards have gone to Gladstone, Independence, Kearney, Lee’s Summit, Mission, Raymore and Roeland Park (gold); Excelsior Springs and Liberty (silver); and Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Olathe, Parkville, Peculiar and Raytown (bronze).

“The city of Grandview is proud to be the recipient of such an esteemed award,” said City Planner Dave McCumber. “The principles the CFAA program strive for were embedded into our recent comprehensive plan Grandview 2030 and are being carried into the city’s zoning ordinance update. While Grandview, like many cities, has always planned and designed for an all-inclusive community, serving all people, we now have a more precise focus and understanding of the challenges for residents and visitors of all ages.”