In early spring 1996, North Topeka On the Move Association successfully applied for state funding to prepare a long range, community based strategic action plan to revitalize North Topeka. For this project, "NOTOMA" was defined as the entire area of ZIP CODE 66608, extending north-south from the Kansas River to Highway 24 and east-west from Vail to Meriden.
   The strategic action plan is a grass roots plan, developed through citizen participation in focus group discussions, a community-wide survey, public meetings, and task groups. The plan was officially presented to the community at a public meeting November 28, 1996.
   The Action Plan focused on business development, community improvement, and infrastructure/housing, but did not include City participation during the planing process. NOTOMA followed the goals and actions of the plan to guide their organization to enact community improvements for this broad area. The major themes of the plan involved returning stability to the residental neighborhoods including "a proposal for downzoning", the need to build upon historic assets of the community, and achieve a vibrant business district on N. Kansas Avenue.
   In the summer of 1998, NOTOMA and the City of Topeka agreed to partner on a more comprehensive and targeted revitalization plan. After the revitalization plan was completed a joint application was made to the State of Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing's Metropolitan Community Capacity Building Grant program for a $15,000 grant that would be applied to graphic assistance with these planning efforts.
   The purpose of the Historic North Topeka Revitalization Plan is to provide long-range guidance and clear direction to the City, its agencies, residents, and private/public interests for the future revitalization of Historic North Topeka.