Obviously essential services and those paying the biggest dividends should be funded first, but other items on the list deserve serious consideration too. It is imperative that the city focus on housing development. Ottawa has a serious housing shortage. Expansion of city infrastructure and creating a developer-friendly environment would be solid first steps towards encouraging more housing development. Housing development has been heavy in Lawrence, Eudora, Wellsville and Gardner, among other neighboring communities, while Ottawa has been stagnant.
Affordable housing is nearly non-existent in Ottawa.
It is difficult to attract new retailers, not to mention industry, without an adequate amount of affordable housing. Retailers typically follow rooftops, as in housing. Until Ottawa gets more rooftops it is unlikely it will attract more retailers. Besides infrastructure expansion, greater flexibility in zoning and subdivision regulation would also help encourage housing development. In addition to housing development, other proposed short-term improvements from the planning commission included adding jet fueling capabilities, additional hangars and refurbishing interior and exterior of facilities to the airport.