Ideally situated along the Kansas River, Topeka is the capital of Kansas, covering 61.45 square miles, and is located along I-70, approximately 60 miles from Kansas City. The City is home to nearly 125,500 residents and is part of a metro area comprising the counties of Shawnee, Jackson, Jefferson, Wabaunsee, and Osage. Topeka is the fifth largest city in Kansas, behind Wichita, Overland Park, Olathe, and Kansas City, and is the seat of Shawnee County. Residents of Topeka enjoy a high quality of life, exceptional services and amenities. The City operates under a council-manager form of government and is governed by a mayor — elected at large — and nine council members elected from districts. The council votes on ordinances, resolutions, applications, and plats and considers zonin