This Week at City Hall (January 26 – 30, 2026)

Reconstitution of the 18th and Vine Redevelopment Authority, Digital Signage Text Amendment heard by the Neighborhood Planning Committee, and new multifamily housing in Southmoreland.

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Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee

Tuesday, January 27th at 1:30pm

The Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee includes Chairperson and Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, Vice Chair Eric Bunch, and Councilmembers Nathan Willett and Melissa Patterson Hazley. 

Ordinance 260049 requested approval of the plat of Bungalows at Maple Woods on approximately 16 acres and located at the northwest corner of Northeast Barry Road and North Prospect Avenue in the Bridgepointe neighborhood of the Northland, creating one lot and two tracts for the purpose of a residential development.

This item was on the Committee’s Consent Agenda and was recommended for approval with little deliberation. It was later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Ordinance 260050 requested approval of the plat for the development known as The Parker, located at the southeast corner of East 18th Street and The Paseo in the Wendell Phillips neighborhood, creating two lots and one tract for the purpose of a mixed use development.

This item was on the Committee’s Consent Agenda and was recommended for approval with little deliberation. It was later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Ordinance 260047 and Ordinance 260048 requested approval and acceptance of a one-year grant award in the amount of $28,235.00 from Nurture KC and a twelve-month $300,000.00 grant award agreement from the Health Forward Foundation to receive capacity grant funding to support the Nurse-Family Partnership home visiting program.

The NFP Program provides nurse home visiting services to first-time low-income mothers, prenatally through their child’s second birthday. The above organizations are partnering with Kansas City to achieve the program’s goals of improving pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, and family economic self-sufficiency.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of these ordinances. They were later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Ordinance 260056 requested approval to rezone the site located at the southeast corner of Troost Avenue and East 5th Street in the Columbus Park neighborhood from UR to B2-2 to allow for an entertainment venue.

This item was previously brought before the City Plan Commission on December 3rd as CD-CPC-2025-00160 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

The Committee moved to continue this item to February 3rd, ahead of the meeting Tuesday.

Ordinance 260058 and Resolution 260057 requested approval to rezone and approval of an amendment to the Gashland/Nashua Area Plan for the development known as BB North Oak located at 9820 N. Oak Trafficway in the New Mark neighborhood of the Northland, rezoning the site from zoning district MPD to B2-2 and changing the recommended land use from residential medium density to mixed use neighborhood. Staff Planner Genevieve Kohn-Smith presented this item to the Committee.

This site is part of a larger master-planned development (MPD) which included a residential subdivision adjacent to some commercial pad sites. The subject site is the fifth lot of the aforementioned commercial pads and was proposed for a Popeye’s drive-through in 2022. The permitting for that specific development lapsed after two years of no construction. Popeye’s is still interested in the site, but has taken longer than expected to develop. Staff suggested that the site be returned to base commercial zoning (B2-2) which would allow the Popeye’s to be constructed without needing to reapply for an MPD and begin construction within an allotted time.

The Committee moved to recommend this item for approval.

Ordinance 260059 and Resolution 260060 requested approval to rezone and approval of an amendment to the Greater Downtown Area Plan for the site located at 2561 Holmes Street  in the Longfellow neighborhood, from zoning district R-2.5 to zoning district B3-2, and from a recommended land use of medium density residential to a land use of downtown mixed use, to allow for a limited auto repair business. Staff Planner Alec Gustafson presented this item to the Committee.

The subject site was originally issued a building permit for a filling station in 1927. Later, in 1982, it was rezoned from C3-A2 to R2-B. A Certificate of Legal Nonconforming Use (CLNU) was granted to the site in 1983 for a business office and repair shop for Liquid Products, Inc. The property sat vacant for three years between 2022 and 2025, causing this CLNU to lapse.

The current tenant is using the space for a Motor Vehicle Repair, Limited business. For this use to be permitted under the zoning and development code, the site must be rezoned to B3-2 and the area plan must be amended.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of these items. They were later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Resolution 260070 directed the City Manager to evaluate reconstitution of a redevelopment authority for the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District to support investment, consistent leasing activity, and collaboration with City economic development entities for City-owned properties. Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley presented this item to the Committee.

Councilmember Patterson Hazley explained that this initiative is an attempt to guide development and find compatible tenants for the 18th and Vine district, similar to the redevelopment authority for the City Market. 

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. It was later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Resolution 260075 directed the City Manager to review Chapters 17 and 78 of the

Code of Ordinances, as well as the City’s economic incentive policies, to evaluate

the impact of data center infrastructure development on the City’s environmental

quality, consumer water and electricity rates, and local economic growth.

Councilman Willett was added to this item as co-sponsor.

The Committee moved to recommend this item for approval with little deliberation. It was later passed this Thursday by the full City Council.

Ordinance 250876 requested amendment of Chapter 88, the Zoning and Development Code, by repealing Subsection 88-445-06, Residential Signs, and enacting in lieu thereof a new section of like number and subject matter for the purposes of allowing digital signs for Institutional and Office Uses in residential districts and adopting new standards for such signs. City Planning and Development Division Manager Sara Copeland presented this item to the Committee.

This item was brought before the City Plan Commission on August 20th as CD-CPC-2025-00128 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

The proposed text amendments include a new section (88-445-06-A 4. (e) – Digital Signs). This section would allow for the construction of digital signage subject to an applicant obtaining a special use permit, and also requiring that the subject lot be at least 3 acres in size and adjacent to a major arterial street. The digital sign face would be limited to one monument sign.

Additionally, the sign would require a setback of at least 100 ft from any other residentially zoned and occupied property. A setback of at least 50 feet from any interior side property lines would be required as well.

The sign would also be prohibited from being located within 150 ft of a public park or a parkway or boulevard and would be ineligible for being located on a lot that is within a designated historic district or on a lot where there exists a designated historic landmark.

In terms of operational requirements, digital signs would be:

• prohibited from changing more than once every hour
• required to change image instantaneously (no effects)
• required to have automatic light level controls
• prohibited from being illuminated between 10pm and 7am
• limited to LED lights of a single color
• prohibited from having white backgrounds
• required to be turned off if not functioning properly

This ordinance was originally introduced to allow schools and other institutional uses to have digital signage.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item.

Ordinance 250997 requested approval to repeal and replace Section 88-354 of the Zoning and Development Code, titled Marijuana Facilities, for the purpose of allowing marijuana dispensaries located at least 1,000 feet from residential zoning districts to operate 24 hours per day subject to approval of a special use permit.

This item was brought before the City Plan Commission on December 3rd as CD-CPC-2025-00141 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

These amendments would allow dispensaries that are more than 1000 ft from a residential zoning district to stay open 24/7, subject to a special use permit (SUP), with a duration of five years for each SUP. As of right now, this amendment would only be applicable for two existing dispensaries in the city.

The Committee moved to continue this item to February 3rd, ahead of the meeting Tuesday.

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Board of Zoning Adjustment

Wednesday, January 28th at 9am

The Board of Zoning Adjustment was attended this week by Chair Mark Ebbitts and Members Emerson ‘Jaz’ Hays, Theresa Otta, Myeisha Wright, and Gonzalo Venture. 

CD-SUP-2026-00001 requested approval of a special use permit for outdoor storage, warehousing, and freight movement for a site on about 13 acres and located at 7300 E US 40 Hwy in the Blue Valley neighborhood. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi and Patricia Jensen – Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C., a representative for the property owner Isf Holdings LLC Series II, presented this item to the Board.

The subject site is surrounded by several other industrial uses, and is itself zoned industrial. However, a special use permit is required for the specific proposed use (outdoor warehousing, etc.). The property owner’s plans for the site are primarily for use as a semi-truck trailer lot.

In addition to the requested special use permit, the applicants were also seeking a variance to the required setback of 10 ft for outdoor uses. The variance would permit a setback of zero feet on the eastern property line, proposed for 25 semi-truck trailer parking spaces. The applicants explained that this request was made because the eastern property line is situated on a concrete retaining wall, and the purpose of the setback to mitigate impacts between adjoining properties is already achieved. 

The Board moved to approve the requested items.

CD-BZA-2025-00199 requested approval of variances for an accessory structure in an M3-5 zoning district for the site located at 5301 Brighton Ave near the Sheraton Estates neighborhood. Staff Planner Alec Gustafson and Patrick Joyce – Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., a representative for the property owner Totta Property Holdings LLC, presented this item to the Board.

At the request of the applicant, the Board moved to continue this item to February 25th with fee.

CD-BZA-2025-00196 requested approval of a special exception to permit a fence greater than permitted on the subject site located at 2333 Quincy Ave in the East 23rd St PAC neighborhood. 

The Board moved to continue this item to February 4th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-BZA-2025-00203 requested approval of a special exception to permit a fence greater than 6 feet tall in the side and rear yard on the subject site, located at 9714 E 50th St near the Eastwood Hills neighborhood, just north of Raytown. Staff Planner Connor Tomlin and property owner Matthew Isherwood presented this item to the Board.

Mr. Isherwood explained that his request to build a fence at a height of 10 ft on one side of his yard was in response to an adjacent neighbor who had installed cameras to monitor their property. 

Ms. Otto and Mr. Ebbitts both expressed concern at the precedent that granting this variance may set. Instead, they suggested a six-foot fence and planting fast-growing trees to obscure the field of view. 

The Board moved to deny the requested variance.

CD-BZA-2025-00150 requested appeal of city staff’s determination to require a Special Use Permit for the establishment of indoor warehousing for the site located at 4840 E 12th St in the Sheffield neighborhood. Staff Planner Ahnna Nanoski and John Roe – The Roe Law Firm LLC, a representative for the property owner Blount Inc, presented this item to the Board.

The subject site is an industrial-type use adjacent to Van Brunt Blvd to the west. Previously, Staff had determined that a special use permit would be required for the applicant to establish indoor warehousing on the site, given its proximity (within 150 ft) to a boulevard or parkway. City staff believed that the proposed use “begins” with the required components of the use (for example, staff and patron parking), regardless of building location. 

However, Van Brunt Blvd, where it is adjacent to the subject property, was (in error) not marked as a designated boulevard or parkway in the Major Street Plan. Mr. Roe argued that although this may have been an error, the published documentation (Major Street Plan) was the controlling legislation, and should be followed.

The Board moved to grant the applicant’s request to remove the requirement for a special use permit to establish the proposed use on the subject site.

CD-BZA-2025-00214 requested approval of a variance to the required setbacks to permit a duplex on the subject site, located at 3721 N Olive St in the Hills of Rock Creek neighborhood in the Northland. Staff Planner Liz Collins and property owners Kenneth Blessie presented this item to the Board.

The subject property already contains a single-family dwelling. The applicants were seeking variances to the front and rear setback requirements to allow the existing structure to be converted to a duplex. The subject site was previously two lots, but were merged into one, and one of two dwellings on the site were demolished. The merging of the lots changed the legal definition of the front yard. Instead of fronting N Olive St, the site now fronts NE 37th Ter. The remaining single-family dwelling was built on the lot that used to front N Olive St. The setback for the remaining dwelling is now 17ft for the rear yard and 100 ft for the front yard. The existing building is considered legal nonconforming, because it was built prior to the lot merging, but converting the dwelling to a duplex triggers the need for a variance.

The required setback for the front yard is 43 ft and the required setback for the rear yard is 30 ft. Denial of the requested variances would require the applicants to redesign, keep the building as a single-family home, or demolish and start over. 

In acknowledgement of these facts, the Board moved to grant the requested variances.

CD-BZA-2025-00215 requested approval of variances to the Main Corridor Overlay for building height and transparency, for the site located at 32 E 46th St in the Southmoreland neighborhood. Staff Planner Genevieve Kohn-Smith and Will Dubois – Davidson AE, a representative for the property owner 46 Walnut LLC, presented this item to the Board.

The subject site is adjacent (east of) the Country Club Plaza, and is currently vacant. There is a companion development plan for the site which proposes 152 residential units along with at-grade parking. 

The requested variances to the Main Corridor overlay include a request to permit a height greater than 65 ft. The slope of the site is quite steep (about 40 ft of grade change). This, the applicants argued, necessitated the variance to permit a greater height, as one side of the building’s ground floor would be taller than the other. The tallest elevation of the building (as viewed from 46th St) would be 109 ft.

In addition, the applicants were seeking a variance to the transparency standards for the Main Corridor Overlay, which state that the “second story and above shall have a minimum of 40 percent transparency for any facade fronting a street.” The applicants’ designs were proposing 28 percent transparency for the second story and above. However, staff had deemed this would not create a substantial change to the character of the neighborhood, as most surrounding structures had been constructed prior to the Main Corridor Overlay.

Three residents of the surrounding neighborhood also gave testimony on this case, in opposition to granting the requested variances. Of concern were the proposed height of the building and potential increase in demand for parking as a result of the development.

The Board moved to grant the requested variances.

CD-BZA-2025-00182 requested an appeal of a notice of violation related to an accessory structure on the subject site, located at 2104 Jarboe St in the Westside neighborhood. Staff Planner Ahnna Nanoski and property owner Jason Nivens presented this item to the Board.

The accessory structures in question included a deck, treehouse, and gazebo. Some of these the city had no record of permits for. The deck and the gazebo, Mr. Nivens reported, had been there for 16 and 10 years, respectively. The deck was present when he moved in. 

Some board members expressed that this case may be better handled as a request for variances, as City Staff’s estimation of the listed code violations was not inaccurate, though there may be a case for practical hardship. 

The Board, therefore, moved to deny the applicant’s appeal.

CD-SUP-2025-00022 requested approval of a special use permit for outdoor warehousing storage for commercial vehicle, equipment parking, and material storage in zoning districts M1-5 and M3-5 for the site located at the terminus of E 78th Street west of the Union Pacific Railroad, specifically located at 3901 E 78th St near the Marlborough, NOBLE, and Gregory Ridge neighborhoods in South KC. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi and Brian Terry, a representative for the property owner All Storage Truck And Trailer LLC, presented this item to the Board.

This item was previously brought before the City Plan Commission on December 17th and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

The subject property was previously cited for improper use and for gravel onsite. The applicants were seeking a special use permit and a variance to remedy these citations. 

Surrounding uses to the property are largely industrial and City Staff did not anticipate that granting the special use permit and variance would have a significantly negative impact to those properties.

The Board moved to grant the requested items.

CD-BZA-2025-00209 requested approval of a variance to the accessory structure standards to permit a larger storage shed on the subject site, located at 6819 E 66th St in the Swope Ridge neighborhood. Staff Planner Stephanie Saldari and property owner Scott Culton presented this item to the Board.

The applicant was seeking a variance to the accessory building standards to permit a proposed 24×40 ft shed on the subject site, and a variance to the residential vehicular standards to permit an existing gravel driveway.

Several other surrounding properties have gravel driveways, but Staff was uncertain whether these were existing prior to annexation of the area by Kansas City in 1957.

Particularly of concern to some board members including Ms. Otto and Mr. Hays was the size of the proposed shed. Ms. Otto inquired if the applicant would be willing to add a garage door to the building, as garages fall under separate standards and one of the proposed size would be permitted. However, the applicant chose to reject the suggestion, as he already had a garage. 

The Board moved to grant the requested variances, but the vote failed, and the applicant was denied the requested items.

CD-BZA-2023-00049 requested appeal of city staff’s determination related to zoning violations issued for the subject site on about 13 acres and located at 5500 Bennington Ave.

The Board moved to continue this item to February 25th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-SUP-2025-00046 requested approval of a Special Use Permit in an R-7.5 (Residential) zoning district on about 57 acres and located at the southeast corner of North Oak Trafficway and Northeast 106th Street in the New Mark neighborhood of the Northland, allowing for the addition of a gymnasium facility and accessory parking to New Mark Middle School. Staff Planner Matthew Barnes and the applicant, Braden Taylor – MKEC Engineering, Inc., presented this item to the Board.

This item was previously brought before the City Plan Commission on January 21st and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

The proposed addition to the school would serve as a storm shelter in addition to a gymnasium. Forty-two additional parking spaces would be added as part of this development. In addition, the applicants were seeking a variance to signage standards, which permit one sign up to 20 square feet adjacent to an entrance of an institutional use (such as a school) in a residential district. This sign would read “NM” and would measure 56.25 square feet. A separate sign was proposed to be engraved on the concrete across the wall of the gymnasium. It would read the name of the school mascot (“Northstars”) and would measure 733 sq ft. 

Board member Hays expressed concern for the size increase that the second sign variance would allow, though he personally thought it was an attractive design. Other board members echoed his sentiment, and moved to grant the special use permit and the first sign variance (for the sign measure 56.25 sq ft) but denied the requested variance for the sign measuring 733 sq ft.

CD-BZA-2025-00179 requested an appeal of a zoning determination related to a setback for a detached dwelling unit on the subject site, zoned R-6 and located at 10115 N Kansas Ct near the New Mark neighborhood of the Northland. Staff Planner Ahnna Nanoski and the applicant, Duane Bartsch, presented this item to the Board.

Mr. Bartsch is a neighbor of the subject property and was seeking appeal of the zoning determination in opposition to the existing detached dwelling unit on the site. City Staff had determined that the rear yard of the subject property faces south, and the western property boundary was classed as a street-side yard. 

Left: Applicant’s interpretation of the rear yard. Right: City Staff’s Interpretation of Yard Designations

Applicant’s photograph of the existing structure on the subject site (Looking Northeast from NE Staley Farms Dr).

Mr. Bartsch and his neighbors were opposed to the existing development, because the building was being constructed such that its street-side portion seemed oblong and lacked the characteristics expected of a structure fronting a street (sufficient transparency, entrances, etc.). He was seeking this appeal to require the property owners to move the structure to meet the setback requirements of a rear yard (30 ft), instead of a side yard (15ft).

The Board moved to uphold City Staff’s estimation of the yard designations for the subject site.

CD-BZA-2024-00176 requested approval of a variance to the distance requirements for an accessory structure in an R-6 zoning district and located at 4933 N Chelsea Ave near the Maple Park neighborhood in the Northland. 

The Board moved to continue this item to March 11th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-BZA-2025-00091 requested approval of multiple variances to accessory structures and gravel standards in an R-6 zoning district for the site located at 5106 N Brighton

Pl near the Maple Park neighborhood in the Northland. Staff Planner Connor Tomlin and property owners Jason and Misty Jones presented this item to the Board.

This item was previously brought before the BZA on September 10th and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

The first variance, concerning gravel standards, requested to permit existing gravel parking on the site. The second variance requested to permit a 45 foot wide driveway, 23 feet wider than what is allowed. The third variance requested to allow a carport over the front driveway. The applicants were also requesting several variances for other accessory structures located in the backyard on the site.  

Mr. Jones has several medical conditions that prevent him from being in sunlight, which the applicants explained was a major reason that they had constructed the carport. The various other accessory structures, many of them sheds and shipping containers, they explained, were in order to protect property.

The applicants explained that since the last Board meeting, they had considered changing their variance requests. They were amenable to replacing the gravel driveway with asphalt, narrowing its width where it meets the street, and to moving (and/or removing some of) the accessory structures in the rear yard to meet setback and separation requirements. They were requesting the carport remain, for health purposes.

The Board moved that the variances allowing the carport be granted, but that the remaining be denied (or, in the case of the accessory structures, granted on the condition that the applicant remove two of these).

CD-BZA-2025-00213 requested approval of a variance to the infill lot and building standards to permit an addition to encroach within the rear Setback for the site located at 5735 Ward Pkwy in the Country Club District neighborhood. Staff Planner Connor Tomlin and Michael Blackledge – Piper-Wind Architects, Inc, a representative for the property owner Patricia Henry – Trustee, presented this item to the Board.

The applicants were seeking this variance to allow for a second-floor addition to an existing house. Because the house was built prior to the infill lot and building standards, it already encroaches on the rear setback, and is considered legal nonconforming. Therefore, Staff estimated that since the second floor addition would not expand the footprint of the home, it would not have substantial change to the character of the neighborhood.

The Board moved to grant the requested variance.

CD-BZA-2025-00216 requested approval of a variance to the infill vehicular use standards to permit an attached garage visible from the street in an infill area for the site located at 800 W 61st St in the Country Club District neighborhood. Staff Planner Connor Tomlin and Bruce Wendlandt – Wendlandt & Stallbaumer, a representative for the property owner, H2h Investments LLC, presented this item to the Board.

The existing home on the subject site is intended for demolition and reconstruction. While some other homes in the area have such attached garages visible from the street, those in the immediate context area of the subject property do not. Therefore, City Staff were recommending denial.

Mr. Wendlandt explained his rationale for the proposed design, stating issues related to grade change and attractiveness to buyers.

Several neighbors also gave public testimony, many in opposition to the requested variance. One suggestion was to construct a detached garage on the footprint of a proposed backyard pool instead of the proposed attached.

The Board moved to deny the requested variance.

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Ben Robinson is the author of This Week at City Hall, and an Urban Planning and Design Student at UMKC. He is a Kansas City native, having lived on both sides of the state line. From a young age, Ben has been interested in neighborhoods, communities, and the built environment, but only discovered the field of Urban Planning in college. He is now committed to a career in the profession, and is excited about using his education to support and grow the city he grew up in.