
Welcome back to “This Week at City Hall” where we give you weekly updates on what decisions are being made in City Hall that may potentially affect your community or neighborhood ! Everyday, various committees are making huge decisions that in turn affect our communities. If you have a tip about an upcoming agenda item – please email neighborhoods@umkc.edu with “This Week at City Hall” in the subject.
Kansas City News:
Kansas City’s right to counsel program:
In the past two years Kansas City has made tremendous efforts to increase advocacy programs for residents that are struggling with housing insecurity. Recently Kansas City’s right to counsel program made headlines as they were granted an increase in funding. They plan to use this money to hire more attorneys to represent tenants that have been wrongfully evicted. Previous clients have complained about not being able to find representation due to the lack of staffing shortage, with the new budget increase of half-million dollars this will allow the Kansas City’s right to counsel program to also negotiate more fair settlements for clients and ultimately keeping more people with roofs under their heads.
“Tenants who live in Kansas City and are facing eviction and want to access the right to counsel program can call the hotline at 816-474-5112”.
The City’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan:
Kansas City does not only care about residents but we also care about trees ! Developers are being held accountable with The City’s Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan which was passed August 2022 . The tree ordinance (No. 200143) that has been established since May 21, 2020 calls for a whopping $185 per caliper inch — a measurement of a tree trunk’s diameter — as a compromise after developers objected to the measure. Environmentalists argue that this fine still is not not enough to cover the cost of a singular tree. They believe that the fine should start at 285 dollars ! What’s great about this plan is that it gives communities the opportunity to advocate for the landscaping and environment of their neighborhoods and push back against developments if needed.
Now let’s take a closer look at what’s happening this week in City Hall….
3/22/23
Wednesday @1:30pm
Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee
The neighborhood planning and development committee are planning on meeting again this week to discuss upcoming developments as well as new jurisdictions. Here are some highlights on what they will be discussing this week.
230198:Rezoning an area of about 0.98 acres generally located at 400 Main street from District UR (Urban Redevelopment) to District UR (Urban Redevelopment), and approving a development plan that also serves as a preliminary plat. (CD-CPC-2022-00174)
23253: Approving the petition to terminate the N.W. Plaza Circle Community Improvement District; terminating the N.W. Plaza Circle Community Improvement District generally located at N.W. 119th Terrace and N.W. Plaza Circle in Kansas City, Platte County, Missouri; and directing the City Clerk to report the termination of the District to the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
230189: Approving the petition to terminate the N.W. Plaza Circle Community Improvement District; terminating the N.W. Plaza Circle Community Improvement District generally located at N.W. 119th Terrace and N.W. Plaza Circle in Kansas City, Platte County, Missouri; and directing the City Clerk to report the termination of the District to the Missouri Department of Economic Development
3/24/23
Historic Preservation Committee[1] [2]
Friday @9am
The historic preservation committee is really important for our districts and communities to understand the significance and importance of. We live in a world where new developments and architectural concepts are constantly challenging what we deem as normal in our society. Sometimes these innovations interfere with some of our historical sites in the city. That is why the preservation committee is always reviewing exterior changes to properties recognized as local landmarks or within local historic districts. Here are some of the properties they will be reviewing this week.
-Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard ‘Rockhill Historic District’ (install porch railing)
-5145 Baltimore Avenue, ‘Country Side Historic District’ (replace windows)
Violence Free KC Committee
https://clerk.kcmo.gov/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=46466&GUID=5623AAD5-F8C9-4E3E-907C-8576A5F973B2
Friday @9:30am
- Review of KCPD Crime Statistics (Daily Homicide Analysis)
- Approval of minutes from February 24, 2023, monthly meeting Old Business
- Office of Violence Prevention Updates
- Update from KC 360
- KC Blueprint Check-Ins
- Transition Zone Announcements Adjourn
3/25/23
Saturday @9pm
Neighborhood Tourist development fund
Election cycle is right around the corner ! The Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund (NTDF) will be deliberating over application interviews as well as new developments geared to attracting more tourists here in Kansas City. Their ultimate mission is to help promote Kansas City’s distinct and diverse neighborhoods through cultural, social, ethnic, historic, educational and recreational activities in conjunction with promoting the city as a premier convention, visitor and tourist center. So if you have any ideas on how to improve tourism in Kansas City please go to this meeting and voice your opinion !
There seem to be a lot of new initiatives that support environmental sustainability and preservation going on this week at City Hall. If you have any concerns about any historic sites in your neighborhood I highly encourage you to stay involved in this week’s city hall meetings. Make sure to stay tuned for further updates and next week’s meeting agenda.
Public meetings can be observed online on channel 2: https://www.youtube.com/live/5Uo–MM5TtA?feature=share
Additional details on city agendas can be found at the City Clerk’s website: https://clerk.kcmo.gov/Calendar.aspx
About the Writer:
Hello everyone ! My name is Maryam Oyebamiji and I am a student intern for The Center for Neighborhoods. I am currently in my 3rd year at UMKC studying Urban Planning and Design with an English minor. I have deep passion and interest for urban policy and housing authority. That’s why being able to write “This week at City Hall” is extremely important to me. I believe that everyone should have access and be informed on what is going on in City Hall because the decisions they make ultimately affects all of us.
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