This Week at City Hall (November 3 – 7, 2025)

A Variance to allow an entertainment venue in Westport, reuse of the Smith Building in the West Bottoms, and contracts with qualified outreach teams to assist several Eastside neighborhoods with violence prevention.

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Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee

Tuesday, November 4th at 1:30pm

The Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee is headed by Chairperson Ryana Parks-Shaw, Vice Chair Eric Bunch, and Councilmembers Nathan Willett and Melissa Patterson Hazley.

Ordinance 250939 requested approval of a Final Plat in an MPD zoning district on about 12 acres and generally located at the northeast corner of Woodland Avenue and East 18th Street in the Parade Park neighborhood, creating 4 lots for a multi-family development. 

This case was brought before the City Plan Commission on October 15th as CLD-FnPlat-2025-00022 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

This item was on the Committee’s consent agenda, and was recommended for approval with little deliberation. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Ordinance 250940 requested approval of a Final Plat in a R-7.5 zoning district located at the northwest corner of NE 104th St and N Hawthorne Ave within the Creekside Development and near the Amber Meadows/Amber Lakes neighborhoods in the Northland, allowing for the creation of 28 residential lots and 2 tracts. 

This case was brought before the City Plan Commission on October 1st as CLD-FnPlat-2023-00033 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

This item was on the Committee’s consent agenda, and was recommended for approval with little deliberation. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Resolution 250942 directed the City Manager to evaluate kratom regulations in other Missouri municipalities and to make recommendations within 60 days for any necessary code amendments to regulate kratom in Kansas City. Director of Public Safety in the mayor’s office, LaceShionna Cline; Manager of Prevention at Beacon Mental Health, Laura Bruce; and Jessica Russo, a member of the Northland Coalition, presented this item before the Committee.

Per the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): “Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Consumption of its leaves produces both stimulant effects (in low doses) and sedative effects (in high doses), and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.” 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning regarding Kratom’s synthetic version, 7-OH, leading to this resolution.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Ordinance 250937 requested acceptance and approval of a grant award in the amount of $2,201,869.00 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). Jonathon Antle, the Housing Manager in the City’s Health Department. presented this item before the Committee.

HOPWA is the only Federal program dedicated to the housing needs of people living with HIV. It provides housing assistance and related services for low-income people living with HIV and their families. As no cure has yet been developed for HIV, care for those living with the disease is palliative, and is therefore on a continuum that prioritizes long-term outcomes and quality of life. Stable housing is essential for those living with serious chronic illnesses like HIV, as it significantly increases one’s likelihood of continuing treatment.

This program provides transitional housing, housing vouchers, and permanent housing facilities. It also helps prevent homelessness through short-term housing and permanent housing placement. It further supports clients with housing case management, navigating housing, and with employment support services.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Ordinance 250938 requested acceptance and approval of a grant award amendment from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention for an additional sum of $739,567.00 in the Health Grants Fund for a total amount of $8,566,528.00 to provide additional funding to assist in workforce development and meeting public health foundational capabilities in the Kansas City, Missouri area.

This item was held for one week ahead of the meeting, Tuesday.

Ordinance 250941 requested to authorize the Chief Procurement Officer to execute five contracts in the amount of $400,000.00 (totalling $2,000,000.00) each with qualified community-based organizations Ruskin Heights, Independence Plaza, North Town Fork Creek, Marlborough Heights and Ivanhoe to establish neighborhood outreach teams to engage high-risk individuals and prevent violent conflicts.

This item was held for one week ahead of the meeting, Tuesday.

Ordinance 250943 requested approval of a rezoning from District R-80 to District R-7.5 for the site located about 150 feet north of the intersection of North Platte Purchase Road and Northwest 78th Street (7825 N Platte Purchase Dr) in the Northland. Staff Planner Justin Smith presented this item before the Committee.

This case was brought before the City Plan Commission on October 15th as CD-CPC-2025-00146 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog.

An existing home is on the subject site, fronting N Platte Purchase Dr. The applicant was seeking to subdivide the lot, as it spanned the block from both Platte Purchase Dr in the front to N Liberty St in the rear. Subdividing this lot would allow for the construction of a new home that would front N Liberty St. In order to achieve this, the zoning for the site needed to be changed.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Ordinance 250944 requested approval of a rezoning for the site located at the northeast corner of Broadway Boulevard and West 40th Street in the Westport neighborhood. The site is currently zoned UR (Urban Redevelopment) and the applicant was seeking to change the designation to B3-2 as well as receive approval, through a special use permit, to operate an entertainment venue (500+ capacity) on the site known as Warehouse on Broadway. The aforementioned special use permit was not heard by the Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee and will go before the Board of Zoning Adjustment on November 12th. Staff Planner Justin Smith along with Ryan Hunter – Hermanos Design, a representative for the applicant, presented these items to the Committee.

This case was brought before the City Plan Commission on October 15th as CD-CPC-2025-00131 and was covered in that week’s edition of the blog. The aforementioned special use permit was reviewed separately on that day as CD-SUP-2025-00031, and will receive final ruling by the Board of Zoning Adjustment. 

The subject site is within the boundaries of an existing UR plan to build a hotel, which has since lapsed; the hotel never being built. The UR plans allow for the building on the site to be used for restaurant and retail and requires 31 parking spaces. Previously, this site was a restaurant.

Today, the site is operating as a restaurant with some entertainment onsite. However, in March of this year, a code violation was issued to the property owners for operating as an entertainment venue with a capacity of 500+, which was not allowed under current zoning. Staff gave applicants the options to make a major amendment to the existing UR plan or to rezone the site back to base zoning, in this case B3-2, and obtain a special use permit to operate as an entertainment venue. 

Staff also expressed that while there were some concerns over the impacts of large crowds for events, these could be mitigated. Parking operations were already being undertaken by the property owners, and the implementation of the KC Streetcar was also expected to alleviate some parking concerns. Trash was also an issue brought up by the Commission, and it was suggested the owners work with Midtown KC Now to address this.

A Mr. Barnet, who lives a block away on Wyandotte, spoke in opposition to this ordinance at the meeting, Tuesday. He expressed his concern that transit elements such as the streetcar may not provide adequate offset of parking for the subject venue. Warehouse on Broadway, he noted, is four blocks from the Streetcar, down a busy corridor: 39th St. He also noted that parking and dangerous driving is already a program in and around Westport, and that his own property was vandalized weeks before Halloween.

The City Plan Commission, prior to the meeting Tuesday, had moved to recommend approval of the rezoning request and the special use permit, adding the condition that the applicants work with Midtown KC Now or other CIDs in the area to mitigate the impacts of large crowds related to issues such as parking, noise, and trash.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

Ordinance 250945 requested approval and authorization of the discharge of the special tax bills and waiver of the resulting liens on the real property commonly known as 3619 Roberts Street in the Scarritt and Lykins neighborhoods. Staff and legal representation for the applicants presented this item to the Committee.

The total lien cost was estimated at $10,660.15, including interest and late fees. Between 2022 and 2023, the property received six board-up abatements. The applicant did not own the property at the time of these abatements. The house has since been demolished, after a fire. 

The applicants, Villa del Senor (VDS), a nonprofit organization, filed an Abandoned Housing Act case in order to transfer ownership to the next door neighbor, who would take care of the empty lot, and has proposed to use it for their paved driveway, and add a basketball court and lawn.

The Committee moved to recommend approval of this item. The City Council later affirmed this recommendation, passing this item on Thursday.

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City Plan Commission

Wednesday, November 5th at 9am

The City Plan Commission was attended this week by Chairman Coby Crowl and Commissioners Forestine Beasley, Sean Arkin, Matt Hasek, Tyler Enders, and Todd Forbes.

CD-CPC-2025-00155 requested approval of an MPD final plan for the Woodhaven, 3rd Plat located north and west of NW 97th Street and N Colrain Avenue in the Northland.

This item was on the Commission’s consent agenda, and was recommended for approval with little deliberation.

CD-SUP-2025-00038 requested approval of a renewal of a special use permit to allow a non-accessory parking lot in a DC-15 zoning district for the site located at 311 E 12th Street in the Downtown Loop. Staff Planner Genevieve Kohn-Smith along with the applicant, Tony Granelo, representing the property owner, Copaken Brooks, presented this case before the Commission.

Non-accessory parking refers to a parking facility which does not serve any other uses that require parking. In the downtown area, these non-accessory parking facilities require a special use permit. The parking facility on the subject site is existing, and approval of the special use permit would grant use of the property as parking for another five years.

This parking lot was formerly used for the now-demolished Board of Education building. The applicants reported the site may not remain parking indefinitely, but that while plans for new development are being made, it made financial sense to keep the parking structure.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-SUP-2025-00037 requested approval of a special use permit for a temporary mobile medical unit not to exceed 1 year for the site located at the southeast corner of Harrison Street and Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard near the Rockhill, Hyde Park, and Manheim Park neighborhoods. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi along with the applicant, Ariel Zedric – Planned Parenthood Great Plains, presented this case before the Commission.

The Planned Parenthood at the site was recently hit by a vehicle, and the applicants were requesting permission to use their mobile medical unit in the parking lot of the facility while they secure permits to make repairs.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-SUP-2025-00035 requested approval of a Special Use Permit in an R-1.5 zoning district for the site located on the east side of Walnut Street, approximately 150 feet south of East 40th Street, in the Southmoreland neighborhood, allowing for the expansion of an educational facility (St. Paul’s) with associated sports fields, gymnasium, and parking. Staff Planner Matthew Barnes along with the applicant, David Wood – Kaw Valley Engineering, Inc., presented this case before the Commission.

The site contains an existing field that is used for recreational school-related activities. The applicants were seeking approval to improve the site for mostly the same uses, adding other elements, among them a pavilion and a gymnasium.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-SUP-2025-00034 requested approval of a special use permit to expand an existing motor vehicle repair use (Peak Performance) in a B3-2 zoning district for the site located at 8826 Wornall Road in the Valley View neighborhood. Staff Planner Genevieve Kohn-Smith along with the applicant, Mark Murdick – Sullivan Palmer Architects, presented this case before the Commission.

Ms. Kohn-Smith explained that this addition is mainly to provide extra service bays and storage areas. The property owners have reported issues with crime at night, and were partially seeking this permit to address those issues.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-SUP-2025-00036 requested approval of a major amendment to a special use permit for an addition to the existing Winnetonka High School for a performing art center located at the southeast corner of NE 48th Street and N Topping Avenue in the Maple Park and North Bennington neighborhoods. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi along with the applicant, Braden Taylor – MKEC Engineering, Inc., presented this case before the Commission.

The proposed project included the construction of the performing arts center, re-striping of an existing parking lot, and reconfiguration of the circulation in said parking lot.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-SUP-2025-00032 requested approval of a Special Use Permit for the reuse of The Smith Building, an officially designated historic landmark located at the Southeast corner of W. 11th Street and Mulberry Street in the West Bottoms, for commercial and residential uses. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi along with the applicant, Kyle FitzGerald, presented this case before the Commission.

The associated staff report for this item mentions a “parking garage.” Ms. Chambi clarified that the applicant will, in actuality, be using an existing parking lot. The project proposed approximately 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and 105 apartment units, along with a rooftop amenity deck. The applicant is not proposing any significant changes to the facade or other elevations of the building.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-CPC-2025-00149 requested approval of a Major Amendment to an existing Master Planned Development (MPD) for the site known as Municipal Farms and located at the southwest corner of Eastern Avenue and Raytown Road in the Eastwood Hills neighborhood, allowing for expanded uses, including Non-Accessory Parking. Staff Planner Larisa Chambi along with Parks Department Planners Angela Eley and Ricky Sanchez, presented this case before the Commission.

This case follows a previous ordinance (140244) which details the previously-approved Municipal Farms Sustainable Reuse Plan. The site had previously been a laydown yard for Evergy, as well as a landfill. The aforementioned plan splits the associated parcels into twenty-one areas. This case focused on area 20, proposing to add non-accessory therein.

Eastwood Hills neighbors did not appear at the meeting, Wednesday, but Ms. Eley reported that at a previous meeting, they had been opposed to this amendment, as it was not part of the original reuse plan.

The Commission moved to recommend approval of this item.

CD-CPC-2025-00135 – requested approval of a development plan serving in place of a special use permit to allow a religious assembly development (96th Street Church) in an R-10 zoning district for the site located at 9600 NE Reinking Road near the Shoal Creek Valley neighborhood. 

The Commission moved to continue this case without fee to November 19th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-SUP-2025-00022 requested approval of a special use permit for outdoor warehousing storage for commercial vehicle, equipment parking, and material storage (All Storage KC) in zoning districts M1-5 and M3-5 and located at the terminus of E 78th Street west of the Union Pacific Railroad, specifically located at 3901 E 78th Street near the Marlborough, NOBLE, and Gregory Ridge neighborhoods. 

The Commission moved to continue this case without fee to November 19th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-CPC-2025-00151 requested approval of an amendment to the Major Street Plan for

the purpose of updating the plan. 

The Commission moved to continue this case without fee to November 19th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-CPC-2025-00111 requested approval of a de-annexation of approximately 4.5 acres located at 2800 N Church Rd, in the Northland, to be subsequently annexed by the City of Liberty, Missouri.

The Commission moved to continue this case without fee to February 4th, 2026, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

CD-CPC-2025-00152 requested to amend Chapter 88, the Zoning and Development Code, by enacting a new section 88-559 – Major Street Plan to outline the process, procedure and establishing criteria for amending the major street plan. 

The Commission moved to continue this case without fee to November 19th, ahead of the meeting Wednesday.

Coverage of the following cases will appear in an updated version of this edition, next Monday (November 10th):

CD-CPC-2025-00078, concerning an amendment to Chapter 88, the Zoning and Development Code to include definitions and regulations regarding Large Format Uses.

CD-CPC-2025-00143, concerning zoning text amendments to Section 88-420, Parking and Loading.

CD-ROW-2025-00023, concerning the Paseo West neighborhood.

CD-CPC-2025-00157, concerning the Riverfront Industrial Area.

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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.