City approves large housing investment, further tracking of vacant properties, and all-new regulations for gas stations.
- 18th and Vine
- Loma Vista
- Hospital Hill
- Oak Park
- Manheim Park
- Little Blue
- Center City
- Marlborough East
- Key Coalition
- Longfellow
- Vineyard
- Shoal Creek
Finance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee
Tuesday, September 17th at 10:30am
The Fiance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee (FGPS) includes Chairperson Andrea Bough, Mayor Quinton Lucas, Councilmember Crispin Rea, Councilmember Darrell Curls, and Councilmember Wes Rodgers.
Ordinance 240827 approved a housing development plan located at 2500 Campbell street, within the Longfellow neighborhood. This lot was previously owned by the city, but was granted to Riverstone Platform Partners for redevelopment. Kelley Hrabe, partner with Riverstone Platform, and Robert Riccardi, with DRAW Architects, presented this development to the committee. According to Hrabe, sustainability, transit orientation, and affordability were all goals of the project. Hrabe also explained the emergency fund, which will cover a tenants rent in months where they could not pay their bills. The committee recommended approval of the ordinance, and city council passed it on Thursday.
Should the City keep better track of its vacant properties? Ordinance 240831 directs the City Manager to purchase third-party software to better record and track the City’s vacant properties. Councilmen Crispin Rea sponsored and presented this ordinance to the committee. Vacant homes or lots reduce a community’s sense of ownership and tend to attract crime and blight where housing should exist. Forest Decker, director of the neighborhood services department, agreed to the necessity of this ordinance. Currently, vacant properties are only tracked when a property owner reports them as vacant. Even when also using utility bills to track occupancy, Decker believes the number of vacant properties is under-represented. A third-party software would use court records, USPS tracking, Fedex records, and other factors to determine the status of a home with 96% accuracy, according to Director Decker. The committee agreed to fund the software, and recommended approval of the ordinance. The city council passed the ordinance on Thursday.
Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee
Tuesday, September 17th at 1:30pm
The Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee (NPD) includes Vice Chair Eric Bunch, Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley, and Councilmember Nathan Willett. Chairperson Ryana Parks-Shaw attended the meeting via zoom.
Ordinance 240798 accepts a $41,000 grant award from Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to continue funding a violence prevention program called Aim4Peace. Rashid Junaid, from Aim4Peace, gave a presentation about the program’s efforts within the city. Aim4Peace volunteers mediate conflict, canvas high-risk areas, and educate youth. Junaid brought a graph showing significantly less homicides in the Oak Park neighborhood in 2024 than in past years as proof of Aim4Peace’s success. The committee thanked Junaid for his community work in Kansas City and recommended approval of the ordinance. The city council passed the ordinance on Thursday.
City decides which affordable housing projects to fund. Ordinance 240811 accepts the recommendations of the Housing Trust Fund Board for 2024 funding. The Housing Trust Fund Board makes annual recommendations which determine which housing projects should be funded with City dollars. Dion Lewis, Deputy Director of the Housing and Community Development Department, presented the Board’s recommendation, which included 8 different projects, listed below.
| Project | Neighborhood | Funding Award |
| Parade Park Redevelopment | 18th and Vine | $1,700,120 |
| Trails at Bannister Apt Homes | Loma Vista | $1,000,000 |
| Mohawk at 15th St | Hospital Hill | $925,000 |
| The Teacher Village | Manheim Park | $ 412,868 |
| Cardinal Ridge Apartments | Little Blue | $1,500,000 |
| Mayfair Apartments | Center City | $600,000 |
| Our Spot KC Lion House | Marlborough East | $198,938 |
| Heroes Homegate | Key Coalition | $425,623 |
| Total Funding: | $6,762,549 |
In addition to their funding recommendations, Lewis and Mary Owens, another member of the board, presented the updates to their selection policy. With the new update, the Housing Trust Fund Board sought to prioritize low-income housing, family oriented developments, affordability, and sustainable developers. Their selection this year included 50% non-profit developers and 50% for-profit developers. After some questions from the committee, Trinity Davis, founder of A Teacher Like Me, also spoke to the committee. The committee unanimously recommended approval of the board’s recommendations. The city council passed the ordinance on Thursday..
Ordinance 240797 added $5,700,000 to the Parks Department’s budget for improvement of various parks. James Wong and Terrance Williams, who work for the Parks Department, told the committee what this budget increase would be funding. As a part of the “Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities” program, part of funding will be used to construct lights at Cleveland Park, restrooms and concessions at Clark Ketterman Park, and shelters at Spring Valley Park. These parks fall within the Vineyard, Shoal Creek, and Key Coalition neighborhoods respectively. Wong informed the committee that fire had damaged these structures overtime, making the reconstruction necessary. Swope Park will also receive a sizable investment through this ordinance, gaining three new restrooms, trail extensions, and improvements to Gregory Blvd. Wong reminded the committee of the pride associated with Swope Park, as it is the second largest municipally-owned park in the country.
After stating his support for the ordinance, Councilman Willet asked Wong why Northland parks were not being prioritized like others parks within the city were. Terrance Williams answered Willet, ensuring him there was still enough funding to create a similar ordinance around Northland parks. Wong reminded the committee that the funding from this ordinance will be paired with several federal grants, which are on a strict timeline. Mayor Pro-Tem Parks-Shaw called in to ask why insurance wasn’t being used to cover fire damages. Wong stated that the money from insurance was being used in the project, but would not completely cover the costs of construction. The committee recommended approval of this ordinance, and city council passed it on Thursday.
Ordinance 240820 approved the development of a Goodwill Education Center at 5000 Bannister Rd, near Interstate 435 and Bannister Rd. This project has been covered in a previous edition of This Week at City Hall, when the City Planning Commission (CPC) recommended approval of the project on August 21st.
Again, applicants Jim Masamin, Anita Davis (Goodwill CMO), and Kelly Garret (Goodwill COO) presented their plan for the campus to the committee. This includes a campus-like environment for adults over 21 to finish their high-school diplomas, free childcare, and retail centers. The committee recommended approval of the plan, and the city council passed it on Thursday.
Resolution 240821 directs the City Manager’s office to review all current school zones for safety concerns. Councilman Willet, who sponsored this resolution, presented it to his colleagues. According to Willet, many school zones have not been reviewed for several years. Many signs have out-dated information, and some areas with increased traffic have been overlooked. Willet hoped this ordinance would address all of the “low hanging fruit”. Councilmen Bunch introduced a substitute ordinance that also requires the City manager to update school zone policy as a part of the current traffic safety regulation rewrite. The committee unanimously recommended approval of the ordinance. The city council passed the ordinance on Thursday.
City Planning Commission
Wednesday, September 4th at 9am
The City Planning Commission (CPC) was attended this week by Chairperson Coby Crowl, Commissioner Tyler Enders, Commissioner Sean Arkin, Commissioner Betsy Lynch, Commissioner Luis Padilla, and Commissioner Forestine Beasley.
CD-CPC-2024-00091 and CLD-FnPlat-2024-00019 approved the creation of a single-family subdivision in the Northland, within the Coves North neighborhood, with 63 homes.
CD-CPC-2024-00111 approved the final plan for construction of a bank at 5363 Antioch Rd, within the Country Club Estates neighborhood.
All three of the previous cases were placed on the City Planning Commission’s consent agenda, meaning they were approved with little discussion between City Staff and the commissioners.
Is there a future for gas stations in Kansas City? CD-MISC-2024-00002 sought to approve an overhaul of the city’s regulation on gas stations. This case has been covered in a previous edition of This Week at City Hall. Previously, the City Planning Commission asked city staff to hold a town-hall meeting to further develop the case with community input.
City Staff Planner Andy Clarke has been the primary planner working on the case, but has also worked with the KC Police Department, the Office of Environmental Quality (OEQ), and Regulated Industries. Clarke presented the case to the CPC, outlining the history of gas stations in Kansas City. Prior to 2012, “We had very open zoning. Almost any use was allowed anywhere,” stated Clarke. Because of this, KC hosts 163 gas stations currently, with only 22 being built in the last twelve years. Since 2012, gas stations within certain zoning districts have required a Special Use Permit (SUP). Since 2019, community engagement has been required prior to the construction of gas stations.
In creating the new regulations, Clarke used many science based principles which prioritize sustainability, safety, and neighborhood quality. This included Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) which determines how land use attracts or deters criminal activity in a neighborhood. Another such principle was Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which encourages certain design standards to deter crime. These include window transparency, landscaping, enclosed trash, and several other standards. Throughout his presentation, Clarke showed examples of similar regulations being adopted by cities across the nation, giving further justification for the case.
This case incorporates many complex principles and requirements into the zoning code, with several key points. If the proposed change is adopted, all gas stations will be required to go through the Special Use Permit (SUP) process. This gives the city more control over where gas stations are built, and if they are allowed to continue operation once the SUP expires. This case will also require developers to go through the public engagement process when building a gas station. This means that everyone living within a 300 foot radius of the site will be informed and invited to a public engagement meeting. When getting their SUP approved, builders will have to inform the City Planning Commission of the meeting’s results. In essence, this ensures that gas stations can only be built with the relative support of the neighborhood. Next, gas stations will not be allowed within 1,500 feet of another gas station. This prevents the unwanted concentration of three or four gas stations at the same corner. Finally, this case overhauls the design standards for gas stations. New gas stations will have to comply with CPTED principles which deter crime around gas stations. Design standards also include an emphasis on building entrances, defined pedestrian circulation, enclosed dumpsters, increased lighting, and architecture on all four faces of the building.
Commissioner Lynch raised the question of gas stations owned and operated by whole-sale stores, such as Costo or Sam’s Club. Clarke stated that these would be treated like any other gas station, as the city is concerned with the environmental impact of the underground tanks. Commissioner Enders stated his support for the case, but was concerned that staff wasn’t focusing on current gas stations which seem to be the “problem areas”. Commissioner Arkin echoed Enders’ concerns. In response, Clarke quoted the case’s sponsor Councilmen Curls, saying “You can’t eat an elephant in one bite”. Clarke emphasized that gas stations were an enormous issue that cannot be solved with any one change, but that creating regulations where there are none is the first step to solving the issue.
As a part of public engagement for this case, the city worked with the UMKC – Center for Neighborhoods, business owners in Kansas City, Councilmen Curls and his constituents, and national gas station chains. During Wednesday’s meeting’s public testimony, Patrica Jensen testified on behalf of many developers in the city. In general, Jensen was against the entire regulation overhaul. Jensen stated her belief that the new standards would stop any industry investment in Kansas City. Jensen and those she represents opposed this case because they believe the new process is too burdensome on developers. “The SUP process is troublesome”, stated Jensen. Additionally, Alan Hombreker and Tony Borchers came forward to echo Jensen’s comments and oppose the case.
Many residents testified in favor of the case, including Angela Clardy, Taylor Maine, and Mary Bernard from the Hickman Mills United Neighborhood. Clardy advocated for stricter regulations on gas stations, restating a question her children had asked her, “Why do we have five gas stations, but not one good grocery store?”. Taylor Maine advocated for the case because of the environmental degradation associated with gas stations and their underground storage tanks. Diane Hershberger, with the Marlborough Community Coalition, also testified in support of the case. Tom Meyer, a planner with the UMKC – Center for Neighborhoods, also supported the case, stating “I think we all know gas stations are a dinosaur industry”. Meyer reiterated the dangers from leaking underground storage tanks, which the city has no comprehensive plan to address. Meyer additionally reminded the commission of their commitment to the KC Spirit Playbook, which incorporates the environment as one of its top priorities. Billy Davies joined Zoom as a volunteer from Sierra Club Missouri, Davies stated, “Instead of asking ‘Is KC a good place to do business?’, ask “Is KC a good place to live?”.
Lastly, Councilman Darrell Curls spoke to the commission, saying “There’s been some comments about businesses. These businesses are in the business of making money. I was elected to represent people, and that’s what I’m here to do… The 3rd and the 5th district has more asthma, heart concerns, lung concerns, more health concerns than anywhere else in the city”. Curls asked the commission to pass the case before them as it was because it had already been through many stages of compromise.
After public testimony, the commissioners debated amongst themselves. Commissioner Enders disagreed with the 1500 foot buffer between stations, stating his belief that limiting competition would not create better gas stations. Additionally, Enders was concerned that the state of Missouri would seek legal action against Kansas City to reverse all gas station regulations. Commissioner Beasley disagreed with Enders. Commissioner Lynch stated that she wanted to support the case, but could not in its present state. Chair Crowl supported the case, and wanted his colleagues to clarify their concerns with the case. Commissioner Padilla stated his support for the case, including the buffer zones. In the end, Chair Crowl made the motion to approve the case, with the condition that staff add in further clarification. The motion passed 4-2, with commissioners Lynch and Enders voting against. Therefore, the CPC recommended approval of the case, which will go before the City Council next week. Continue reading This Week at City Hall to stay updated on this important case.
CD-CPC-2024-00113 approved the rezoning of Trinity Christian Center, from residential to business, to allow a food vendor within their parking lot. This case has been covered in a previous edition of This Week at City Hall(CD-BZA-2024-00052).
Taqueria Ibarra has been operating their food truck out of Trinity Christian’s parking lot since May of 2022, with the consent of the church. One neighbor, William Hodapp, has complained about the truck several times; first asking them to buy a quieter generator (which they did), until finally reporting them to the city. Because food trucks are not an allowed use within residential zoning districts, Taqueria Ibarra was in violation of code. In July, the BZA recommended Randall Brack, pastor at Trinity Christian, apply for a rezoning. After two months, Brack appeared before the City Planning Commission to request a rezoning.
City Planning Staff Ahnna Nanoski presented this case to the commission. According to Nonoski, churches have traditionally sought to match the zoning designation of their surrounding neighborhoods. However, more and more churches are seeking alternative zoning designation to allow for “more campus like activities”. City Staff recommended approval of the case.
Commissioner Beasley and Arkin asked Nanoski what would limit the church if they wanted to add more food trucks in the future. If Trinity Christian wanted to add uses to their site, they would be subject to B3 zoning regulations, which include limits on food trucks and vendors. The commission unanimously recommended approval of the case.
CD-CPC-2024-00109 approves the construction of a commercial lot, including a Starbucks and another commercial building, at 8433 N. Green Hills Rd, within the Coves North neighborhood. City Planner Andy Clarke presented this case to the commission and recommended approval.
Chairperson Crowl was displeased with the quality of design for the Starbucks, stating “As you know I’m a proponent of Barry Rd, it desperately needs an overlay… I don’t want another Sherwin Williams type building especially at this location. There’s not much character to (the Starbucks)”. Clarke informed the applicants that Crowl would raise these concerns, but they neglected to change their plans.
Applicants Nick and Jake Mcphee outlined their planning process for the project, including the orientation of the buildings away from the main road, and the addition of lots of landscaping. Although the current case would only approve a drive-through for the Starbucks, Nick McPhee included a second drive-through on the plans. Clarke and city attorney Sarah Baxter were concerned that the plans could be misinterpreted in the future, allowing the Mcphee’s to build another driveway with no regulations. The commission recommended approval of the case with a condition that the additional drive-through be removed.
Grayson Johnston is the author of This Week at City Hall, and an Urban Planning and Design Student at UMKC. He moved to Kansas City two years ago and has loved it ever since. Grayson became interested in community and neighborhoods while still in high school, when he discovered the field of Urban Planning. As he learned about the theory of walkability, transit, and strong communities, Grayson became committed to going to planning school and starting a career growing his community.
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