Adopting a new transit plan, funding for city trees, and the return of a contentious urban farming master plan.
- Oak Park
- Westside
- Brown Estates
- Ward Parkway
Transportation, Infrastructure, and Operations Committee
Tuesday, October 1st at 9am
The Transportation, Infrastructure, and Operations Committee (TIO) includes Vice Chair Melissa Robinson, Councilmember Johnathan Duncan, Councilmember Lindsay French, and Councilmember Eric Bunch. Chairperson Kevin O’Neill did not attend this meeting.
Ordinance 240863 allows the city to enter an agreement with the City of Leawood, Kansas for the maintenance of State Line Road. This ordinance was recommended for approval by the TIO committee, and passed by City Council on Thursday.
Ordinance 240874 accepted a grant totaling nearly two million dollars from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission Carbon Reduction Program. This grant will be used to fund the design and construction of a pedestrian path in the Oak Park neighborhood. This path will begin at Linwood Boulevard and Montgall Avenue and travel south on Montgall for seven blocks. The TIO committee recommended approval of this ordinance.
New solution for traffic safety along Southwest Boulevard. Resolution 240885 accepts the Southwest Boulevard Transportation Plan, and directs the City Manager to begin implementation of the plan. The plan was funded with $135,000 from the Mid-America Regional Commission (MARC) and $45,000 from 4th district taxes. This plan began last year, with the first public outreach meeting happening in October of 2023. In total, the planning team held 9 public meetings, all in English and Spanish, with one meeting held completely in Spanish. This plan includes the Southwest Boulevard corridor from Broadway Boulevard to 31st Street, within the Westside neighborhood.
City Engineer Nicolas Bosonetto presented this plan to the committee. According to Boconetto, traffic safety was a major reason for this plan. In the last four years, this corridor has had 6 serious injury crashes, 10 bicycle and pedestrian crashes, and 275 intersection crashes. The top priority of the Southwest Boulevard Plan was to improve the safety of the corridor, as well as beautify the corridor and engage the community.
The recommendations made by this plan include a road diet, reducing the street to three lanes, building safer pedestrian crossings, improving lighting, including public art, and planting vegetation. Bosonetto estimated the total implementation costs would be three million dollars.
Future vision of Southwest Boulevard included in the plan.
Councilmen Bunch commended Bosonetto for the outstanding community engagement done with the plan, praising its “cultural competency”. Vice Chair Melissa Robinson appreciated the brick paving included in the implementation; Councilwoman French echoed her comments. The TIO committee unanimously recommended approval of this ordinance. City Council adopted this resolution on Thursday.
Road Diets are plans to improve the safety and functionality of wide roads and streets. A typical road diet might take a high-speed and unsafe four lane road, and turn it into a two lane road with a center median and two-way bike lane. Road diets are a popular way to transform neighborhoods, as even small road diets bring investment into a community. By improving the safety of a road, the entire area becomes more walkable, functional, and pleasant for everyone.
Before the committee meeting adjourned, community advocate Hanna Oliver addressed the room. Oliver, a current UMKC student, reminded the council people of the recent traffic crash which ended with the death of a UMKC student. Yuxi Wu, a UMKC conservatory student, was crossing Troost Ave on her way home when a speeding car struck and killed her on Thursday, September 26th. For more details on the accident, read this Kansas City Star article. Oliver insisted that the city do more to address known traffic safety concerns. Oliver thanked the committee for the changes they were making, but demanded that they act quicker in the future. The committee thanked Oliver for her comments and adjourned the meeting.
Finance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee
Tuesday, October 1st at 10:30am
The Fiance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee (FGPS) includes Chairperson Andrea Bough, Councilmember Crispin Rea, Councilmember Darrell Curls, and Councilmember Wes Rodgers. Mayor Quinton Lucas did not attend this meeting.
Federal funding promises to improve KC urban tree canopy. Ordinance 240882 accepts a twelve million dollar grant from the federal Department of Agriculture to increase the density of Kansas City’s urban tree canopy. Through this grant, the Neighborhood Services Department and the Parks and Recreation Department will plant new trees, remove dead trees, and inventory every tree on city owned land.
Director of the Neighborhood Services Department Forest Decker presented this ordinance to the committee. According to Decker, a major condition of this grant is that the funds must be used in disadvantaged communities in the city. Decker was excited about this grant, especially as it would allow the city to catch-up on a backlog of dead tree removal requests. This grant will result in a seventeen percent increase in canopy density, and as much as a twelve percent reduction in carbon emissions. This grant also includes $300,000 for the Kansas City Community Garden orchard. When paired with the city’s Free Tree program, this grant will increase the density of the tree canopy across the city. The FGPS committee unanimously passed this ordinance, and City Council passed it on Thursday.
Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee
Tuesday, October 1st at 1:30pm
The Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee (NPD) includes Chairperson Ryana Parks-Shaw, Vice Chair Eric Bunch, Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley, and Councilmember Nathan Willett.
Ordinance 240868 accepts a $500,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to fund HIV prevention programs. Swope Health employee Tamika White presented this ordinance to the committee. According to White, this grant would replace the current funding sources of KC’s HIV Prevention programs, which is set to expire soon. The committee unanimously recommended approval of this ordinance. The City Council passed this ordinance at Thursday’s meeting.
Ordinance 240879 sought to approve the rezoning of Urbavore Urban Farms, located at 5500 Bennington Avenue, from residential to Master Plan Development (MPD). This rezoning is accompanied by a master plan for the farm, covered in previous editions of This Week at City Hall. On Tuesday, this ordinance was presented by City Planner Ahnna Nanoski, applicants Daniel Heryer and Brooke Salvaggio, and attorney Kristen Ellis Johnson.
First, Nanoski presented the history of the farm, starting with their previous property known as Bad Seed Farm. Nanoski also summarized the zoning violations currently present on the site, including prohibited shipping containers and gravel lots. Nanoski informed the committee that the Planning Department and City Planning Commision recommended approval of the plan.
The applicant team then summarized the new plan for the farm, and how they planned to address the neighborhood’s concerns. The new plan includes an alternative driveway entrance for the farm, redirecting traffic away from Urbavore’s neighbors. The plan also included a second phase, which implements a greenhouse, shipping container storage, and education programs using yurts.
Pro bono attorney Kristen Ellis Johnson then attempted to recharacterize the committee’s view of the issue, saying the current zoning violations were a misunderstanding. Johnson outlined previous communications between Dan Heryer and a former city employee in which the city employee told Heryer he was not in violation of the zoning code. Johnson argued that not approving the MPD rezoning would go against the city’s promise.
During public testimony, over twenty five people testified in support of the farm. Many were customers, previous employees, or supporters of Urbavore. Several who testified were also neighbors, from the Brown Estates neighborhood. Several other Brown Estates neighbors testified against the rezoning, as they felt it would be rewarding bad behavior by the farm.
After hearing the public’s comments, the committee considered its options. Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley prefaced her comments by complimenting Johnson as a lawyer, and telling the applicants that her decision on the case would not be personal. Hazley further stated that this was the most contentious issue she had faced since being elected last year. Hazley believed that all residents should be required to follow the zoning code, even in unique circumstances. Hazley was hesitant to support the plan when it forgave many of the farm’s zoning violations. Hazley also complimented the planning department, especially Ahnna Nanoski, for their professionalism and expert analysis throughout the project. Finilally, the committee voted to recommend ‘no approval’ and send the case to the City Council, 2-1. Chairperson Ryana Parks-Shaw and Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley voted against the project, while Vice Chair Eric Bunch voted to approve it.
City Council debates approval of an urban farm’s new plan. On Thursday, Mayor Quinton Luscas began discussion of this case by suggesting a six-week hold. Councilwoman Hazley requested that her colleagues agree to the hold as she felt the issue needed a “cooling off period”. Hazley testified that she had received several racially charged emails and phone calls, prompting the hold. The council held general discussion about the best way to move forward with the case, as many felt there was still work to be done. Councilwoman Bough suggested that the council hold a committee of the whole meeting at the end of the six weeks to allow general discussion and public comment. Several council members agreed, but Mayor Lucas suggested the council wait six weeks to make that decision. The council officially held the case, to be heard on their docket again in six weeks.
City Planning Commission
Wednesday, October 2nd at 9am
The City Planning Commission (CPC) was attended this week by Chairperson Coby Crowl, Commissioner Tyler Enders, Commissioner Matt Hasek, Commissioner Sean Arkin, Commissioner Betsy Lynch, and Commissioner Forestine Beasley.
CLD-FnPlat-2024-00013 approved the development of a single family subdivision at the intersection of North Holly Street and Northwest 106th Street, in the Northland. This plan includes forty-six homes and was prepared by City Planner Matthew Barnes.
CD-CPC-2024-00121 approved a final plan which allows for vehicle storage at the intersection of Highway 210 and Brighton Avenue. This plan was reviewed by City Planner Larisa Chambi
CD-CPC-2024-00112 approved a project plan for the expansion of Old St. Patrick Oratory Church. This plan was approved by City Planner Stephanie Saldari.
The previous three cases were placed on the City Planning Commission’s consent docket, and were therefore presented and recommended for approval with little discussion from the commissioners.
CD-SUP-2024-00036 approved a special use permit to construct a temporary modular classroom at Hale Cook Elementary School, in the Ward Parkway neighborhood. This plan was reviewed and presented by City Planer Genevieve Kohn.
Hale Cook Elementary is requesting the extra space to house their art classroom, but because the classroom is proposed to be used for a long period of time, a special use permit (SUP) is required. Applicant Amy Casein requested that the commission extend the SUP past the two year limit. Additionally, the school plans to add a FEMA storm shelter to the school next year. The commission granted the extended SUP, and unanimously recommended approval of the case.
CD-CPC-2024-00122 amends the zoning code to change the separation requirement between Detention and Correctional Facilities. City Planner Olofu Agbaji wrote and presented this case to the commission on Wednesday. The current code maintains a 1,000 foot separation between correctional facilities and schools, parks, churches, museums, libraries, and homes. The proposed change keeps those separation requirements, but includes an expectation to the distance requirements. If this case were approved, the proposed correctional facility could be built with a lesser 400 foot separation as long as the separation includes the Missouri, Kansas, or Blue river. This case does not review the special use permit requirement for the construction of correctional facilities.
Chair Crowl asked Agbaji why this change was being proposed. Agbaji informed the commission that the city was trying to find a potential location for additional correctional facilities. Commissioner Lynch questioned how the code determined 1,000 feet as the separation requirement, particularly as the recently passed gas station ordinance had a higher separation requirement. City staff did not know the exact history of the ordinance. Commissioner Enders raised concerns, suggesting this case could affect the property values of riverfront developments. Agbaji reminded the commissioner that developments would still have to follow normal floodplain and zoning requirements. After more general discussion, the CPC recommended approval of the case 4-2, with the nays being Commissioners Lynch and Arkin.
Author’s Bio Grayson Johnston is the author of This Week at City Hall, but also 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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