[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
IT IS 7:00. WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
JENNIFER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? THANK YOU.
MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER HANLEY. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER EITERICH.
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLTON. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER NIX.
COUNCIL MEMBER BELL. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMSON.
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DENNY. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER HERON.
PRESENT. MAYOR SAYERS IS PRESENT AND PRESIDING.
[APPROVE MINUTES]
HEARING NONE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.SECOND. MOTION BY CRAIG. SECOND BY AVERY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED? MINUTES ARE APPROVED. JENNIFER, ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? YES. THERE WILL BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR TO ITEM FIVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UP FIRST, WE HAVE THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS.
[APPOINTMENTS]
THIS EVENING WE HAVE SEVERAL REAPPOINTMENTS AND THREE NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR OUR BOARDS, COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS.THE MEMO RECOMMENDING EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WAS INCLUDED IN THE MEETING PACKET, INCLUDING THE APPLICATIONS AND RESUMES OF OUR NEW APPOINTMENTS IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, OUR NEW FOLKS SOMEWHERE JOE LAMBERT AND JESSICA KING FOR THE BUILDING CODE BOARD OF APPEALS.
AND JENNIFER LINDSAY, NEW APPOINTMENT FOR THE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD.
THE REMAINDER OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE REAPPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIGN THE POLICE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD WITH A FEBRUARY APPOINTMENT DATE, RATHER THAN ITS PREVIOUS DECEMBER APPOINTMENT DATE.
SECOND BY BILL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THE APPOINTMENTS ARE APPROVED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND CONGRATULATIONS.
NEXT IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE APPROVED COLLECTIVELY WITH NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION.ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MAY BE REMOVED FOR A SEPARATE DISCUSSION BY A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY, CITY MANAGER, OR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. IN THE EVENT AN ITEM IS REMOVED FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. ANYONE WISH TO REMOVE AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND MOTION BY JOHN MICHAEL. SECOND BY AVERY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? CONSENT.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
GREEN ROOM TO DISCUSS LITIGATION RELATED TO THE CLEAR CREEK SUBDIVISION.THE JUSTIFICATION FOR SUCH EXECUTIVE SESSION IS FOR CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY, WHICH WOULD BE DEEMED PRIVILEGED ATTORNEY CLIENT RELATIONSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH KSA 75 4319.
THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL START AT 705 AND LAST APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES.
MOTION AND SECOND, PLEASE. MOTION BY COURTNEY.
SECOND BY CHELSEA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL SEE YOU BACK IN 20 MINUTES. OKAY. IT IS 7:25 P.M., AND THE GOVERNING BODY HAS RECONVENED INTO THE PUBLIC MEETING. NO VOTES WERE TAKEN OR DECISIONS MADE DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[5. Consideration of a rezoning and preliminary plan/plat known as Clear Creek Subdivision for a single-family residential development on property located near the southeast corner of 86th Terrace & Clare Road ]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE TONIGHT IS CONSIDERATION OF A REZONING AND PRELIMINARY PLAN AND PLAT, KNOWN AS CLEAR CREEK SUBDIVISION FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT THE NEAR SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 86 TERRACE AND CLARE ROAD.ITEM FIVE A IS A RECONSIDERATION OF REZONING FROM AG AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO THE RP ONE PLAN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO ALLOW A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. ITEM FIVE B IS A CONSIDERATION OF A PRELIMINARY PLAN AND PLAT FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
RP ONE PLAN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. JUST AS A NOTE OF CLARIFICATION, SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF YOU IN THE ROOM TONIGHT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR OR ENGAGED WITH OUR PLANNING PROCESS.
THE MEETING THIS EVENING IS THAT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
[00:05:05]
AGAINST THE CITY'S CURRENTLY ADOPTED PLANS, REVIEW CRITERIA OF THE CITY CODE AND THE STATE LAW, AS WELL AS PUBLIC INPUT, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ADOPT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, OVERRIDE THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, OR RETURN THE PROPOSAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ADDITIONAL RECONSIDERATION WITH A STATEMENT REGARDING THE SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT MUST BE RECONSIDERED.THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM WAS HELD AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 2ND.
WE HAVE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE MINUTES AND STAFF REPORT OF THAT MEETING, WHICH ARE QUITE DETAILED AND AS WELL AS THE PACKET OF INFORMATION CONTAINING ALL CORRESPONDENCE IN FAVOR OF AND OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION, TOTALING OVER 800 PAGES.
IN SUMMARY, WE ARE WELL INFORMED ABOUT THE SPECTRUM OF OPINIONS ON THE ISSUE, WHILE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, IT IS OUR TRADITION TO ALLOW THE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WE INTEND TO DO THIS EVENING. HOWEVER, I HAVE ESTABLISHED A FEW RULES FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT DIFFER FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S HEARING, WHICH WERE PUBLISHED IN THE PACKET AND ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH I WILL REVIEW IN MORE DETAIL LATER IN LENEXA.
WE DO HAVE A REPUTATION FOR HAVING THOUGHTFUL AND RESPECTFUL DELIBERATIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAINTAIN THAT REPUTATION AND ASK THAT EVERYONE CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL, CIVIL MANNER AND REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL ATTACKS DURING STAFF'S PRESENTATION, THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION, AND THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. THERE IS TO BE NO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION.
BY THAT I MEAN PLEASE REFRAIN FROM COMMENTARY FROM YOUR SEATS, BOOING, CHEERING, CLAPPING, ETC. THESE TYPES OF BEHAVIORS ARE DISRUPTIVE TO THE MEETING AND NOT HELPFUL IN CONDUCTING OUR BUSINESS AND SERVE ONLY TO DELAY WHAT I KNOW WILL BE A VERY LENGTHY MEETING THIS EVENING. THIS IS APPLICABLE TO EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POSITION ON THE MATTER BEFORE US.
AFTER THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATIONS, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE COUNCIL WILL LIKELY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AND OUR STAFF DURING THESE DELIBERATIONS, BUT THERE WILL BE NO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION DURING THE PORTION OF THE MEETING. JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, ALSO, WE WILL BE TAKING BREAKS EVERY TWO HOURS.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO CREATE MEANINGFUL BREAKS FOR THOSE SO WE CAN INSERT THOSE INTO THE PROCEEDING.
BEFORE BEGINNING WITH THE PRESENTATION, WE NEED TO DECLARE ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATION THAT ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE HAD PRIOR TO THE MEETING, EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS, OR ANY SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS YOU'VE HAD OUTSIDE THE MEETING THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE PUBLISHED RECORD.
WE'LL START DOWN WITH JOHN MICHAEL AND GO DOWN THE LINE, PLEASE.
I REACHED OUT TO MISS HICKS EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO SEE ABOUT TOURING AND LEARNING MORE.
WOUND UP NOT GETTING TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT. THERE WERE LIKELY 3 TO 4 EMAILS THAT LANDED IN MY INBOX THIS MORNING THAT HAVE NOT MADE IT INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A FULL DAY. AND THEN LASTLY, I'VE HAD NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS WITH RESIDENTS RANGING FROM DECEMBER 14TH TO ABOUT 4 P.M.
TODAY. THOSE RANGE IN SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION ALL MANNER OF DISCUSSIONS WERE HAD NO UNIQUE COMMENTARY APART FROM WHAT IS ALREADY IN THE PUBLIC RECORD. WAS MADE IN EITHER DIRECTION.
AND REGARDLESS CAN OBJECTIVELY AND FAIRLY CONSIDER THE MERITS OF THE CASE.
I TOO HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS MOST NOTABLY WITH THE TIMBERS HOA, WHERE I HAVE FOUR PAGES OF NAMES THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE THAT EVENING. I'VE HAD 4 OR 5 PHONE CONVERSATIONS, AS WELL AS A MEETING WITH CHRISTINA WALLACE AND DAN WILCOX AND LINDSAY HICKS AND KATIE KILLEN AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND THE THE EMAILS AND ANYTHING THAT WAS ADDED TO THE PUBLIC RECORD.
THERE WAS NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL OUTSIDE OF THAT.
AND REGARDLESS WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE AN INFORMED AND DECISION TONIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU USE YOUR MICROPHONES.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS OUT THERE IN THE I THINK ARBORS OR SOMEWHERE OUT THERE, A GENTLEMAN NAMED PAUL SNYDER. HE TEXTED ME YESTERDAY IN SUPPORT MET WITH THE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS, DAN WILCOX, I BELIEVE HE LIVES IN THE TIMBERS AND MET UP AT PRICE CHOPPER OFF 101ST AND WOODLAND JANUARY 8TH.
[00:10:07]
SINCE I COULDN'T MEET PRIOR WITH THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY I WOUND UP SCHEDULING A MEETING AND REACHED OUT TO LINDSAY HICKS AND HER STAFF.KATIE. AND WE MET. WE MET I THINK IT WAS JANUARY 15TH, AND THEY GAVE ME A SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAM AT THE CURRENT LOCATION, AT THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IN OLATHE.
AND WE TOURED THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE TOURED THE A COUPLE OF HOUSES THAT WERE NEARLY COMPLETE.
AND THEN WE PARTED WAYS. I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH A COUPLE OF ACQUAINTANCES OF MINE.
THIS DYNAMIC, THIS DYNAMIC. MR. AND MRS. STEINBECK, I DON'T EXACTLY RECALL THE EXACT DATE ON THAT.
BUT THEY'VE VOICED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE APPLICATION.
A GENTLEMAN NAMED KEVIN CAWLEY HAD CALLED ME AND WE SPOKE OVER THE PHONE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS SUNDAY, THE FEBRUARY 1ST. HE WAS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER, IF I CAN REMEMBER, OR FIREMEN. HE STATED HE HAD BUILT IN THE TIMBER SOME YEARS AGO, LEFT AND THEN RELOCATED BACK TO THE TIMBERS BECAUSE OF HOW HE LOVED THAT AREA.
I BELIEVE KEVIN AS WELL SPOKE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
AND PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZE A LOT OF OUR DISCUSSION.
WE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE PHONE. I, I ALSO ATTEMPTED TO CONNECT WITH A DARCY GARIN RECENTLY AT HER REQUEST, BUT ULTIMATELY WE DID NOT CONNECT. YEAH, I'VE MET WITH DAN.
DAN WILCOX ALSO, AND I MET WITH TOM NOLTE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT.
ALSO, CHRISTINA WALLACE SOME ACQUAINTANCES FROM HERE IN LENEXA.
JEFF POTTER, GREG SEAVEY MOST OF THE CONVERSATIONS ARE.
IN THE IN THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT WE GOT. THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RECORD ALREADY.
I MET WITH LINDSAY HICKS AND KATIE ALSO I MET WITH CHRIS AND CHELSEA AND MARK AND CRAIG TO INDIVIDUALLY TO AT DIFFERENT TIMES. AND SO THAT'S ABOUT THE EXTENT OF MY EX PART.
AND JUST TO TO EXPRESS MY EMPATHY FOR SOME OF THE CONTENT OF THAT PODCAST.
NO OTHER EX-PARTE TO DISCLOSE THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC PACKETS.
I'VE HAD ALSO INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THOUGHTS.
BUT BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN REFLECTED IN THE RECORD, I WOULD SAY DID HAVE ONE CONVERSATION WITH KEN HENSLEY JUST TO TO THE VOLUNTEERS FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. BUT BEYOND THAT AGAIN, NONE OF THAT IS SEPARATE FROM WHAT'S ALREADY REFLECTED ON THE RECORD.
AND I CAN SAY THAT I WILL DECIDE ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE OBJECTIVELY.
I'VE HAD A HANDFUL OF CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS RESIDENTS FOR AND AGAINST.
AND I BELIEVE THAT DESPITE THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD AND THE EMAILS NOTHING WOULD IMPEDE ME FROM BEING FAIR AND IMPARTIAL AND DECIDING THIS CASE TONIGHT AND LISTENING TO THE MERITS OF BOTH SIDES.
AS AS BILL SAID, HE AND I HAD COFFEE WITH DAN WILKS ONE MORNING, EARLY ONE MORNING AND DISCUSSED THE CONCERNS THAT DAN RAISED. OTHER THAN THAT, I'VE, I'VE HAD EMAIL CONVERSATIONS, EMAILS FROM CONSTITUENTS, WHICH I FORWARDED TO THE PUBLIC RECORD. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE IN THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD THAT DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM WHAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RECORD.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING FOLKS FROM FROM MY WARD, BOTH FOR AND AGAINST. MOST OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WERE AD HOC, MEANING YOU KNOW, BUMPED INTO SOMEONE AT THE COSTCO OR SOME OTHER PLACE. AND IT WAS MOSTLY ME LISTENING TO WHAT THEIR POSITION WAS AND ME RELAYING WHAT
[00:15:10]
INFORMATION THAT I HAD. AND, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTOOD THEM REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THAT I HAD THIS CONVERSATION, WHETHER IT'S EMAIL OR OR CALL AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS SHARED WITH ME AND WHAT I SHARED I REMAIN OPEN MINDED AND FULLY CAPABLE OF MAKING A DECISION IN GOOD FAITH AND ACCORDING TO LAW, BASED ON THE CASE THAT IS MADE TONIGHT.YES, JUST ADDING ON FOR THE SAKE OF COMPLETENESS.
COMPLETENESS. I WAS PRESENT FOR THE SAME HOA MEETING THAT COUNCILWOMAN EITERICH REFERENCED, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH WALLACE AND WILKINS, SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS COMPLETE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. WE'LL START START START UP FIRST WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, SCOTT MCCULLOUGH, TO PRESENT STAFF'S ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS REGARDING THE APPLICATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I AM SCOTT MCCULLOCK, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY, AND I'LL BE PRESENTING STAFFS ANALYSIS AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION ON THESE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS.
PLEASE FORGIVE THE LENGTH OF MY PRESENTATION MAYOR, BUT THERE IS A LONG LIST OF ITEMS IN NEED OF CLARIFYING FOR THE GOVERNING BODY'S CONSIDERATION OF THESE APPLICATIONS, AND I WILL DO IT AS QUICKLY AS I CAN WITH ROUGHLY 50 SLIDES OF INFORMATION FOR THOSE COUNTING AT HOME.
THIS IS A REQUEST TO REZONE AND PLAT PROPERTY LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 86TH TERRACE AND CLARE ROAD, OUTLINED IN RED ON THE MAP. THE REQUEST IS FOR A CONVENTIONALLY DESIGNED RP ONE SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION PROPOSED BY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THAT WILL EMPLOY A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL OF OWNERSHIP TO MAINTAIN PERPETUAL AFFORDABILITY FOR A CERTAIN RANGE OF INCOME EARNERS.
HABITAT WILL SPEAK MORE TO THEIR VISION IN THE MECHANICS OF OWNERSHIP, AND I'LL PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS OF THIS DEVELOPER DRIVEN REQUEST TO REZONE AND PLAT THE PROPERTY. I WOULD NOTE, WHILE THIS VIEW IS ON THE SCREEN, THAT NO TRAILS OR WETLANDS ARE REMOVED WITH THIS PROJECT.
A A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE SITE'S HISTORY IS IN ORDER TO GET US STARTED.
THE PROPERTY WAS ANNEXED IN 1986, AND AT THE TIME THERE WAS A RURAL SUBDIVISION TO THE NORTH IN PRIMARILY AGRICULTURAL LAND SURROUNDING THE SITE. IT WAS ASSIGNED AG ZONING, WHICH HAS A PURPOSE PER CITY CODE, IN PART TO BE A HOLDING ZONE FOR AREAS ABLE TO BE DEVELOPED IN THE CITY, AND WAS ONCE A WORKING FARM AS AS NOTED IN THIS AERIAL FROM THAT TIME PERIOD.
IN 2006, ROUGHLY EIGHT YEARS LATER, THE CITY PURCHASED 97 ACRES.
THIS NORTH RECTANGLE FOR REGIONAL STORMWATER FACILITY DESIGNS FOR THAT FACILITY RANGED FROM A LARGE LAKE TO SMALLER DETENTION PONDS THAT WOULD FORM THE ULTIMATE WETLANDS.
IT WAS UNDERSTOOD AT THAT TIME, AT LEAST AS FROM STAFF THAT WERE WORKING THROUGH THIS, THAT THIS WAS MORE PROPERTY THAN NEEDED OR DESIRED FOR A PARK AND THE STORMWATER FACILITY. SO PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT WAS ALWAYS ENVISIONED AT THIS PROPERTY.
THIS PURCHASE BROUGHT THE TOTAL ACREAGE OWNED BY THE CITY TO APPROXIMATELY 127 ACRES.
THIS IS THE CLEAR CREEK WATERSHED IN BLUE DARKER BLUE.
THE SITE IS HERE IN GREEN, SO YOU CAN SEE THE STREET NETWORK OVERLAID ONTO THAT WATERSHED.
DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS SAINT JAMES SCHOOL HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE IN THE UPPER PART OF THE WATERSHED, AND OTHER USES WERE BEGINNING TO COME ONLINE, AND THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE STORMWATER AND CREATE A PARK OPPORTUNITY AT THE SAME
[00:20:01]
TIME. THIS IS WHEN THOUGHTS SHIFTED FROM A 15 ACRE PARK IN THE ORIGINAL 30 ACRES TO A PARK DESIGNED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REGIONAL STORMWATER FACILITY. WHATEVER SHAPE THAT WOULD TAKE, LAND NOT PLANNED FOR PARK OR REGIONAL DETENTION WOULD GO TOWARD PRIVATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. BY 2018. THE WETLANDS WERE DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROPERTY COULD ACCOMMODATE THIS CONCEPTUAL PARK AND STREET PLANNING THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE.HERE'S A, B, AND C. THIS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
THESE WERE INTENDED TO WORK WITH THE TRAILS AND AND THE PARK SYSTEM AND THE FUTURE PARK.
AT THE TIME, NO FORMAL SUBMITTALS WERE MADE, THOUGH SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE HAD SEVERAL INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH DEVELOPERS ABOUT DEVELOPING THESE PODS OF PROPERTY. IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS CONCEPT OF THE TIME ACTUALLY SOUGHT HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT AT FOUR DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE. I BELIEVE POD A WAS PLANNED FOR 67 LOTS AT HIGHER DENSITY USING NARROW LOTS AND REAR GARAGES.
INFRASTRUCTURE WAS PLANNED AND CONSTRUCTED SINCE THEN TO ACCOMMODATE NEW DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS THIS AREA TO DEVELOPING AREAS SURROUNDING IT. CLEAR ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH WITH THIS STREET STUB FOR A NEW STREET GOING INTO THE SITE.
THE 91ST STREET ALIGNMENT WAS WAS LAID OUT AND PLANNED FOR.
THE REGIONAL DETENTION WAS CONSTRUCTED TO ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WATERSHED, AND THE RESERVE SUBDIVISION AND NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE EAST WAS PLATTED WITH RIGHT OF WAY THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CONNECT TO TO PART B OF THIS PLAN.
THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF OF WORK DONE HERE IN 2022, AS OUTLINED HERE.
THE CITY JOINED WITH THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF THE ORIGINAL 30 ACRES THAT THE CITY PURCHASED TO ZONE AND PLAT THE PORTION OF THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY SOUTH OF FUTURE 91ST STREET FOR A SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION, ESSENTIALLY CONTINUING THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OF THE WATERSHED AND IMPLEMENTING A PORTION OF THE CITY'S PLAN TO DEVELOP THE AREA.
THAT DEVELOPMENT IS KNOWN AS CREEKSIDE PARK. OF NOTE IS THAT ONLY ONE PERSON SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ASKING ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS CLARIFIED AT THAT MEETING. THIS DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, WAS THE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL 30 ACRES, AND IT'S PART OF THIS 127 ACRES. THIS SLIDE ALSO DEMONSTRATES THE CONNECTION AND PLANNING YEARS AGO OF THESE PLATS TO THE SOUTH WITH STREET CONNECTIONS THAT WOULD WILL EVENTUALLY SERVE UP INTO AND THROUGH THIS AREA.
THIS LED TO THE CURRENT ZONING. IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE HERE THE CURRENT ZONING OF RP ONE ON A PORTION OF THE CITY'S PROPERTY, WITH THE REMAINDER BEING HELD IN THAT AG ZONING.
THIS SLIDE ALSO MAY BE A BETTER LOOK AT THE STREET CONNECTIONS PLANNED WITH, AS OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WERE BEING PLATTED INTO THE CITY'S PROPERTY. FINALLY, WITH REGARD TO HISTORY, SEVERAL COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE REGARDING THE THREE EIGHT CENT SALES TAX THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR THAT ALLEGED THAT THE CITY MISLED VOTERS, AND WE WANTED TO CORRECT THE RECORD ON THAT.
SEVERAL POTENTIAL PROJECTS WERE INCLUDED IN A TOWN TALK ARTICLE IN MARCH OF 2025.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU READ THE ARTICLE WHICH IS ON SCREEN HERE.
THE AREA IS CLEARLY AND ACCURATELY REFLECTED ON THE MAP.
I'M SORRY WE CAN'T ZOOM IN, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE SITE IS THAT RED DOT AND THIS PINK AREA IS THE PARK PARKLAND NOTED IN THE ARTICLE AND IN THE NARRATIVE. IT IS NOTED THAT DEVELOPMENT OF CENTENNIAL PARK, A 40 ACRE PARK AROUND THE CLEAR CREEK WETLANDS, NOT 127 ACRES, SO RESIDENTS RELYING ON THIS ARTICLE TO DECIDE THEIR VOTE WOULD HAVE HAD A MAP AND NARRATIVE THAT CLEARLY SHOWED THE SCOPE OF FUTURE CENTENNIAL PARK. IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE WHERE THE CITY MISLED VOTERS WITH WITH THIS KIND OF ARTICLE.
IT WAS DURING THIS TIME FRAME THAT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY REACHED OUT TO STAFF TO BEGIN DISCUSSING A HOUSING PROJECT FOR POD A, AND THAT COMPLETES A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AREA.
[00:25:05]
YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CRITERIA IN THE CODE UNDER WHICH ALL REZONING REQUEST ARE ANALYZED.I'LL REVIEW EACH ONE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC.
IT'S HELPFUL TO REVIEW THE CRITERIA IN CONTEXT WITH THE PROPOSED PRELIMINARY PLAN.
IT HAS THREE TRACKS WHICH ARE TYPICAL AND CARRIES A HOUSING CLASSIFICATION OF D.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DENSITY HERE BECAUSE WHILE IT DOES IS UNDER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED OF RP ONE, IT'S ALSO SORT OF ARTIFICIALLY CONSTRAINED FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IN THAT MOST DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS NATURE HAVE INCLUDED IN IT LAND THAT CARRIES A STREAM OR SOME OTHER CONSTRAINED PROPERTY THAT IS CALCULATED IN THE DENSITY.
HERE THE CITY INTENDS ONLY TO SELL THAT MUCH LAND.
REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE TO ACCOMMODATE A SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION HERE.
OTHERWISE IT MAY INCLUDE THE CREEK TO THE EAST AND REALLY LOWER THAT DENSITY.
LET ME GO THROUGH EACH CRITERIA FOR YOU. CRITERION ONE IS THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE IMMEDIATE AREA IS COMPRISED OF SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS OF VARYING LOT SIZES ONE ACRE TO THE NORTH AND, YOU KNOW, 8000 SQUARE FOOT, 7000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS TO THE WEST, SMALLER LOTS TO THE TO THE EAST AND TO THE SOUTH, AS WELL AS OPEN SPACE WITH THE STORMWATER FACILITIES.
THE THE LARGER AREA INCLUDES INDUSTRIAL USES AND SHAWNEE.
TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE SITE, A UTILITY SUBSTATION TO THE NORTHWEST, A LARGE OVERHEAD POWER LINE EASEMENT, AND POWER LINES CARVING THROUGH SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS THE CITY PROPERTY HERE.
CRITERION TWO LOOKS AT THE ZONING AND USES OF NEARBY PROPERTY.
THE ZONING OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA IS PP ONE. R1 AND AG USES INCLUDE SINGLE FAMILY.
THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, RECREATION TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE.
THE LARGER AREA CONTAINS PP TWO, WHICH IS MULTIFAMILY AT THE CORNER OF 83RD STREET AND CLARE ROAD.
USES AGAIN INCLUDE ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED PLUS PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL TO THE SOUTH AND DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL USES ALONG PRAIRIE STAR AND TO THE EAST NEAR K-7 HIGHWAY. THE REQUEST FOR RP ONE IS ALIGNED WITH THE VARIED ZONING AND USES OF THE NEARBY PROPERTY. CRITERION THREE RELATES TO THE SUITABILITY FOR THE USES BY WHICH THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY RESTRICTED, SO THE CURRENT ZONING IS AGRICULTURE AND THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY RESTRICTED TO AGRICULTURAL USES.
SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS OF THIS NATURE ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICT, THUS THE REZONING IS REQUIRED. THE AREA HAS CHANGED FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, FROM BEING AGRICULTURE IN NATURE TO SUBURBAN DENSITY RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.
CRITERION FOR IS THE POTENTIAL DETRIMENTAL EFFECT THE PROJECT MAY HAVE ON NEARBY PROPERTY.
THIS IS AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THE SITE IS ACTUALLY ISOLATED IN MANY WAYS FROM OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, AT LEAST FROM AN ACCESS STANDPOINT, AND IT MEETS THE CODE FOR REQUIRED PARKING FOR SINGLE FAMILY USES.
CRITERION FIVE IS HOW LONG THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN VACANT.
THE PROPERTY WAS AN ACTIVE FARM WITH A RESIDENCE PRIOR TO THE CITY'S PURCHASE IN 2006.
[00:30:02]
AFTER CONSTRUCTING THE WETLANDS AND TRAILS, THE EXCESS AREAS PLANNED FOR DEVELOPMENT CAME INTO FOCUS AND THE CITY COMPLETED EFFORTS TO SELL THREE DEVELOPMENT PODS.CRITERION SIX IS THE POTENTIAL GAIN TO THE PUBLIC BY DENYING THE APPLICATION COMPARED TO THE HARDSHIP TO THE OWNER AND APPLICANT IF THE REQUEST IS DENIED. THIS IS A PRETTY TYPICAL SUBDIVISION IN THE PP ONE DISTRICT THAT IS COMPATIBLE IN STAFF'S OPINION WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA.
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE VIEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
WHILE ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT CREATES SOME IMPACTS, THERE WILL BE NO IMPACTS GREATER THAN WHAT THE OTHER SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA CREATE. SO THE GAIN TO THE PUBLIC IS MINIMAL IF THE CITY CONTINUES ITS PURSUIT OF DEVELOPING THIS SITE.
IF THIS IS REJECTED, THE HARDSHIP TO THE APPLICANT, IF DENIED, IS THAT THE CITIES FORMALLY ADOPTED PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT WON'T BE REALIZED, AND THE APPLICANT'S MISSION. HABITAT'S MISSION TO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL BE UNREALIZED IN A LOCATION THAT CAN SUPPORT IT.
CRITERION SEVEN IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE CRITERIA TO REVIEW, SO I'LL KEEP GOING. CRITERION EIGHT IS CONFORMANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE ADOPTED CITY PLANS THAT GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE RESIDENT DRIVEN VISION PLANS, AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
ALL OF THE PLANS REFLECTED AND CONSULTED IN THE STAFF REPORT ARE THE FORMALLY ADOPTED PLANS THAT GUIDE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY AND HAVE UNDERTAKEN SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING CITIZEN SURVEYS, MULTIPLE MEDIA STORIES, TOWN TALK ARTICLES, AND WERE PROCESSED THROUGH SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
WE'LL START WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH CLASSIFIES THE SITE FOR SUBURBAN DENSITY, SUBURBAN DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL USES AT NO GREATER THAN THREE AND A HALF UNITS PER ACRE.
THE RP ONE ZONING CONFORMS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS CLASSIFICATION.
BUT ALONG WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ITSELF CONTAINS SEVERAL GOALS RELATED TO HOUSING, WHICH HAS BEEN AN IDENTIFIED ISSUE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE CITY'S PLANS.
THESE GOALS SEEK TO DIVERSIFY HOUSING CHOICE, NOT HOMOGENIZE IT.
THESE GOALS CALL FOR A RANGE OF HOUSING TYPES AND LOT SIZES.
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING HAS BEEN DEEMED TO BE THE HEALTHIER APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT BY CITIZENS OF THE CITY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNING BODY.
THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS OF THESE PLANS. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HAS SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD HELP FURTHER, NAMELY, TO PROMOTE ATTAINABLE HOUSING THROUGH DIVERSE HOUSING CHOICES AND CREATIVE HOUSING TYPES.
THOUGH FRANKLY, THE PROPOSED HOMES ARE VERY TYPICAL HOMES CONSTRUCTED IN THE CITY.
I WOULD NOTE. THE VISION 2040 PLAN IS THE SECOND PLAN CONSULTED, AND ALSO CONTAINS STRATEGIES AND TACTICS BY WHICH TO FORWARD ATTAINABLE HOUSING CONCEPTS.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL JOIN OTHER HOUSING TYPES THAT PROVIDE A RANGE OF RENTS AND PRICES.
HOUSING LIKE APARTMENTS, SMALL PATIO HOMES, BUILD TO RENT, SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISIONS, AND DUPLEXES PROVIDE DIVERSITY OF HOUSING IN THE CITY. THIS REZONING AND THE ACCOMPANYING PLAN AND APPLICANT PROJECT CULTIVATES ATTAINABLE, PRICED, OWNER OCCUPIED, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING WELL WITHIN THE SPECTRUM OF HOUSING CHOICE THE RESIDENTS HAVE CALLED FOR THROUGH PLANNING EFFORTS.
THE THIRD ADOPTED PLAN CONSULTED IS THE PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN, WHICH REFLECTS THE PARK SITE THAT EVOLVED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WETLAND LAND DEVELOPMENT. THIS MAP STRAIGHT OUT OF THE PLAN DEMONSTRATES THE PARK AREA AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT AREAS OF THE THREE PODS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
[00:35:01]
THE ADOPTED PLAN REFLECTS THE LOCATION, BOUNDARIES AND INTENT OF THIS AREA TO DEVELOP A 40 PLUS ACRE ACTIVE RECREATION PARK AND SELL EXCESS LAND FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH THIS APPLICATION REPRESENTS.PLANNING FOR THE PARK IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR DESIGN IN 2027 AND CONSTRUCTION IN 2028, THOUGH NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THAN YOU THAT SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS SHIFT IN OUR PROGRAM YEARS.
THIS SLIDE NOTES THE TOP SEVEN SIZED PARKS IN THE CITY, INCLUDING THE OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS AROUND THE WETLANDS AT THE SUBJECT SITE. CENTENNIAL PARK WILL BE AN APPROXIMATE 57 ACRE PARK AND WILL BE THE THIRD LARGEST PARK IN THE CITY SYSTEM.
THE COLORS REPRESENT DEVELOPED PARKS, THE SUBJECT SITE.
FUTURE CENTENNIAL AND ALSO FUTURE SITES HERE.
THE SECOND LARGEST PARK HERE WOULD BE THE FUTURE OF 72 ACRES AT SUNSET CANYON.
OF NOTE IS THAT LENEXA ACTUALLY EXCEEDS THE NATIONAL RATIO OF PARKLAND PER RESIDENT, AS SET BY THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS TEN ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS.
WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, THAT RATIO RISES TO 27 ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS.
THE CITY HAS BEEN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS PARK AND THE PLANNED TRAIL NETWORK FOR MANY YEARS, AS PROPERTIES ARE PLATTED WHERE FEASIBLE, EASEMENTS OR TRACKS ARE OBTAINED FOR TRAILS THAT TYPICALLY WILL PASS ALONG THE REAR OF PLATTED LOTS.
AS THE TRAILS TRAVERSE THROUGH THE CITY. MOVING ON TO CRITERION NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS JUST THE AVAILABILITY OF UTILITIES TO THE SITE. OF COURSE, UTILITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
THERE'S NO WAIVING OF ANY REQUIREMENTS HERE FOR THIS PROPERTY.
THE SITE IS ALSO WITHIN THE DE SOTO SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE DISTRICT IS AWARE OF THIS PROJECT AND OTHER PROJECTS AND RECENTLY APPROVED IN THEIR DISTRICT AND AS TYPICAL, HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THIS ON THIS PROJECT. CRITERION TEN IS THE IMPACT OF A PROJECT ON TRAFFIC IN THE STREET NETWORK. CLARE ROAD NOTED OVER HERE. THE SITE IS AT THIS RED DOT ON IT.
THIS IS CLARE ROAD FROM 83RD STREET TO PRAIRIE.
STAR PARKWAY HAS A NUMBER OF ROUNDABOUTS IN IT.
THIS IS A SECONDARY ARTERIAL ROAD AND HAS A DESIGN CAPACITY OF BETWEEN 12 AND 13,000 TRIPS PER DAY.
EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS AND CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC TODAY GENERATE AROUND 2000 TRIPS PER DAY.
THIS PROJECT WILL ADD ROUGHLY 500 TRIPS PER DAY BASED ON TRIP GENERATION DATA FOR SINGLE FAMILY USE.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL GO FROM 2000 TO 11,000, BUT DEVELOPMENT WILL BRING US THERE.
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT A TRAFFIC STUDY FOR THIS PROJECT.
NEARBY RESIDENTS HAVE RAISED A FEW CONCERNS RELATED TO THIS CRITERION, NAMELY REMOVAL OF WETLANDS AND AND THE POTENTIAL PRESENCE FOR MEAD'S MILKWEED IN THE AREA. AS YOU KNOW, THIS SUBDIVISION DOES NOT ENCROACH INTO THE WETLANDS AND NO OTHER WETLANDS ARE REMOVED WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[00:40:09]
TO THE CONTRARY, THE WETLANDS WERE BUILT BY THE CITY TO ACCEPT STORMWATER FROM THIS AREA AND SURROUNDING SITES TO ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA.OTHERWISE, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO CONSTRUCT A REGIONAL STORMWATER DETENTION FACILITY.
THIS PLANT CONTRIBUTES TO THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES HABITAT.
THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT IN KANSAS FOR DEVELOPERS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY TO MITIGATE FOR THE PRESENCE OF THIS PLAN, AND STAFF UNDERSTANDS FROM THE COUNTY'S NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGER THAT THIS PLANT IS ACTUALLY RARELY FOUND IN THE COUNTY, AND WHEN IT IS, IT'S FOUND ON UNDISTURBED GROUND IS THEIR EXPERIENCE.
THIS SITE WAS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION PRIOR TO THE CITY'S ACQUISITION, MAKING THE PRESENCE OF THIS SPECIES UNLIKELY.
YOU WILL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT THAT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDS, IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO GO WELL BEYOND PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND WILL COMPLETE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PROPERTY AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS AND OR MITIGATE ANY IDENTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
CRITERION 12 IS DEALS WITH STORMWATER IMPACT.
STORMWATER IN THIS INSTANCE IS MANAGED BY THE CITY.
THE WETLANDS WERE CONSTRUCTED TO MANAGE THE STORMWATER PRODUCED BY SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS PROJECT WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CAPACITY OR WATER QUALITY OF THE STORM SYSTEM.
ANYTHING WEST OF THE RIDGE FLOWS INTO A CITY.
SO STORMWATER IS ACTUALLY A VERY BASIC SYSTEM IN THIS IN THIS INSTANCE.
CRITERION THREE IS THE ABILITY TO MEET ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
THIS FINAL CRITERION TO ANALYZE THE REZONING REQUEST IS THE ABILITY TO MEET THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS BY WHICH THE PLAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY'S CODE WILL BE MET. WE WILL DISCUSS DEVIATIONS OF THE PLAT IN A MOMENT.
TURNING TO THE PRELIMINARY PLAN AND PLAT AGAIN.
THIS IS 50 LOTS WITH ACCESS FROM CLARE ROAD RIGHT HERE INTO.
YOU CAN SEE THE STREET NETWORK HERE. TWO CUL DE SACS, YOUR TYPICAL KINDS OF TRACKS FOR DRAINAGE, LANDSCAPING AND A PRIVATE PARK AMENITY ON TRACT B BE HERE.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT THIS HAS BECOME A DE FACTO PARKING LOT FOR FOLKS WHO VISIT THE AREA.
IT'S ACTUALLY A STREET STUB FOR FUTURE LOCAL STREET, A SOUTH PINE.
BEGINNING ABOUT HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE GENTLE CURVE IN THE STREET.
IT'S WIDER IN THIS AREA TO ACCOMMODATE THAT TURNING LANE.
SO ALL THAT IS NECESSARY IS TO STRIPE THAT TURNING LANE IN.
AGAIN, NO TRAILS WILL BE REMOVED WITH THIS PROJECT, THOUGH.
THE EXISTING TRAIL IS PLANNED TO BE MOVED ALONG THIS AREA OF THE OF THE YELLOW DASHED LINE A BIT SOUTH OF ITS CURRENT ALIGNMENT TO IN PART TO TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE SOUTHWEST BOUNDARY OF THE PLAT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO RUN
[00:45:05]
SOUTH OF THE NEW LOCAL ROAD AND CROSS THAT LOCAL ROAD AT A POINT MORE APPROPRIATE FOR CROSSING FROM OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS PERSPECTIVE.YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH SEEING THIS ON MOST PLATS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE THE CITY'S TRAIL NETWORK.
EXCUSE ME, MAYOR, WHILE I QUENCH MY THROAT. TALK ABOUT LANDSCAPE BUFFER.
THE CODE REQUIRES A LANDSCAPE BUFFER ALONG CLARE ROAD, WHICH IS PROVIDED IN A 35FT DEEP TRACT.
THIS IS ALSO WHERE THAT BMP IS LOCATED. I WOULD NOTE THAT THE TIMBERS ACROSS THE STREET PROVIDES A 20 FOOT DEEP LANDSCAPE TRACT, SO THOSE HOME LOTS ARE ACTUALLY 15FT CLOSER TO CLARE ROAD THAN THESE PROPOSED LOTS WOULD BE.
THE NORTH TREE ROW HAS HAD SOME DISCUSSION. THE APPLICANT DOES PLAN TO MAINTAIN THAT TREE ROW, BUT IT DOES DEPEND. OUR EXPERIENCE IS THAT THAT DOES DEPEND ON THE BUILDABILITY BUILDABILITY OF THE LOTS.
ONCE DESIGN HAS REACHED THAT POINT, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN THAT LINE OF TREES BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE USES FROM THE CODES CODE'S PERSPECTIVE. BUT AGAIN, THE APPLICANT SEES VALUE BOTH FOR THEIR PROJECT AND THE FOLKS TO THE NORTH TO TRY TO MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN THAT THAT ROW OF TREES AND OF COURSE, STREET TREES ARE NOTED HERE. THOSE WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE DEVELOPER.
PUSHING ON THE PROPERTY SITE TO FROM THE EAST, THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE AND CONSTRUCTED POLES TO THE SOUTH, CLARE ROAD TO THE WEST, AND THE NORTH PROPERTY LINE.
THOSE ARE ALL CONSTRAINING THE THE SITE. MODEST REVISIONS TO SETBACKS AND LOT SIZE STANDARDS ARE REQUESTED TO DESIGN A SUBDIVISION THAT GENERALLY COMPLIES WITH THE CODE STANDARDS. THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC DEVIATIONS BEING REQUESTED.
SO FOR ALL LOTS THERE WOULD BE A FIVE FOOT REDUCTION IN FRONT YARD SETBACK.
FOR CERTAIN LOTS, THERE WOULD BE UP TO AN EIGHT FOOT REDUCTION IN LOT WIDTH.
AND FOR ANOTHER CERTAIN SET OF LOTS, THERE WOULD BE A MODEST DECREASE IN LOT SIZE OF 440FT².
I SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN A BETTER COLOR. MAYOR MY HIGHLIGHTS ARE BARELY SHOWING UP FOR YOU.
THIS PROJECT'S DEVIATION REQUESTS ARE EQUAL TO OR LESS OF A DEVIATION THAN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS DEVELOPED IN THE WESTERN AREA WEST OF K-7. IF YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS, THOSE ARE ALL STANDARDS OF THESE SUBDIVISIONS THAT EXCEED THE CODE REQUIREMENT IN WAYS GREATER THAN THE SUBJECT REQUEST DOES.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU NOTED THE MINIMUM LOT WIDTH OF THE APPLICATION IS UP TO EIGHT FEET.
THERE HAVE BEEN SUBDIVISIONS THAT RECEIVED 16FT REDUCTIONS 15FT REDUCTIONS TEN FEET REDUCTIONS IN LOT WIDTH, ALL IN THIS GENERAL AREA OF THE CITY. AND SCOTT, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE ENCLAVE AT TWIN CREEKS WAS THE APPLICATION THAT WAS APPROVED ON DECEMBER 15TH OF LAST YEAR. CORRECT? THAT WAS THE MOST RECENT SUBDIVISION. THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL TURN TO A THE STANDARD IN THE CODE, THE DWELLING CLASSIFICATION STANDARD, THOUGH WE DO SEEK DIVERSE HOUSING CHOICE IN THE CITY.
AS I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL SLIDES OF GOALS IN THE IN THE PLANS, THE CODE PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE A MORE TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR HOUSING COMPATIBILITY BY REQUIRING HOMES TO MEET A CERTAIN MINIMUM SIZE AT THE GROUND LEVEL RELATIVE TO ADJACENT SUBDIVISIONS.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS MUST NOT BE LESS THAN ONE CLASS BELOW AN ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE DO THIS BY LOOKING AT PLATS, PLAT NOTES, AND ASSIGNMENTS MADE FOR EACH PLAT.
AND I'LL GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER HERE.
BUT THIS IS THE TABLE OUT OF THE CODE. AND SO IN THIS INSTANCE THE CLOSEST PLAT IS A CLASSIFICATION OF C ANY NEW PLAT COMING UP AGAINST A PLAT WITH A CLASSIFICATION OF C HAS TO BE EQUAL TO GREATER THAN OR NO
[00:50:10]
GREATER THAN ONE LETTER LESS THAN THAT SUBDIVISION.SO USE SOME GRAPHICS HERE. THIS THE INTENT OF THIS MAP.
IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE VARIATION IN CLASSIFICATIONS.
YOU CAN SEE OTHER CLASS D'S ALL THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THIS WAS DUE TO ONE PHASE OF THE TIMBERS, WHICH IS A CLASS C.
THE AREA TO THE NORTH, CLEAR CREEK ESTATES, IS UNCLASSIFIED BECAUSE IT WAS PLATTED PRIOR TO ANNEXATION, AND SO THE CODE DOESN'T CLASSIFY THOSE. IT DOESN'T ASSIGN A CLASSIFICATION, THOUGH I WILL NOTE THAT ACCORDING TO APPRAISER RECORDS, WE REVIEWED THE HOMES ADJACENT TO THE SUBDIVISION DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH.
IF ASSIGNED, A CLASSIFICATION WOULD CARRY TWO AND THREE CLASSES SMALLER THAN THE PROPOSED PLAT.
UPON STUDYING THIS MAP, YOU MIGHT NOTE THAT THE MARKET SEEMS TO BE MOVING TO SMALLER HOMES, AND SEVERAL SUBDIVISIONS APPROVED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE CARRIED SMALLER HOUSING CLASSES, EVEN AS SMALL AS A CLASS H IN THE STONERIDGE DEVELOPMENT UP ON 83RD STREET.
THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE CODE IN THIS REGARD.
AND NEXT I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH HOW THE CLASS D DETERMINATION WAS MADE.
SO AGAIN, WE LOOK AT ADJACENT PLOTS AT THEIR PLAT NOTES TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE CLASSIFIED AS.
SO THIS IS THE OUTLINE OF ONE OF THE PLOTS OF THE TIMBERS OF CLEAR CREEK.
IT'S THE SIXTH PLAT. WHICH IS OVER HERE. THE ACTUAL PLAT IS HERE.
WE'VE PULLED THE PLAT NOTE WHICH SAYS CLASSIFICATION NOTE LOTS 184 THROUGH 218, WHICH IS ALL INCLUSIVE OF THOSE LOTS CARRY A CLASSIFICATION OF C, SO THAT IS THE MOST ADJACENT AND CLOSEST ONE.
THIS IS THE FOURTH PLAT. IT IS A TRACT WHERE THE TIMBERS POOL AMENITY IS LOCATED.
SO IT IS A TRACT. THEREFORE IT IS NOT A HOME LOT.
SO NO HOME CAN BE BUILT ON THIS TRACT. THEREFORE THIS PLAT CARRIES NO CLASSIFICATION.
NOTE IT DOES CARRY A NOTE THAT SAYS IT'S OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, AND IS RESERVED FOR AMENITIES. THE LAST PLAT TO LOOK AT IS THE FIRST PLAT OF THE TIMBERS AND FORGIVE ME. NORTH ON THE PLATTE IS TO THE LEFT OF THE SCREEN.
SO TURN IT 90 DEGREES, AND IT WOULD TAKE THE SHAPE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE HERE.
THIS IS THE OUTLINE OF THAT PLATTE. SO THE WHAT'S HAPPENING AGAINST CLARE ROAD HERE IS THIS PLATTE WAS THE FIRST TO DEDICATE THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET RIGHT AWAY.
SO IT CARRIES THE WESTERN SIDE HALF WIDTH RIGHT OF WAY OF CLARE ROAD.
AND THEN THERE ARE TRACKS HERE, ULTIMATELY, THAT THE CITY ENDS UP OWNING FOR RECREATION TRAILS.
AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE LOTS THE PLATTE NOTE NOTES, LOTS ONE THROUGH 56 SHALL CARRY THE HOUSING CLASSIFICATION OF B, AND THERE'S NO ARGUMENT WITH THAT. THAT PART OF THE TIMBERS DOES CARRY A HOUSING CLASSIFICATION OF B, BUT THE APPLICABLE PLAT THAT WE FOUND TO BE OF NOTE IS THIS PHASE OF THE TIMBERS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SUBJECT SITE, WHICH IS C, WHICH IS HOW WE GOT TO CLASSIFICATION D FOR THE SUBJECT SITE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF HOME PLANNED TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES DO NOT UNDERGO A FINAL PLAN PROCESS.
INSTEAD, THE CODE REQUIRES CERTAIN ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS RELATED TO THE SLOPED ROOFS AND THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE A PORCH AND A GARAGE OR A CARPORT. THE APPLICANT HAS CONVEYED COMPLIANCE WITH THESE STANDARDS WITH THE NOTED CONCEPT.
ELEVATIONS. ALL HOMES WILL HAVE THE REQUIRED SLOPED ROOFS, A PORCH, AND A TWO CAR GARAGE,
[00:55:02]
WHICH ACTUALLY EXCEEDS THE CODE REQUIREMENT. DETAILS OF THESE WILL ALL BE DETERMINED AT TIME OF HOUSING PERMITS, LIKE EVERY SUBDIVISION THAT WE PROCESS. ALMOST DONE MAYOR.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE EVERYONE. WE FIND THAT THE REZONING AND PLAT ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE ADOPTED PLANS USED TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT THE PLAT IS A VERY STANDARD PP ONE LAYOUT WITH JUSTIFIABLE DEVIATION REQUESTS.
A VALID PROTEST PETITION WAS SUBMITTED, TRIGGERING A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE OF THE GOVERNING BODY, AND I'LL REVIEW WHAT THAT MEANS IN A MOMENT. THE GREEN LOTS WERE THOSE SUBMITTED IN PROTEST IN THE BLUE DID NOT CARRY A PROTEST.
STAFF'S FINDINGS RESULTED IN A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AFTER COMPLETING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WEIGHING ALL INPUT, RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE REZONING AND PLAN TO THE GOVERNING BODY.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL END MY PRESENTATION AND STAND FOR QUESTIONS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SO IN INTEREST OF TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE STRAIGHT INTO THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION. WE WILL TAKE UP QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WITH THAT, I'LL CALL UPON LINDSAY HICKS FOR THE APPLICANT FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
THIS ONE. IS IT THAT ONE? YEAH. OKAY. PERFECT.
THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN JUST USE THE ARROW. OKAY, GREAT.
MY NAME IS LINDSAY HICKS, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY. THE HOUSING THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A 50 HOME DEVELOPMENT. AS YOU HAVE JUST RECENTLY LEARNED.
SO I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS, THIS PART REALLY QUICKLY, SINCE YOU JUST LEARNED THE INS AND OUTS OF IT ALL. BUT THE PLAN INCLUDES 50 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES CONNECTED TO THE GREEN SPACE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING DOING PICKLEBALL COURTS AND BASKETBALL COURTS, AS WELL AS A PLAYGROUND ON THE SITE, WHICH IS ON THAT TRACK THAT IS OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A FENCE AND LANDSCAPE BUFFER ON THE WEST SIDE AS WELL.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION IS CLASS D.
WE HAVE TWO FOR PROFIT BUILDERS WHO WILL BE JOINING US IN THIS ADVENTURE WITH ANDY AND TOMMY BICKMORE, WHO ARE THE TWO BUILDERS WHO ARE JOINING US IN THIS PROJECT.
THIS ALIGNS WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, AND HABITAT SEES THE TREES ON THE NORTH PROPERTY LINE AS AN ASSET, AND OUR INTENTION IS SURELY TO MINIMIZE ANY IMPACT ON THEM AND TO KEEP THEM.
THE ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT COSTS AND FEES. SO THE TOTAL PROJECT ITSELF IS AROUND $18 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE DONE OVER A 5 TO 6 YEAR TIME PERIOD.
ONE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF AT HABITAT, AT HABITAT KC IS THAT ALL OF OUR HOMES ARE BUILT TO ENERGY STAR 3.0, SO THEY'RE VERY ENERGY EFFICIENT. TO ENSURE THE UTILITIES STAY AT A DECENT COST FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS 7560FT², AS SHARED EARLIER.
DESIGNS WILL INCLUDE TWO CAR GARAGES, COVERED FRONT PORCHES, AND REAR PATIOS OR DECKS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE PROPOSED HOMES AS WELL.
THIS IS A ONE AND A HALF STORY FLOOR PLAN THAT WE HAD PUT FORWARD.
THIS JUST SHOWS YOU THE SITE MAP, WHICH WAS ALREADY SHARED BEFORE.
WE ANTICIPATE AND WILL BE USING A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR THIS PROJECT.
THE MODEL WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THAT WE OPERATE.
SO WE HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MAIN TRACKS.
WE ALSO HELP THE HOMEOWNERS WITH ESCROWING A HOME REPAIR A HOME REPAIR MONTHLY PAYMENT THAT WE ESCROW AND SAVE FOR THEM SO THAT WHEN IT COMES DOWN THE LINE, IF THEY DO NEED TO ACCESS THAT, THEY HAVE IT. AND THERE'S MANY OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS STEWARDSHIP MODEL,
[01:00:01]
BUT BASICALLY HOW IT FUNCTIONS TO IS THAT 25, WE DO A 75% AND 25% SPLIT PERCENT SPLIT ON OUR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.BUT WE CAP THE MARKET APPRECIATION AT 25% FOR THAT HOMEOWNER.
SO THEY'RE GETTING ALL THEIR EQUITY PLUS THE 25%.
AND THEN ALSO THERE'S THE COMPLIANCE COMPONENT WITH IT.
SO WITHIN OUR GROUND LEASE, WE HAVE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH. AND THE LAND TRUST OVERSEES THAT INCLUDING PROPERTY MAINTENANCE RENT RESTRICTIONS. SO YOU CANNOT RENT THIS. RENT THE PROPERTY OUT UNLESS YOU SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDELINES. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
HUD HAS TO MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO US EVEN ACQUIRING THE LAND.
THE PROJECT TIMELINE IS PHASED OVER 5 TO 6 YEARS.
SECOND IS SITE PREPARATION. NEXT IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN WE HAVE PHASE FOUNDATIONS, PHASE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION AND NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES THAT WE'LL PUT IN LAST FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HELD A GALLERY WALK WHICH WAS HOSTED ON DECEMBER 9TH AT CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION.
NEXT, I WANT TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM OVERVIEW OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND HOW OUR PROGRAM FUNCTIONS.
WE LOOK AT A PATH TO HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR ALL OF THE FAMILIES WHO COME TO US.
ONE, WE FIRST DETERMINE THEIR PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.
SO WHERE ARE THESE FAMILIES AT ON THEIR PATHWAY TO HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THEM IN GETTING THERE? SECOND, WE ASSIGN THEM WITH A HOUSING COUNSELOR SO THEY HAVE ONE ON ONE HOUSING COUNSELING SESSIONS WITH THEIR ASSIGNED COUNSELOR.
AND WE DO PRE-PURCHASE EDUCATION. ALL OF OUR APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO DO 100 HOURS OF PER ADULT IN THE HOME OF PARTNER HOURS, WHICH INCLUDES HOMEOWNER EDUCATION HOMEOWNER MAINTENANCE CLASSES, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF COURSES THAT WE OFFER VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.
ONE YEAR OF GOOD GOOD RENTAL HISTORY LEADING UP TO APPLICATION.
LESS THAN $1,000 IN NON MEDICAL COLLECTIONS DEBT.
TWO YEARS SINCE THE COMPLETION OF A BANKRUPTCY OR FORECLOSURE.
AND THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ALIGN WITH THAT ABILITY TO PAY A MINIMUM OF $1,200 FOR CLOSING COSTS, AND YOU HAVE TO BE A US OR PERMANENT, A US CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT.
IT'S A SLIDING SCALE, SO FOR A FAMILY OF THREE YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE BETWEEN 51,500 TO 80,200, WHEREAS A FAMILY OF SIX WOULD NEED TO HAVE BETWEEN 64,650 TO $103,400.
WE'VE BEEN ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO OUR HABITAT HOMEOWNERS, AND ONCE WE LOOKED AT THE RECENT APPLICANTS AND THE RECENT FOLKS WHO CLOSED ON THEIR HOMES WITH HABITAT, 27% WERE IN EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS, 18% WERE ADMINISTRATIVE OR OFFICE SUPPORT, 14 WERE IN SOCIAL SERVICES, 9% WERE CONSTRUCTION, 9% WERE HEALTHCARE, 5% WERE SERVICE INDUSTRY FOLKS, 5% WERE FOOD SERVICE, 5% WERE INSURANCE FIVE WERE SELF-EMPLOYED AND 5% WERE STUDENTS.
SINCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR PROJECT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING BETWEEN 7 TO 9 INQUIRIES PER DAY REGARDING HOW TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
HABITAT HOMES ARE SOLD TO INDIVIDUAL FAMILY AT THE APPRAISED VALUE.
[01:05:05]
IS THAT 0% INTEREST MORTGAGE MORTGAGES ARE SERVICED IN-HOUSE BY OUR MORTGAGE TEAM.SO WE HAVE AN AWESOME MORTGAGE TEAM WHO WORKS DIRECTLY WITH OUR FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE MAKING THEIR PAYMENTS AND THAT THEY ARE UP TO DATE WITH THEIR TAXES AND INSURANCE AS WE ESCROW ALL OF THAT INTO ONE PAYMENT.
BUT THE MEDIAN HOME VALUE FROM 2018 TO 2023 HAD A 41% INCREASE JUST ALONE FROM THOSE FIVE YEARS, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT INCREASE EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
ADDITIONALLY, IN JOHNSON COUNTY, 40% OF RENTERS ARE COST BURDEN, WITH THE MEDIAN RENT BEING $1,427.
THAT'S CONTINUING TO GROW, AS WELL AS THE MEDIAN.
MEDIAN MORTGAGE IS ALSO WELL ABOVE $2,000, AND SO THESE HOUSES WILL FALL WITHIN THE INCOME RANGE FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENTLY RENTING AND LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP. THIS IS A QR CODE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO VISIT OUR PROJECT WEBSITE.
SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU LINDSAY.
WE WILL NOW CONDUCT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THE SPEAKING ORDER WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THE COMMUNITY FORUM SCREENS.
AND THE SPEAKER NEXT IN LINE WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY CITY STAFF.
I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU TO SPEAK WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS, AND WE ARE USING UTILIZING THE DIGITAL TIMER AT THE END OF THE DAIS OVER THERE IN FRONT OF JOHN-MICHAEL. AT THE END OF YOUR TIME, YOU WILL NEED TO RETURN TO YOUR SEAT.
SPEAKERS WERE ASKED TO IDENTIFY WHETHER OR NOT THEY LIVE IN LENEXA, AND WILL BE HEARD IN THE ORDER THEY WERE REGISTERED, ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS ONE. LENEXA RESIDENTS WHO SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY TO COMMENT FIRST.
TWO SPEAKERS WHO ARE NOT FROM LENEXA, THOSE WHO DO NOT WISH TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION, AND THOSE WHO SIGN UP IN PERSON THIS EVENING WILL BE HEARD AFTER THE PRE-REGISTERED LENEXA RESIDENTS. ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT AS A DEBATE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC, APPLICANT OR CITY STAFF. WE WILL NOTE ANY NEW QUESTIONS OR CONCERN RAISED DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND WILL RESPOND OR WILL ASK STAFF OR THE APPLICANT TO RESPOND TO AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE ARE REASONABLY ABLE TO GET TO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PLEASE NOTE THAT CERTAIN QUESTIONS MAY NOT BE READILY ANSWERED THIS EVENING.
PLEASE LET ME REITERATE THAT WE'VE REVIEWED AND THE DETAILED MINUTES AND THE STAFF REPORT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. WE'VE READ ALL THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT WAS SUBMITTED ON THIS ITEM. PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO REFRAIN FROM DUPLICATE COMMENTS.
CRITERIA FOR REVIEW, CITY CODE AND STATE LAW.
WE WANT TO HEAR ALL PERSPECTIVES ON THIS MATTER, AND YOUR COOPERATION IS AND PARTICIPATION IN MAKING THIS GO AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE IS APPRECIATED BECAUSE THIS IS LIKELY A LENGTHY, LENGTHY MEETING.
MIKE, PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER. JUST A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
THANK YOU. MAYOR. ON THE SCREEN YOU WILL SEE TEN NAMES IN TWO COLUMNS.
SO IF YOU ARE IN THE ROOM AND YOU'RE SPEAKING, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO ONE OF THE AISLES. WE'LL BE USING THE LECTERNS ON EITHER SIDE HERE. AND PLEASE BEAR WITH ME, I'LL DO MY BEST TO GET EVERYBODY'S NAME CORRECT.
THERE ARE 99 OF YOU, SO I APPRECIATE A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU. FIRST UP TO SPEAK IS NICOLE STEINMARK, FOLLOWED BY DAVID WILLIAMSON.
NICOLE STEINMARK. OKAY. TWO MINUTES. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS NICOLE. I LIVE IN LENEXA 24746 WEST 91ST PLACE.
MY FAMILY BUILT OUR HOME IN 2018. AFTER LOOKING AT DOZENS OF LOCATIONS.
WE CHOSE WEST LENEXA SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT'S QUIET, SERENE CHARACTER.
IT'S INCREDIBLE PARKS AND IT'S WALKING TRAILS.
BEFORE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT, I REVIEWED THE CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN COVERING 2012 TO 2024, WHICH IDENTIFIED THIS PARCEL AS PARKLAND AND OPEN GREEN SPACE.
WE MADE ONE OF THE LARGEST FINANCIAL DECISIONS OF OUR LIVES BASED ON THAT INFORMATION FROM THE CITY.
MY CONCERN TONIGHT IS NOT ABOUT THE MISSION, AND IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT HABITAT.
[01:10:01]
IT IS ABOUT LOCATION, LAND USE, AND TRANSPARENCY.MANY RESIDENTS PURCHASED THEIR HOMES WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING, CHANGING THAT DESIGNATION NOW AND SUGGESTING IT WAS NEVER INTENDED AS PARKLAND FEELS INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TOLD FOR YEARS.
IT'S ALSO THE ONLY REMAINING OPEN GREEN SPACE WEST OF K-7 IN OUR AREAS.
FAMILIES WALK HERE, CHILDREN PLAY HERE, AND IT'S A PLACE IN A VERY GETTING A VERY CONGESTED CORRIDOR WITHIN TWO AND A HALF MILES OF MY HOME. THE CITY HAS ALREADY APPROVED OVER 2000 APARTMENT UNITS, WITH 200 LOW INCOME UNITS INCLUDED IN THAT.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE TOWNHOMES STILL UNDERWAY.
THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS BEING TAKEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING NEEDS.
HOMES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD RANGE FROM 500 TO $800,000.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR THE LENEXA CITY COUNCIL TO SAY NO TODAY AND RECONSIDER THE SALE OF THIS LAND.
THAT'S IT. DAVID WILLIAMSON, FOLLOWED BY ANGELA BUZZARD AND THEN PAMELA BEAVERS.
MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE DECISION THAT YOU MAKE TODAY IS GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE, NOT JUST PROPERTY. I MOVED TO THIS AREA 34 YEARS AGO INTO A 1300 SQUARE FOOT, TWO CAR GARAGE HOME THAT WAS QUITE AFFORDABLE AT THAT TIME. WHEN I DID THAT, THERE WAS A LOT OF AG USE LAND AROUND ME THAT IS NO LONGER THERE. 8780 SEVENTH AND LACHMAN WAS ONCE A SPINACH FARM.
AND I DO REMEMBER THOSE TIMES. FOLKS, I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT THE ABILITY TO AFFORD A HOME IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY AMERICAN DREAMS OF.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY AMERICAN WANTS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR NEIGHBORS WANT.
I WOULD REMIND YOU FOLKS TO PLEASE MAKE THAT DREAM AVAILABLE FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS THEY WANT TO COME AND BE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS WELL. AND BE GOOD STEWARDS TO LENEXA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ANGELA BUZZARD, FOLLOWED BY PAMELA BEAVERS, THEN MICHELLE LANCASTER.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANGELA BUZZARD, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
YEARS AGO, WE VISITED LAKE LENEXA AND WERE DRAWN TO WEST LENEXA FOR ITS PARKS, OPEN SPACE, AND NEIGHBORS THAT WERE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE LESS DENSE. WE DECIDED TO RAISE OUR KIDS IN THE AREA AND BROUGHT OUR HOME.
BOUGHT OUR HOME THAT BACKS UP TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PARK.
WE FISH IN THE PONDS, OBSERVE WILDLIFE, AND REGULARLY CONNECT WITH NEIGHBORS ON THE TRAILS.
IT REALLY IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR HOME, THE PROPERTY WAS IDENTIFIED AS CITY PARKLAND IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I UNDERSTAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A REAL ISSUE IN JOHNSON COUNTY AND LENEXA.
I VOLUNTEERED FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN THE PAST AND OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE LIVED IN, AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THEIR MISSION. PUBLIC RESOURCES CAN AND SHOULD HELP SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MY CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S ABOUT THE SITE THAT WAS SELECTED FOR THIS PROJECT.
THIS PARKLAND IS NOT VACANT LAND LIKE MANY OTHER AVAILABLE SITES IN THE COUNTY.
IT IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT INVESTMENT REFLECTS INNOVATIVE PLANNING AND FORESIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
WE ASK THAT THAT SAME LEVEL OF FORESIGHT THAT WAS USED TO DETERMINE THE USE OF THE PROPERTY THEN, IS NOW BEING USED TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THE PARKLAND FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND NOT JUST FOR A FEW HOMEOWNERS. FOR THOSE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR TWO REQUESTS, DENY THIS APPLICATION, AND SUPPORT HABITAT TO FIND ANOTHER SUITABLE SITE FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN LENEXA, AND GO BACK AND CONDUCT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. THANKS.
[01:15:04]
PAMELA BEAVERS, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE LANCASTER, THEN TRACY ASPINWALL.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PAMELA BEAVERS.
MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A HOME IN CLEAR CREEK ESTATES.
LENEXA DIDN'T BECOME A BEST PLACE TO LIVE BY ACCIDENT.
THIS WAS A RESULT OF INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND LONG TERM VISION.
WE MADE THE DECISION TO REMAIN IN LENEXA AND INVEST IN OUR HOME BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IN THE CITY'S VISION 2040, ESPECIALLY THE PRIORITIES OF HEALTHY PEOPLE, OUTDOOR ACCESS, AND PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS.
REGARDING HEALTH AND OUTDOOR ACCESS, OUR BACKYARD DIRECTLY ACCESSES THAT AND CONNECTS TO THE WETLAND, WHICH WERE DEVELOPED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SERVE AS A CRITICAL HABITAT FOR DEER, COYOTES, FOX, BOBCATS, SQUIRREL, SEVERAL BAT SPECIES THAT PREFER OLDER, ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS AND TREES AND ARE SOME PROTECTED BY LAW AND BIRDS, VARIOUS SPECIES AMONG THEM. SOME ARE THREATENED OR ENDANGERED.
THE PLAN REPRESENTED STABILITY, AND WE TRUSTED THE PLAN.
WHEN ASKED IF YOU PROMISE TO PRESERVE THE ROW OF MATURE TREES, A NATURAL HABITAT FOR THAT SAID, WILDLIFE BETWEEN US AND THE PROPOSED SITE. THE PLANNING COMMITTEE COULD ONLY ANSWER THEY'LL TRY TONIGHT.
WE ARE NOT OPPOSING PROGRESS AND WE SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.
LOCATION MATTERS AND PLANNING CONSISTENCY MATTERS EVEN MORE WHEN RESIDENTS SPEAK UP.
IT IS NOT RESISTANCE. IT IS STEWARDSHIP. WE CARE ABOUT WHERE WE LIVE.
TODAY, THOSE PLANS FEEL VERY UNCERTAIN. WE SIMPLY ASK FOR ALIGNMENT THAT THE CITY HONOR THE PRINCIPLES IT PROMOTES PREDICTING, PLANNING, NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION, AND MOST OF ALL, PUBLIC TRUST.
LENEXA REPUTATION WAS BUILT ON THOUGHTFUL GROWTH.
PLEASE WRAP UP. PLEASE ENSURE THAT DECISION CONTINUES.
MICHELLE LANCASTER, FOLLOWED BY TRACY ASPINWALL AND OUR SALVATION.
THAT REPRESENTATION INFLUENCED OUR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT IN OUR TRUST IN THE CITY.
THIS OPPOSITION IS NOT ISOLATED. WE HAVE MORE THAN 600 RESIDENTS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP THAT OPPOSE THIS, AND OVER 1800 SIGNATURES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO PRESERVE THIS PARK SPACE.
THE OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION COMES FROM LENEXA RESIDENTS.
WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS. OUR CONCERNS EXTEND BEYOND DEVELOPMENT.
YET DOCUMENTATION CONFIRMS A JULY 15TH TWO HOUR INFORMATIONAL MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY CONTINUED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HABITAT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, AN EMAIL FROM ONE COUNCIL MEMBER STATING I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND ALL THE DETAILS TO HELP WITH COMMUNICATIONS.
SHOWS PRIOR ENGAGEMENT BEFORE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THESE COMMUNICATIONS DO NOT REFLECT IMPARTIALITY.
THEY SUGGEST POSITIONING AND WORKING TOWARDS A CONSENSUS UNDER COMA.
TRANSPARENCY SHOULD NOT REQUIRE RESIDENTS TO FILE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
UNLIKE HABITAT, WHO HAD TWO HOURS OF YOUR ATTENTION IN COLLABORATION, I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES, SO I WILL CLOSE WITH THIS. WE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE AFFECTED WITH THIS PERMANENT IMPACT OF YOUR DECISION.
WE ARE THE ONES WHO VOTE FOR YOU, NOT THE ADVOCACY GROUPS.
I ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THIS APPLICATION AND REJECT IT.
THANK YOU. TRACY ASPINWALL FOLLOWED BY DARSHAN BHAJAN, THEN NICK BHAJAN.
I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY LONG NIGHT. IF WE HAVE APPLAUSE IN BETWEEN SPEAKERS, PLEASE DO NOT APPLAUD. MAYOR I'M GOING TO DO THE NAMES AGAIN JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR TRACY ASPINWALL VERSUS DARSHAN.
THEN NICK BHAJAN DIDN'T MEET VERSUS SORRY. OKAY.
HI. MY NAME IS TRACY ASPINWALL AND I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE ISSUE DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME.
[01:20:04]
PERMANENT GREEN SPACE. MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS MADE THEIR DECISIONS FOR THE SAME REASONS.I ALSO WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT MY OWN JOURNEY.
IN MY 20S, I LIVED IN A GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSE.
I LOVED MY HOME. MY LOAN STRUCTURE ALLOWED ME TO FULLY OWN MY PROPERTY, AND I INVESTED IN THAT HOME.
WHEN I EVENTUALLY SOLD IT, I DOUBLED MY EQUITY, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO BUY MY NEXT HOME.
WITH THE CONVENTIONAL LOAN. I INVESTED AGAIN, DOUBLED MY EQUITY AGAIN, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE HOME I LIVE IN TODAY. THAT WORKED BECAUSE I HAD OWNERSHIP, REAL EQUITY, REAL FINANCIAL GROWTH, REAL INCENTIVE TO INVEST IN MY PROPERTY.
WHEN YOU CANNOT KEEP THE EQUITY, YOU HAVE FAR LESS INCENTIVE TO PUT MONEY INTO YOUR HOME.
THIS AFFECTS BOTH THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE HOMES ARE VALUED AT AROUND 250,000, WHILE MY HOME IS OVER 750,000.
THE DEVELOPMENT PRICE AND STRUCTURED SO DIFFERENTLY FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA, CREATES LASTING IMPACTS ON PROPERTY VALUES, TRAFFIC AND THE LOCAL TAX BASE. AND BEYOND ALL OF THAT, THIS IS PARKLAND, NOT EMPTY SPACE, BUT WHERE YOUR FAMILIES WALK, PLAY, CONNECT. ONCE YOU BUILD ON GREEN SPACE, IT'S GONE FOREVER.
I SUPPORT THE NEED FOR ATTAINABLE HOUSING, BUT LOCATION IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
PARKLAND SHOULD BE SACRIFICED, NOT BE SACRIFICED TO FOR BETTER OPTIONS EXIST.
THANK YOU. NICK. THEN CATHERINE LAPIN. GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS DARCEL. I LIVE IN LENEXA WITH MY HUSBAND AND MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
WE MOVED HERE NINE YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF OUR BIGGEST DRAWS TO THE AREA WAS THE OPENNESS.
WHEN WE MOVED IN, THE TIMBERS WAS FAR LESS DEVELOPED THAN IT IS NOW.
WE KNEW THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS EXPANDING AND EVENTUALLY THE WEST SIDE OF CLAIR WOULD BE LINED WITH HOUSES. WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GREEN SPACE AND THE TRAIL SYSTEM ON THE EAST SIDE OF CLARE WOULD REMAIN THAT FROM THE SPRING TO THE FALL WE WALK THOSE TRAILS ALMOST DAILY.
IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO GO ACROSS THE STREET TO ENJOY NATURE AND RIDE BIKES. MORE ROADS AND MORE TRAFFIC WOULD MAKE THIS LESS SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. I DON'T WANT ANY HOUSES IN THIS GREEN SPACE.
I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE LOW INCOME HOUSES OR MILLION DOLLAR HOMES. I DON'T WANT A PICKLEBALL COURT. I DON'T WANT A SPLASH PAD. WE LOVE THE SPACE THE WAY IT IS NATURE FOCUSED. I SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I THINK THIS PROJECT IS HORRIBLY MISPLACED FOR MANY REASONS.
PRIOR TO MOVING HERE, MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED IN A DIFFERENT CITY IN A SMALLER HOUSE. WE MADE FINANCIAL DECISIONS AND WORKED EXTREMELY HARD TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO MOVE TO THIS AREA. BOTH PUBLIC SERVANTS, A FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND A HEALTH CARE WORKER BOTH SERVING LENEXA AT TIMES AND WE DIDN'T FEEL WE WERE EVER ENTITLED TO LIVE IN WESTERN LENEXA.
WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANY HANDOUTS OR CUT ANY BREAKS.
WE HAD TO LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS AND SAVE OUR MONEY.
WE WAITED TO HAVE CHILDREN UNTIL WE WERE FINANCIALLY STABLE.
WE PICKED UP EXTRA SHIFTS WHEN THAN WE COULD. I WORKED THREE JOBS AT ONE POINT.
WE WORK HOLIDAYS, WEEKENDS, EVENING AND NIGHT SHIFT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
WE LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS. YOU SAY YOU CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF LENEXA.
HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHO COULD LIVE IN WESTERN LENEXA? LET'S LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO LIVE IN WESTERN LENEXA.
THANK YOU. NICK. CATHERINE. LAPIN THEN. SCOTT.
ROBIN. IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO TOP THAT. ON JANUARY 21ST, AS WAS SPOKEN ABOUT AT THE START OF THIS MEETING, THERE WAS ABOUT 70 OF US THAT MET AT THE MONTICELLO LIBRARY OFF OF K-7.
COURTNEY AND JOHN SPOKE ABOUT THAT AT THE START OF THIS, AND WITH 70 PLUS PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, THE FIRST THING THAT WAS ASSURED TO US, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ODD, WAS THAT THIS IS 100% TRANSPARENT AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO COLLUSION GOING ON.
AND I THOUGHT, HOW CAN THAT BE? HOW CAN YOU ASSURE US THAT NOTHING IS GOING ON? HOW CAN YOU ALSO ASSURE US THAT YOU WERE UNINVOLVED WITH THIS AND THAT YOU HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS? AND WE PROVED THAT THAT WAS A LIE FROM THE KANSAS OPEN RECORDS ACT THAT MICHELLE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY. WE KNEW THAT THEY HAD BEEN FORMED ALREADY OF THESE PROJECTS, AND WE FOUND OUT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT, IN FACT, A MONTH PRIOR TO THAT MEETING, COURTNEY HELPED FACILITATE A MEETING AND DRAFT COMMUNICATIONS WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. THEY SAT IN THERE AND LIED TO US, BOLD TO OUR FACE, SAYING THAT THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS. IT WAS RECORDED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. SO AS I LOOKED THROUGH THE EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE OPEN RECORDS ACT, I JUST WONDER IF THIS IS SUCH A VIRTUOUS PROJECT, IF THIS IS SO GREAT AS HAS BEEN PRESENTED TONIGHT, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH BEHIND THE SCENES INTERACTION? WHY WOULD THIS NOT BE FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH THE CITY MANAGEMENT AND THE GOVERNING BODY? WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO HAVE MEETINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS OUT OF THE CITY? TALK ABOUT DRAFTING EMAILS, PREVENTING THE DETRACTORS CALLING US UNINFORMED? NO BASIS FOR RESPECT OR DECENCY WHATSOEVER. AND MICHELLE SAID IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
YOU'VE HAD MONTHS AND MONTHS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, AND YOU CHOSE NOT TO.
[01:25:03]
THE KANSAS OPEN MEETING ACT DOESN'T JUST APPLY WHEN YOU WANT IT TO.IT'S A STANDARD FOR EVERYONE, EVEN THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND THE RED SHIRTS THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T AGREE. THEY AFFORD THE SAME PRIVILEGES THAT WE DO. EVERYONE AFFORDS THAT PRIVILEGE TO BE RECEIVING TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION FROM THEIR CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR GOVERNMENT.
YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE WHEN YOU APPLY IT. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THAT RECORD, I'M SORRY, WHY THAT LAW IS IN PLACE, IS TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF DISCORD AND PREVENT THESE PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY.
KATHERINE. KATHERINE LAPPIN, SCOTT ROVEN, AND MARK SISK.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LENEXA FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND I LIVE OFF OF 83RD AND IN LEWIS DRIVE.
AND I'VE LIVED OUT HERE FOR WEST LENEXA FOR 26 YEARS.
I SEE WILDLIFE AND THE EXISTENCE OF A WIDE RANGE OF WILDLIFE ON MY DAILY WALKS.
GRASS IS A GREAT LIVING SPACE FOR RABBITS, MICE, SNAKES, AND FOX, WHEREAS THE WATERSHED FISH, DUCKS, GEESE, FROGS, AND WATER INSECTS. YOU SHOULD HEAR THE FROGS WHEN THEY SING.
THE CREEK, BUSHES, TREES THAT STILL EXIST IN THE SOUTH EAST SIDE PROVIDE A PERFECT HOME FOR OWLS, HAWKS, COYOTES AND LARGER CREATURES. AT NIGHT I CAN HEAR THE COYOTES SCREAM AND IS NOT A SCARY SOUND.
I SEE COYOTES AND FOX RUN OUT INTO THE STREET.
THEY GET HIT BY CARS. SOMETIMES THEY LIMP INTO MY BACKYARD AND EVENTUALLY DIE.
I AM NOT PLEADING TO SAVE THE WHOLE PARK, BUT I DO PLEAD TO DISTURB IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE VOTED AND PAID FOR MORE HOUSES IN WEST LENEXA, AND THIS IS THE ONE WE WANT TO KEEP.
SCOTT ROVIN FOLLOWED BY MARK SISK AND LESLIE DAMISCH.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS SCOTT BROWN AND REPRESENT MY WIFE, SAMANTHA, AND OUR DAUGHTER.
WE LIVE IN LENEXA AND THE TIMBERS AT CLEAR CREEK.
THAT REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN OUR DECISION TO MOVE HERE IN 2022.
ALL OF THEM WOULD PREFER TO RETAIN OUR NEIGHBORING PARK AS IT IS.
MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO LENEXA FROM PHOENIX, ARIZONA A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE SETTLED IN THE TIMBERS. AS ODD AS IT SOUNDS TO US LIVING IN LENEXA, THIS COMMUNITY IS PARADISE COMPARED TO LIFE IN THAT WE'D KNOWN LIVING IN PHOENIX. WHY PARKS, PARKS AND MORE PARKS WHILE MAKING THIS TRANSITION FROM PHOENIX TO LENEXA.
WE SAW OUR PROPERTY TAXES TRIPLE, AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, WE REMIND OURSELVES OF THE COMMUNITY, THE THE. WE REMIND OURSELVES THAT HERE IN LENEXA, THOSE HIGH PROPERTY TAXES COME WITH TREMENDOUS BENEFITS IN THE WAY OF EDUCATION, COMMUNITY SAFETY AND PARKS. ONE OF WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM US.
HAVING THOSE ASSETS IS A KEY FACTOR IN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AS WE RAISE OUR FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
REMOVING THOSE ASSETS. BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND RESOURCES IS A BETRAYAL OF THE AGREEMENT, AND A BETRAYAL OF WHY SO MANY TOLERATE THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH WHERE WE LIVE. DON'T BETRAY YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AS SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, YOU REPRESENT US AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MARK SISK FOLLOWED BY LESLIE, FOLLOWED BY CRAIG JORDAN.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARK SISK. MY WIFE, CAROL, AND I LIVE JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED PROJECT, THE TIMBERS. WE ARE 69 AND 72 AND HAVE WORKED A COMBINED 100 YEARS, A CENTURY TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOUSE IN RETIREMENT AT THE TIMBERS.
I'M A 24 YEAR ARMY VET AND MY WIFE WAS A CRITICAL CARE NURSE FOR 50 YEARS.
WE HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A NICE HOME IN A VERY NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:30:01]
THIS DECISION SHOULD BE BASED ON FACTS, NOT FEELINGS.HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THE CITY STAFF ARE PUSHING A FALSE NARRATIVE, STATING THAT THESE HOMES WILL BE SIMILAR TO SURROUNDING HOMES THAT COULD NOT BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THESE HOMES ARE IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OF SIMILAR SIZE, PRICE OR APPEARANCE.
FACT. COMPARE 100 YEARS OF WORK TO TWO YEARS OF VERIFIABLE INCOME TO QUALIFY FOR A HOME OR ONE YEAR OF GOOD RENTAL HISTORY, OR 100 HOURS OF SWEAT EQUITY. SOUNDS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE IT IS FACT.
YOUR OWN STAFFING PACKET ON PAGE 12 CALLS THIS PROJECT ENTRY LEVEL HOUSING.
THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO CURRENT HOUSES IN THIS AREA THAT FIT THAT DEFINITION.
YOU ABSOLUTELY DO THAT WHEN YOU APPROVE REZONING AND ALLOW A LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECT TO BE BUILT AROUND EXISTING HOMES THAT DWARF THE PROPOSED HOMES AND SIZE, VALUE AND APPEARANCE. FACT. IN WHAT WORLD DOES PUTTING THESE TWO HOUSING TYPES TOGETHER MAKE ANY SENSE? THEY'RE IN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE DIFFERENT. FACT FIRST, AND LASTING IMPRESSIONS FOR POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS IN THE FUTURE WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY LOW INCOME HOUSING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEIR FUTURE HOME.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY OUT LOUD, WHO IN THE HECK THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? FACT THE BOTTOM LINE THAT IS THAT IN THIS HOUSING PROJECT BELONGS IN A LIKE PRICED LIKE SIZE AND LIKE APPEARANCE COMMUNITY.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. WOULD ANY OF YOU WANT THIS BUILT NEXT TO YOU? HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE NO.
THANK YOU. LESLIE. FOLLOWED BY CRAIG JORDAN, THEN JULIE SPATZ.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LESLIE AND I LIVE IN THE TIMBERS, AND I'M A MOM OF THREE YOUNG KIDS.
MANY OF YOU ARE PARENTS, TOO, SO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS.
WHEN THERE'S A MELTDOWN, A SIBLING ARGUMENT, OR KIDS WITH THE WIGGLES, THE FASTEST RESET IS THE OUTDOORS A SCOOTER RIDE, A BIKE RIDE, A QUICK WALK FOR FRESH AIR. THAT'S WHAT THIS PARKLAND IS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
A PLACE CLOSE ENOUGH TO REACH AND OPEN ENOUGH FOR KIDS TO EXPLORE SAFELY AT THEIR OWN PACE.
I PURCHASED MY HOME BEFORE 2024, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
THAT REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN MY DECISION TO MOVE HERE.
I MOVED HERE IN 2014 AS A NURSE FOR OVER A DECADE.
THERE WAS CERTAINLY NEVER A FOR SALE SIGN SUCH AS THIS ONE.
BUT BY OFFICIAL. LET'S BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S NOT A MAILING LENEXA RESIDENTS ROUTINELY RECEIVE.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO ROUTINELY RECEIVE IS THE LENEXA TOWN TALK MAGAZINE, AND AS RECENT AS OF SPRING OF 2025, THE CITY USES EXACT PARCEL ON THE COVER TO ENCOURAGE LENEXA RESIDENTS TO RENEW THE SALES TAX TO BUY MORE PARKLAND, SHOUTING TO LENEXA RESIDENTS LET'S BUY MORE PARKLAND LIKE THIS.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE UNETHICAL PIECES OF THIS PROPOSAL.
RECORDS SHOW SALE DISCUSSIONS DATE BACK TO SPRING 2025, BUT THERE'S AN EMAIL FROM CITY MANAGER ASKING THAT RESIDENT NOTICE COME AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. FURTHERMORE, LENEXA IS SELLING THIS LAND UNDER FAIR MARKET VALUE, WITH EMAILS FROM THE CITY TO HABITAT ASKING FOR CITY EMPLOYEES TO GET A BUMP IN THEIR SCORING AND FIRST REFUSAL OF LOTS. PREFERENTIAL ACCESS IS CONSIDERED A THING OF VALUE UNDER KANSAS ETHICS LAW, AND CITY CANNOT SELL PUBLIC LAND WITH CONDITIONS THAT BENEFIT CITY EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU. CRAIG JORDAN. FOLLOWED BY JULIE SPATZ AND SCOTT MURRAY.
MY NAME IS CRAIG JORDAN. I LIVE ON 86 TERRACE, DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH OF THIS.
I'VE LIVED IN OUR HOUSE FOR 38 YEARS. THIS IT WAS OUR STARTER HOUSE THAT HAS BECOME OUR FOREVER HOME BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS AREA. WE BARELY GOT BY FOR SEVERAL YEARS THINKING WE MIGHT EVEN HAVE TO SELL IT.
MY POINT HERE IS, YOU STRUGGLE, YOU WORK HARD, YOU SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.
YOU DO WITHOUT. BUT WE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING.
NOT EVEN AFFORDABLE HOMES ON DISCOUNTED TAXPAYER LAND.
WE LIVED HERE BEFORE LENEXA ANNEXED IT. IT WAS ALWAYS.
[01:35:02]
WE PAY ALL THESE HIGH TAXES. WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT ALL THESE NEW HOMES YOU'RE BUILDING.AND YET AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE TAXES FOR THIS.
AND YOU WANT TO DISCOUNT THIS LAND? THAT MAKES NO SENSE.
I'VE WATCHED THE TRAFFIC ON OUR STREET GO FROM JUST NEIGHBORS TO MUCH HIGHER.
THIS WILL ONLY ADD TO THE PROBLEM. WE USE THIS WALKING TRAIL AND PARK DAILY.
I WALK WITH MY NEIGHBOR OR MY WIFE AND ALWAYS MY DOG.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AND PEACEFUL PLACE. I HAVE A VIEW FROM MY KITCHEN TABLE AND MY DECK.
AND I USED TO WATCH THE FARMER FARM THIS LAND.
WHEN I WAS ALWAYS TURNED IT WAS GOING TO BE A PARK.
IT BECAME A GREAT ASSET, UNLIKE WHAT IS NOW GOING TO BE.
MY NAME IS JULIE SPATZ. I HAD THIS WHOLE SPEECH PREPARED, BUT AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING APPLIES BECAUSE ALL I'VE HEARD IS A CHANGE IN SPEECHES FROM THE HABITAT PEOPLE, FROM THE CITY PLANNER OR WHOEVER YOU ARE OVER THERE THAT GAVE THIS WHOLE PLANNING.
BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE STILL GOING TO BE HIGH.
APPARENTLY THEY'LL GET A TAX BREAK. THE LOAN THAT THEY GET IS 0%.
I WAS A MOTHER OF. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN A SINGLE MOM.
AT ONE POINT I RAISED THOSE KIDS. I TOOK DOUBLE SHIFTS.
I BOUGHT A HOME ON MY OWN. THE EQUITY IN THAT HOUSE, I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER HOUSE.
I WORKED DOUBLE SHIFTS AS A NURSE. I RETIRED FROM THAT.
I AM NOW EDUCATOR IN BOTH JOHNSON COUNTY AND WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
I LIVE IN THE TIMBERS. I CAN DO THIS. OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT A HANDOUT.
WITHOUT A HANDOUT. THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT. THIS IS A HANDOUT.
I DON'T GET IT. I WAS ABLE TO DO THIS. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HELP ANY OF THESE PEOPLE I'M SORRY.
THESE PEOPLE FAMILIES YOU ARE PUTTING CONSTRAINTS ON ALL OF THEM.
THEY ARE NOT GETTING ANY EQUITY TO BUILD AND FURTHER.
MOVE ON OR MOVE UP WITH ANY OF WITH HABITAT, YOU ARE JUST YOU CAN'T.
THERE'S NO PROPERTY VALUE. YOU ARE PUTTING THIS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP AT ALL. GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO BUILD UPON, TO MOVE UP AND OUT OF THIS, THIS THIS PROBLEM. I'M SORRY. I HAVE NO IDEA.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I WOULD NOT JUST VOTE AGAINST THIS.
WOULD NOT? ALL RIGHT, NUMBER 15, SCOTT MURRAY.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A BREAK. HI. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO OUR COMMENTS.
MY NAME IS SCOTT MURRAY. SHARON AND I LIVE IN THE TIMBERS.
WE PURCHASED OUR HOME IN 2021, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARKS PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
THAT THAT REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN US MOVING HERE FOR THIS REASON.
WE ARE. NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO HABITAT'S GOALS AND CHARGE, WHICH ARE NOBLE.
WHAT WE ARE OPPOSED TO ARE THE MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE BEING BROKEN IN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, TO, QUOTE, MAKE IT WORK. INCLUDED AMONG THESE ARE LOCATION, HOUSE SIZE, LOT SIZE, AND SETBACKS.
THE TIMBERS DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIONS WAS WRITTEN IN 2007 AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR 30 YEARS.
IT CLEARLY STATES THAT THE MINIMUM FINISHED FLOOR AREAS ARE ONE STORY, 2000FT², TWO STORY, 2400FT², WHICH ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS B RESIDENCES, NOT CLASS C AS IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
THIS REQUIRES THAT ADJACENT DEVELOPMENTS WOULD NEED TO MEET CLASS C.
THE PROPOSED HABITAT DEVELOPMENT FLORA ARE BASED ON CLASS D, SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE HOUSES WOULD NEED TO WOULD NEED TO BE BIGGER AS PROPOSED TO MEET THE UDC REQUIREMENTS. IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MEET THE UDC REQUIREMENTS FOR MINIMUM LOT WIDTH, MINIMUM SETBACK FROM THE STREET AND MINIMUM LOT AREA.
[01:40:02]
IN SUMMARY, IF 50 HOMES ARE BUILT ON THE PROPOSED SITE, THE UDC WILL SIMPLY NOT BE ADHERED TO.SO WHY NOT EITHER REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOUSES AND MODIFY THE PLAN SO THE SO THE UDC REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, OR BUILD THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WHERE IT WILL FIT AND NOT ON PARK LAND.
OKAY, WE'LL RETURN BACK AT 910. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE REQUEST AGAIN TO PLEASE HOLD APPLAUSE.
WE ARE 16 MEMBERS INTO A 99 PERSON LIST, WHICH LEAVES US TWO AND TWO HOURS AND 45 MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH WILL PUT US AT 1145 BEFORE THE TIME WE END UP HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU.
IF WE HAVE TO WAIT TEN 15 SECONDS BETWEEN EACH OF YOU, THIS PROCESS IS ONLY GOING TO TAKE LONGER.
THANK YOU, MISS LA FORCE. THANK YOU. ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR MR. NIX? NO, HE'S IN THE BATHROOM. OKAY. MY NAME IS SHARON LAB.
I'VE LIVED IN THE TIMBERS SINCE BEFORE 2024, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
IT WAS SIGNIFICANT IN OUR DECISION TO MOVE HERE.
THIS IS EVIDENCED IN SEVERAL EMAILS SENT BY LENEXA CITY LEADERSHIP AND HABITAT I SITE.
MAY 22ND, JULY 18TH AND OCTOBER 23RD. BECKY YOCHAM EMAILS TO LINDSEY HIX STATING THINKING HABITAT, THANKING HABITAT FOR YOUR INTEREST, INDICATING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEIR TEAM HAVE GONE WELL.
ASKING IF CITY EMPLOYEES CAN BENEFIT. SETTING ASIDE SOME UNITS FOR THEM, THANKING HABITAT FOR TOURS INFORMATION AND OFFERING TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS, SHE INDICATED SHE WOULD SPEAK TO THE MAYOR. SHE OFFERED TO HELP WITH HABITAT'S WEBSITE TO CRAFT A MESSAGE, MAKE MAKING COUNCIL MEMBERS AWARE, AND INDICATING THEY SHOULD AVOID THE NOVEMBER 4TH ELECTIONS, AND TO AVOID, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, ANYTHING THAT WOULD LEAD TO TRACTORS.
FROM THINKING THIS IS PREJUDGED IN ANY WAY. BECKY OFFERED HABITAT THE LAND FOR $49,000 PER ACRE, AND ASKED HABITAT TO CONFIRM THAT THAT PRICE WAS OKAY.
ON NOVEMBER 13TH, HABITAT EMAILED COUNCIL MEMBER HANLEY AND STATED, AS BECKY SHARED, WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION THIS FALL FOR A PROJECT IN LENEXA. AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE CONVERSATION AT OLATHE PATHWAYS, WE'RE HAPPY TO SET UP A TIME WITH YOU TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TALK MORE ABOUT OUR PLANNING. THESE ALL OCCURRED PRIOR TO COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION ON DECEMBER 9TH.
DENIALS OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROJECT WERE MADE BY NUMEROUS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THESE ARE BLATANT EFFORTS BY THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO HELP PUSH THE PROPOSAL FORWARD.
I WANT COUNCIL TO VOTE NO. I WANT OUR CITY TO GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR ITS CITIZENS IN HONEST, ETHICAL AND TRANSPARENT MANNERS, NOT AGAINST OUR CITIZENS.
EVEN GOOD CAUSES REQUIRE GOOD GOVERNANCE. I'M A RESIDENT.
I'M A TAXPAYER AND I'M A VOTER. THANK YOU. KATIE.
FOLLOWED BY JEFF AND THEN BRIAN DOBSON. HELLO.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST PERKS OF BUILDING A HOME, WHICH IS AN ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE, NOT LOST ON ME, IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CAREFULLY SELECT OUR TOWN, NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOT.
MY FAMILY SPECIFICALLY CHOSE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OVER A FEW OTHERS BECAUSE OF OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CLEAR CREEK WETLANDS ARE ALL CITY PARK LAND, AND IT'S BEEN ADVERTISED AS SUCH FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
THIS INFLUENCED OUR DECISION TO MOVE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IN LENEXA, BECAUSE WE IMAGINED OURSELVES LIVING WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK ACROSS THE STREET. I THINK MOST, IF NOT ALL OF US, WOULD AGREE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IN SHORT SUPPLY AND IS A GREAT NEED.
I AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRIVILEGE IN BEING ABLE TO BUILD A HOME, BUT I WANTED TO DISPEL THE NOTION THAT THOSE OF US AGAINST THE PROJECT ARE ELITIST OR BORN WITH SILVER SPOONS IN OUR MOUTHS. IN FACT, SOME OF US HAVE OUR OWN EXPERIENCES NEEDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASSISTANCE OR HAND UP AT CERTAIN POINTS IN OUR LIVES.
WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING THAT THE CITY OF LENEXA BE CLEAR IN ITS INTENTIONS, SO AS NOT TO MISLEAD WOULD BE RESIDENTS LIKE ME INTO THINKING WE'RE GETTING SOMETHING THAT WE AREN'T. SOMEONE WOULD PROBABLY REITERATE TO THAT POINT THAT WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE LEFT WITH SOME PARK, OR THAT WE AREN'T MISLED BECAUSE A TOWN TALK ARTICLE MENTIONED A 40 ACRE PARK.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. AND SORRY GUYS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT 40 ACRES LOOKS LIKE.
I SAW THIS INCREDIBLE PARK AND THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE MY FUTURE.
I WOULD URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE CAREFULLY CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL AND WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT FIT, NOT JUST FOR US, THE NEIGHBORS, BUT WHETHER THIS IS THE BEST LOCATION FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[01:45:01]
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A HABITAT DEVELOPMENT IN A LOCATION THAT IS CLOSER TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND DOESN'T TAKE UP A PARK, LAND THAT IS ALREADY LOVED AND VALUED BY SO MANY, AND THAT, I HOPE, WILL BE LOVED AND VALUED BY MY FAMILY.THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
JEFF LAURENDEAU. BRIAN DOBSON. THEN BEN WILSON.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL TAKE THOSE FIVE SECONDS IN ADDITION. GOOD EVENING.
I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO START BY BEING CLEAR. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, THIS IS NOT OPPOSITION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT RATHER IT'S OPPOSITION TO THE LOCATION OF THIS PROJECT.
I ALSO PURCHASED MY HOME BEFORE 2024, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS PARKLAND.
THE REPRESENTATION WAS SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE DECISION ON WHY I MOVED OUT THERE.
I DO LIKE HOW SCOTT USED THE TIME TO SAY THAT A SMALL BIT OF WORDS IN A MAGAZINE IS GOOD NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC, I DISAGREE. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THIS LAND APPEARED AS PARKLAND IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE EXECUTED AGREEMENT OF US SELLING THIS IDENTIFIES IT AS PARKLAND BEING SOLD, WHILE FAMILIES MADE LIFELONG FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THE ADOPTED CITY DOCUMENTS STATED THAT CLARITY MATTERS. PUBLIC INPUT ALSO MATTERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST AFFECTED.
BASED ON PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE LAST HEARING THAT WE HAD, ROUGHLY 60 TO 70% OF THOSE THAT SPOKE IN OPPOSITION CAME FROM LENEXA RESIDENTS DIRECTLY IMPACTED NEAR THE PROPOSED SITE, WHERE ROUGHLY 30 TO 40% OF COMMENTS CAME FROM OUTSIDE LENEXA OR THOSE AWAY FROM THE LOCATION.
25% EQUITY AND NO LAND RESPONSIBILITY IS A RENTER.
IT'S NOT AN OWNER. THIS IS A HUGE GAMBLE FOR SUCH A LARGE AREA.
FOR THIS HOUSING, THE DECISION IS BIGGER THAN ONE PROJECT.
IT'S ABOUT WHETHER RESIDENTS CAN RELY ON ADOPTED PLANS, WHETHER STANDARDS ARE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY, WHETHER LOCATION SUITABILITY IS FULLY CONSIDERED BEFORE MAKING A PERMANENT CHANGE.
THANK YOU. BRIAN DOBSON, FOLLOWED BY BEN WILSON, THEN JENNA LEBLANC.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BRIAN DOBSON. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY WIFE AND I MOVED INTO OUR CURRENT HOME IN LENEXA 19 YEARS AGO, AND THE TIMBER SUBDIVISION WITH OUR THEN FIVE YEAR OLD SON.
I WOULD LIKE THIS WAS MENTIONED MANY TIMES DURING THE PROCESS AND EVEN PRINTED IN THESE BROCHURES FROM 2007, AND IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN OUR FAMILY'S DECISION TO BUY IN LENEXA.
THIS IS THE ARGUMENT, PERIOD, FOLKS. IS THIS PARK? IT'S YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME, SOME NARRATIVES, OTHER NARRATIVES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AS RECENT AS THIS MORNING SOME OF THE FAKE NEWS MENTIONED THAT NEWS OUTLETS HAVE TRIED TO CHANGE THIS NARRATIVE WITH ONE OF THEM THIS MORNING STATING, AND I QUOTE, THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE OF NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD SCENARIO.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE HOMES, NOT ABOUT THE SIZE.
IT'S ABOUT THE PARK. THAT'S ALL IT IS, IS ABOUT THE PARK.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS INVITE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM. BRING YOUR FAMILY, YOUR PETS, AND YOUR FRIENDS OUT.
TAKE A WALK IN THIS PARK. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. BEN WILSON, FOLLOWED BY JANA LEBLANC, THEN JOHN BRULĆ.
MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BEN WILSON AND UNLIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOR THIS PLAN, MY ZIP CODE IS ACTUALLY 66227. IN 2018, MY WIFE, A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, AND I, A VETERAN, MOVED OUT HERE TO ESCAPE THE URBAN SPRAWL THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN ROELAND PARK.
THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT MAY MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARDS, BUT IS THAT WHAT WE REALLY WANT? LOOK AT THE CURRENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND HONESTLY SAY, ARE THERE ANY MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE HOMES IN ARBOR LAKE OR THE TIMBERS? I THINK YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY. THIS PARK WAS MY DAILY RUNNING TRAIL WHEN MY WIFE WAS PREGNANT WITH OUR FIRST.
[01:50:02]
DURING THE HEIGHT OF COVID, IT SERVED AS A TRAIL TO PUSH OUR SONS AND THEIR STROLLERS AS THEY FELL ASLEEP ON SATURDAY MORNINGS.IT'S JUST IT'S THE PEACEFUL SERENITY THAT YOU MOVE OUT OF THE URBAN SPRAWL TO GET TO.
YEAH, WE DID, AND WE LOVED IT. AND WE STILL DO.
IF THIS PLAN PASSES, I WILL COMMIT TO NEVER SPEND ONE MORE CENT OF MY SALES TAX MONEY IN LENEXA.
I WILL PERSONALLY DOOR KNOCK FOR ANYONES COMPETITION FOR ANY OF YOUR SEATS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE PARK, IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS WENT ABOUT TRYING TO HIDE THIS FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE THERE, AND WHO THIS PARK IS ACTUALLY MEANINGFUL TO. HOW MANY? HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY LIVE WEST OF K-7? OH, WAIT.
NONE OF YOU. OH, OKAY. ANYWAY, SO THAT'S MY SPIEL.
HAVE A GREAT DAY. JANNA LEBLANC, FOLLOWED BY JOHN BRULĆ, THEN HEATHER BRULĆ.
HI, MY NAME IS JANA LEBLANC AND I LIVE IN CLEAR CREEK ESTATES.
I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2012. I WORK IN HEALTH CARE.
BUT NO, WE WE LIVE IN CLEAR CREEK ESTATES. YOU ARE LIKE, WHY DO WE NOT KNOW THAT THIS PARK WAS GOING TO BE AS SMALL AS YOU HAVE IT PICTURED HERE? AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU SHOW THESE PICTURES AND YOU'RE IN THE CITY MAGAZINE WHERE HOUSES ARE GOING TO BE. WE DID NOT. I MEAN, WHY WHY DID YOU DO THAT? AND THEN THE GUY FROM THE CITY SAYS, OH, WE DON'T NEED TO MOVE ANY TRAILS.
AND THEN WHAT, FIVE MINUTES LATER? OH, YEAH, WE HAVE TO MOVE TRAILS.
YOU GOT TO MOVE THE TRAILS BECAUSE THE TURN LANE IS GOING TO CROSS THE TRAILS.
SO HE'S MOVING THE TRAILS? I DON'T KNOW. HE TWICE HE DID STUFF LIKE THAT WHERE HE SAID ONE THING, OH NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. BUT AND THEN FIVE MINUTES LATER SOMETHING ELSE. AND YOU THINK YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY WE'RE SO UPSET? AND IT'S LIKE THE DESCRIPTION, THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
WIDE WINDING TRAILS WITH GREAT WILDLIFE, SPOTTING OPPORTUNITIES, A NATURE FOCUSED DESTINATION.
OOPS, SORRY. WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THIS? IS NATURE FOCUSED? THIS IS TWO PARKING LOTS, TWO PRACTICE FIELDS, AND SOME TRAILS IN BETWEEN.
BEHIND SOME BACKYARDS. THIS IS NOT THE SAME PARK.
THANK YOU. JOHN BERLET FOLLOWED BY HEATHER BERLET, THEN JULIE NARON.
HELLO, I'M JOHNNY BERLET. I'M A LENEXA RESIDENT.
AND I VOTE. I BOUGHT TWO HOUSES SURROUNDING THIS PARK.
MY FIRST ONE WAS IN 2007. AND THE TIMBERS. NO.
SORRY. AND CREEKSIDE WOODS OFF OF 91ST TERRACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK.
AFTER MARRIAGE AND HAVING TWO KIDS, WE MOVED TO THE WEST SIDE.
AND THE TIMBERS IN AUGUST OF 2012 WHERE WE RESIDE TODAY.
AFTER NEARLY TWO DECADES OF LIVING AROUND THE PARK AND SEEING MY PROPERTY, MY PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUALLY RISE ALONG WITH A PARK TAX INCREASE THAT HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL BURDENS OF MY FAMILY HAS TAKEN ON THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND NOW YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE PART OF THE PARK AWAY.
IT'S SORT OF PREPOSTEROUS. IF YOU GUYS HAVE EXTRA FUNDS THAT YOU NEED TO ALLOCATE TO SOMETHING, I WOULD DESIGNATE PUTTING A PEDESTRIAN PARKWAY OVER THE TOP OF SEVEN HIGHWAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEATHER. FOLLOWED BY JULIE NARON, THEN KIRK NARON.
HELLO. MY NAME IS HEATHER BERLIN. I ALSO AM A LEXINGTON RESIDENT.
MOST OF THESE POINTS ARE ALREADY MADE, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I URGE ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS TO NOT ONLY PAY ATTENTION TO WHO'S VOTING AGAINST YOUR PARK TWO WEEKS AGO AND TONIGHT, BUT TO SHOW UP AT THE POLLS AND ALSO RUN FOR OFFICE, AS I IMAGINE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR SEATS BECAUSE NO ONE WAS EVEN OPPOSING THEM. THIS WAS A BAIT AND SWITCH AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
[01:55:02]
JULIE NARON FOLLOWED BY CURT NARON, THEN DAVE PECK.MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JULIE NAIRN AND I LIVE NEAR THE PROPOSED SITE.
THIS IS CITY OWNED LAND ACQUIRED AND MAINTAINED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
ONCE REZONED AND SOLD, IT'S GONE PERMANENTLY.
THE CITY OF LENEXA IS NOT A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.
ITS DUTY IS FIDUCIARY STEWARDSHIP, APPLYING STANDARDS UNIFORMLY, ENSURING FAIR VALUATION, AND PROCEEDING ONLY WHEN COMPLIANCE IS CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT.
THOSE TERMS HAVE BEEN ALTERED HERE WHEN PUBLIC ASSETS ARE CONVEYED UNDER MODIFIED TERMS. COUNCIL MUST CLEARLY EXPLAIN HOW THE TOTAL TRANSACTION PROTECTS TAXPAYER INTERESTS, AND WHY STANDARDS PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED OF OTHER DEVELOPERS ARE NOT BEING APPLIED IN THIS CASE. MY FAMILY CHOSE TO MOVE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY'S LONG STANDING PLANNING DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE 2012 TO 24 COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED 127 ACRES IN THIS AREA WITHIN THE CITY'S PARK PARKS AND OPEN SPACE FRAMEWORK. WHILE IT HAS SINCE BEEN SUGGESTED THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS ALWAYS CONTEMPLATED, THAT POSITION HAS NOT BEEN CLEARLY REFLECTED IN PUBLICLY PRESENTED MATERIALS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
THIS DOMINANT PUBLIC REPRESENTATION WAS PARK FOCUSED, AND THAT MATERIALLY INFORMED OUR DECISION.
RISING HOME VALUES HAVE BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS EVIDENCE OF EXCLUSION.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED FOR STABILITY AND DEMAND.
I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO DENY HOUSING. I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO APPROVE THESE.
THIS UNTIL FIDUCIARY AND TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS ARE CLEARLY RESOLVED.
GOOD GOVERNANCE REQUIRES CLARITY BEFORE COMMITMENT.
THANK YOU. KURT AARON FOLLOWED BY DAVE PACK, THEN RENEE LOYA.
KURT, ARE YOU WITH US? I'M DAVE PACK. THEN WE'RE MOVING ON TO DAY DAYPACK.
MY NAME IS DAVE PACK. I HAVE LIVED IN LENEXA FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION ON BEHALF OF THE GOOD FAITH NETWORK, WHICH IS AN INTERFAITH COALITION OF NEARLY 30 CONGREGATIONS ACROSS JOHNSON COUNTY, INCLUDING CONGREGATIONS HERE IN LENEXA.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THREE GOOD FAITH NETWORK SPOKESPERSONS TONIGHT, BUT WE REPRESENT MORE THAN 1500 PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHAMPIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN JOHNSON COUNTY. AT OUR MAY 6TH, 2025, NEHEMIAH ACTION WITH THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM, YOU'LL SEE MANY OF OUR MEMBERS PRESENT DRESSED IN RED.
SOME WILL OFFER COMMENTS SPEAKING FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE AND SHARED VALUES.
WE WILL SPEAK PLAINLY AND WE WILL LISTEN RESPECTFULLY.
YOU WILL HEAR NO HECKLING OR JEERING FROM OUR NEIGHBOR MEMBERS TONIGHT.
NOW TO THE MATTER AT HAND. AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOES NOT APPEAR BY ACCIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PROJECTS LIKE THE ONE PROPOSED IN THIS APPLICATION HAPPEN WHEN PUBLIC LEADERS USE PUBLIC TOOLS, LAND PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENT TO CREATE OUTCOMES.
THE PRIVATE MARKET WILL NOT DELIVER ON ITS OWN.
PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE NOT A GIVEAWAY. THEY ARE A COMMUNITY DECISION TO SOLVE A COMMUNITY PROBLEM.
WHEN TEACHERS, NURSES, CITY EMPLOYEES AND SERVICE WORKERS ARE PUSHED FARTHER AWAY, EVERYBODY PAYS THE PRICE IN TRAFFIC, TURNOVER AND WEAKER COMMUNITY TIES. WE URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION AND AFFIRM LENEXA AS A PLACE WHERE WORKING FAMILIES CAN CALL HOME.
THANK YOU, RENEE LOYA, FOLLOWED BY ALI HAYNES, THEN LYNETTE DAY.
MY NAME IS RENEE LOYA. I HAVE LIVED IN LENEXA FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE GOOD FAITH NETWORK IN SUPPORT OF THE HABITAT APPLICATION. I WANT TO BEGIN WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE.
THIS LAND IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF LENEXA. IT IS MAINTAINED WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
ALL OF OUR TAXES CONTRIBUTE TO ITS CARE. THAT MEANS IT BELONGS TO ALL OF LENEXA.
BUT THAT IS NOT HOW PUBLIC GOVERNANCE WORKS IN LENEXA.
[02:00:07]
THAT BRINGS ME TO LENEXA VISION 2040. OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATES THIS AREA FOR SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A BROADER TRACK THAT BALANCES PARKLAND, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING.THIS APPLICATION ALIGNS WITH THAT VISION. IT FOLLOWS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.
IT INCORPORATES OPEN SPACE AND DRAINAGE REQUIREMENT.
VISION 2040 WAS CREATED THROUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
IT IS THE ROADMAP THIS COMMUNITY ADOPTED WHEN A PROPOSAL FITS THAT ROADMAP.
THE RESPONSIBLE COURSE IS TO FOLLOW IT. HABITAT FAMILIES ARE NOT A DISRUPTION TO LENEXA VALUES.
PUBLIC LAND SHOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD AND THE PUBLIC INCLUDES ALL OF US.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR HONORING THE PLAN THAT THIS CITY HAS ALREADY EMBRACED.
THANK YOU. ALI HAINES, FOLLOWED BY LYNETTE DAY, THEN TRAVIS KELLER.
THANKS. MY NAME IS PASTOR ALI HAINES. I SERVE AS CO-PRESIDENT OF THE GOOD FAITH NETWORK, AND I LIVE IN LENEXA IN CLEAR CREEK ESTATES WITH MY HUSBAND AND OUR THREE CHILDREN.
RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PARK, WE USE THOSE TRAILS, AND I'VE BEEN GENUINELY GRATEFUL THAT THE GREEN SPACE WILL REMAIN, AS THE CITY STAFF ADVISED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, NOT AN INCH OF WETLANDS, WOULD BE DISTURBED. SO I AM ALL FOR THIS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT, MY REACTION WAS NOT FEAR, IT WAS GRATITUDE.
WHEN MY FAMILY BOUGHT OUR HOME, IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS AFFORDABLE FOR US.
AT THAT TIME. IF WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE INTO THIS AREA TODAY, WE SIMPLY COULD NOT AFFORD IT.
THIS PART OF LENEXA HAS BECOME OUT OF REACH FOR MANY WORKING FAMILIES, INCLUDING FAMILIES LIKE MINE.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THIS AREA NEEDS THESE HOMES.
MY HUSBAND SERVES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'M A PASTOR.
WE ARE RAISING KIDS, JUGGLING SCHEDULES, PAYING BILLS, AND TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY OUR NEIGHBORS.
JUST LIKE THE FAMILIES HABITAT WILL SERVE FROM THOSE OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT.
I'VE HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, AND LET'S BE HONEST, STABILITY BUILDS SAFETY.
THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF IT. SO THE REAL QUESTION BEFORE US IS WHO GETS TO BELONG HERE.
IN THE GOSPELS, JESUS ASKED, WHO IS THE NEIGHBOR AND THE ONE? THE ANSWER IS THE ONE WHO SHOWED MERCY. SOMETIMES OUR FAITH REQUIRES US TO WIDEN THE CIRCLE.
ATTAINABLE HOUSING DOES NOT DIMINISH A COMMUNITY.
IT PROVES A COMMUNITY IS STRONG ENOUGH TO SHARE.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES MY FAITH CALLS ME TO DO JUST THAT, AND I'M READY TO LOOK.
THESE FUTURE HOMEOWNERS IN THE EYE AND SAY WITH JOY AND CONVICTION, WELCOME HOME.
THANK YOU, LYNETTE DAY, FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS KELLER, THEN MIMI RAININ.
OKAY. MY NAME IS LYNETTE DAY, AND I AM A HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER.
I LOVE MY PARK. THAT'S RIGHT. I'M A TEACHER, AND I DO NOT WANT MY PARK REZONED FOR A SUBDIVISION.
ANY SUBDIVISION. TEACHERS LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE HARD WORKING PEOPLE THAT PAY TAXES AND WE VOTE IN ELECTIONS.
I WALKED MY DOG IN THE PARK ABOUT FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
I LOVE SOAKING UP THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE TALLGRASS PRAIRIE AND THE WETLANDS.
I HAD BELIEVED THAT LENEXA DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR NATURAL AREAS AND PARKS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE HIGHLIGHTING THE PARK TO GET THE TAX PASSED.
THEY WERE SECRETLY HAVING MEETINGS TO PLAN A SUBDIVISION WHICH WILL DESTROY THE PARK.
THE BACKYARDS OF THESE HOMES WILL COME RIGHT UP TO THE TRAIL.
THERE'S NOT A BUFFER ZONE FROM THE HOME'S BACKYARD TO THE TRAIL.
THIS TURNS MY NATURE TRAIL INTO A SIDEWALK FOR A SUBDIVISION.
[02:05:03]
I ALSO WANT TO CAUTION THE CITY THESE HOMES WILL FERTILIZE THEIR YARDS, WHICH WILL DRAIN INTO THE WETLAND AREA OF THE CITY OF LENEXA.KEEPING OWNERSHIP OF. IT'S BEAUTIFUL RIGHT NOW, BUT WITH EXTRA FERTILIZER IT WILL FORM ALGAE BLOOMS, CHOKE OUT THE OXYGEN IN THE POND, KILL AQUATIC LIFE AND THEY HAVE A SULFUR KIND OF SEWER SMELL TO THEM WHEN THEY HAVE THE ALGAE BLOOMS. THE CITY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO CLEAN UP THOSE WETLANDS, WHICH WILL BE EXPENSIVE, AND THE CITY IS ALSO DESTROYING THE HABITAT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES. MONARCHS FLOURISH IN THIS PARK AND ARE CONSIDERED A THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES DUE TO HABITAT LOSS.
PLEASE PROTECT OUR PARK HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
PLEASE JUST BUY NORMAL LAND AND NOT A PARK. TRAVIS KELLER, FOLLOWED BY ME RAININ, THEN DON WILSON.
AND I LIVE IN LENEXA, ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE PROPOSED SITE.
I'M A PHYSICIAN AT ADVENTHEALTH AT K-7 AND PRAIRIE STAR AT OUR MEDICAL FACILITY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IS RECRUITING AND RETAINING GOOD NURSES.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK. IT'S JUST BECAUSE NO ONE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE OUT HERE. SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR NURSES LIVE IN KCK, LIVE IN MISSOURI, OR LIVE IN MIAMI COUNTY. AND SO LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES WHEN I, WHEN I SAW THIS WAS AN OPTION COMING UP MY HEART WAS A LITTLE EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE CLOSE BY.
SO I DO SYMPATHIZE GREATLY. I LOVE TO RUN OUTSIDE.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THERE TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MY NURSES, FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO IF IT CAN'T STAY, IF THE WHOLE PLACE CAN'T STAY A PARK, AND IF PARTS OF IT ARE GOING TO BE SUBDIVISIONS, I'D LOVE FOR THAT TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MY NURSES AND FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THANK YOU. MIMI. FOLLOWED BY DON WILSON, THEN VIVIAN GIBBONS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMES.
I GREW UP UNDERSTANDING HOW FRAGILE STABILITY CAN BE.
THE DAY AFTER MY SECOND BIRTHDAY, MY MOTHER DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT.
WE WERE LOVED. BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS THAT UNDERCURRENT OF UNCERTAINTY, A QUIET QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT ONE ADULT HOLDING THINGS TOGETHER COULD NO LONGER DO SO. THAT EXPERIENCE DOESN'T LEAVE YOU LIVING AND TEACHING IN BOTH NORTH KANSAS CITY AND SHAWNEE MISSION.
I SAW THAT SAME UNCERTAINTY IN STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS.
I TAUGHT TEENS WHO FOLLOWED RULES AND EMBRACED EDUCATION, YET THEY LIVED WITH HOUSING INSTABILITY.
I TAUGHT ALONGSIDE EDUCATORS WHO COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVED.
AND I LEARNED THAT FEAR OF OTHER IS OFTEN SIMPLY FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.
WHETHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT, OUR LIVES ARE INTERTWINED.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE SHAPE THAT SHARED LIFE WITH FEAR OR WITH CARE.
FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY FOR HABITAT HOMES ARE NOT STRANGERS TO HARD WORK.
THEY ARE WORKING PARENTS, VETERANS, NURSES AND TEACHERS.
HABITAT REQUIRES STEADY EMPLOYMENT, SWEAT EQUITY, AND LONG TERM COMMITMENT.
AND THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL, THESE HOMES REMAIN AFFORDABLE FOR GENERATIONS.
LENEXA HAS LONG BEEN A PLACE WHERE WHERE PEOPLE BUILD LIVES.
APPROVING THIS PROJECT AFFIRMS THAT COMMUNITY MEANS SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, NOT EXCLUSION.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. DON WILSON, FOLLOWED BY VIVIAN GIBBONS, THEN SADIE KELLER.
MY NAME IS DON WILSON. I'M A RETIRED PASTOR AND A RESIDENT OF LENEXA.
I SPEAK AS ONE WHO STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU.
THAT BEGS TWO QUESTIONS. BETTER FOR WHOM? AND OF COURSE, THE SECOND OBVIOUS QUESTION.
IT PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT PATH FORWARD, ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF THE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[02:10:01]
TO ME, IT SEEMS UNFAIR FOR ANY OF US WHO ARE RESIDING IN A HOME THAT WE CAN COMFORTABLY AFFORD TO DENY THAT POSSIBILITY TO THOSE WHO SIMPLY ARE STRIVING TO ACHIEVE THAT PRIVILEGE.ESPECIALLY WHEN SOME OF THOSE ARE THE VERY PEOPLE WHO WORK IN AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE.
AND AS HAS LONG BEEN SAID, JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.
PLEASE, LET'S NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I STRONGLY URGE THE COMMISSION TO VOTE FAVORABLY ON THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU. VIVIAN GIBBONS, FOLLOWED BY SADIE KELLER, THEN LISA RORABAUGH.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS VIVIAN GIBBONS. I'M A RESIDENT OF LENEXA.
AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO ENDORSE THIS PROPOSED HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DEVELOPMENT OF 50 AFFORDABLE HOUSES, BECAUSE I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN THE WORK THAT HABITAT DOES.
FROM 1991 TO 2005, I WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INCLUDING SERVING ON THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AFTER THE AFTER THE FIRST HOUSE WAS BUILT, WE CONTINUED TO BUILD IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS FOR A TOTAL OF 20 HOUSES. WE WERE INVOLVED FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS AS PART OF THE BUILDING CREW.
I WAS ON SITE EVERY SATURDAY AND SOME SUNDAYS WITH MY LADDERS AND TOOLS.
I MET THEIR FAMILIES AND SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS WHO CAME TO HELP.
THESE WERE HARD WORKING FAMILIES INVESTING SWEAT EQUITY INTO THEIR OWN HOMES.
THEY WERE BUILDING STABILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED ON THOSE JOB SITES. VOLUNTEERS KEPT COMING BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR.
A REAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPED AMONG THE FAMILIES AND THE VOLUNTEERS.
WE WEREN'T JUST BUILDING HOUSES, WE WERE BUILDING A COMMUNITY.
IN ALL MY YEARS OF INVOLVEMENT, I SAW PRIDE, RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT.
COMMITMENT DEVELOPED AMONG THE FUTURE HOMEOWNERS.
HABITAT HOMES STRENGTHENED COMMUNITIES. LENEXA WILL BE STRONGER BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT.
MY HOPE IS THAT LENEXA WILL BE KNOWN AS THE CITY WITH A HEART.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE WITH COMPASSION AND APPROVE THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU. SADIE KELLER, FOLLOWED BY LISA RORABAUGH AND THEN MELISSA GUINTO.
HELLO. I GUESS I'M REPRESENTING GEN Z TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS SADIE KELLER. I'M BORN AND RAISED IN LENEXA.
I LIVE IN MANCHESTER PARK. I'VE LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE SINCE I WAS, I THINK, TWO YEARS OLD.
WE USED TO HAVE THREE BIG PLOTS OF LAND ALL AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SINCE THEN THEY HAVE DEVELOPED INTO A SIKH TEMPLE, A CHURCH, AND NOW A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW.
WE USED TO HAVE HORSES THAT RAN BY IN THE FIELDS, AND WE WOULD DRIVE BY THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'M CURRENTLY IN GRAD SCHOOL. I'M TRAINING TO BE A CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR.
AND SO THE REALITY THAT I'M FACING RIGHT NOW IS I HAVE TO WORK PART TIME WHILE I'M IN SCHOOL.
AND EVEN WITH A BACHELOR'S, THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT OF JOBS.
SO THE BEST THAT I CAN DO TO SUPPORT MYSELF THROUGH GRAD SCHOOL IS AN HOURLY RATE.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR MANY PEOPLE. SO I'M ABLE TO SAVE MONEY BY LIVING WITH MY PARENTS.
BUT WITH THE RATE THAT HOUSING HAS INCREASED, AND WITH THE FACT THAT JOBS JUST AREN'T PAYING ANYTHING NEARLY TO REALLY COMBAT THAT, IT'S REALLY UNLIKELY THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOUSE UNTIL LIKE THE NEXT 15, 20, MAYBE 25 YEARS, GOD WILLING. AND SO I'M FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND I'M FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
BUT IF THERE IS ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD SAVE THIS PARKLAND AND REZONE IT TO KEEP THAT WHOLE LAND, ABSOLUTELY DO THAT HABITAT. HUMANITY SHOULD BE WELCOME IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
BUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO SAVE THE GREEN SPACES THAT YOU HAVE, PLEASE RECONSIDER AND LOOK FOR THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THE GREEN SPACES ARE WHAT MAKES A 15, 20 MINUTE DRIVE TO GET TO ANYTHING MATTER.
[02:15:06]
SO YEAH, THAT'S MY $0.02. SO IF YOU CAN REZONE AND TRY TO SAVE THE GREEN SPACES, PLEASE DO.BUT IF IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT HABITAT, HUMANITY SHOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE LAND.
SO THANK YOU LISA ROHRBAUGH FOLLOWED BY MELISSA GUINTO AND THEN BARBARA ISAACSON.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE LENEXA CITY COUNCIL.
I AM A RESIDENT OF CREEKSIDE WOODS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS JUST SOUTH OF THE LAND.
WE CAN STAND ON OUR BACK DECK AND SEE THE WETLANDS AND WE CAN SEE THE SILO.
AND SO I DO HAVE THE SAME APPRECIATION, I THINK, FOR THIS LAND THAT MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE.
HE GREW UP HERE. HE'S DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.
HE'S WORKING FULL TIME AND HE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS SPEAKING AGAINST THIS DEVELOPMENT SAY THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD ALWAYS BE PARKLAND, BUT THE LENEXA MASTER PLAN WAS CLEAR THAT THIS PARCEL WOULD BE RESIDENTIAL, FOLLOWING A FULL YEAR OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THIS PART OF THE LAND HAS BEEN IN THE CARDS FOR A WHILE.
SOME NEIGHBORS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE NEW RESIDENTS WILL GET TO WORK OR TO THE STORE.
THE ANSWER IS IN THE TWO CARS THAT THEY KEEP IN THEIR TWO CAR GARAGES, THE SAME AS THE REST OF US.
MY SUBDIVISION, CREEKSIDE WOODS, HAS GROWN BY OVER 77 HOUSES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THE ROADS AND THE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN OKAY.
I ALSO HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OUTRAGE ABOUT THE 77 HOUSES THAT HAVE GROWN RAPIDLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU. MELISSA GUINTO FOLLOWED BY BARBARA ISAACSON.
MARK IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE TO JACK GREGORY AFTER THAT.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MELISSA GUINTO AND I HAVE LIVED IN THE LENEXA FOR 18 YEARS.
WE STRETCHED, WE SCREAMED. WE PURCHASED A MODEST HOME FOR 180,000 IN AN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD.
BECAUSE THE MORTGAGE AGAIN WAS REASONABLE, THAT STABILITY MATTERED.
MY CHILDREN GREW UP NEAR PARKS AND SCHOOLS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY FELT SECURE AND KNOWN.
YEARS LATER, WHEN I REMARRIED AND SOLD THAT HOME, IT SOLD FOR ROUGHLY 200,000 MORE THAN I PAID.
WHILE THAT APPRECIATION WAS A BLESSING TO ME, IT ALSO WAS A WAKE UP CALL.
THE PATHWAY THAT ALLOWED A MODEST INCOME FAMILY LIKE MINE TO ENTER THE MARKET HAD NARROWED DRAMATICALLY, AND MY CURRENT ROLE AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, I MENTOR FIRST AND SECOND YEAR TEACHERS, AND I HEAR THEIR HOUSING CONCERNS CONSTANTLY.
THESE TEACHERS ARE WORKING HARD. THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT STARTING FAMILIES, AND THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE TO BUILD THEIR LIVES.
FOR THEM TO PURCHASE A HOME THAT OFFERS THE SAME FINANCIAL AND FAMILY STABILITY I'VE PROVIDED WOULD MEAN EITHER MOVING FAR OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY OR TAKING ON COSTS THAT THEY REALISTICALLY CANNOT SUSTAIN. MANY CONTINUE RENTING.
SOME CONSIDER LEAVING. OUR COMMUNITY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THESE TEACHERS.
THEY ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. WHEN PEOPLE SAY, I'M A TEACHER AND I MADE IT WORK, I BELIEVED THEM.
IF WE WANT THE NEXT GENERATION TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE STABILITY AND SECURITY THAT HOME OWNERSHIP BRINGS, WE NEED PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE. THANK YOU. BARBARA ISAACSON, FOLLOWED BY JACK GREGORY, THEN LAURA BERNHARDT.
[02:20:09]
HOME. I ASK YOU, WHERE ARE TEACHERS? MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, RETAIL WORKERS, LIBRARIANS, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, YOUNG FAMILIES, JUST TO NAME A FEW.WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO LIVE? THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING OUR CITY.
TELLING THEM TO GO LIVE SOMEWHERE CHEAPER WILL NOT ONLY LOWER THE EMPLOYMENT POOL FOR LENEXA ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES, BUT WILL ALSO DEPRIVE THE CITY OF COMMITTED RESIDENTS WHO WILL GIVE BACK TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES, ENABLING LENEXA TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE. THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MODEL FEATURES SINGLE FAMILY HOMES INTEGRATED INTO AN EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD, GOVERNED BY STANDARDS AND DESIGNED FOR LONG TERM STABILITY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THAT APPROACH AVOIDS SEGREGATION BY INCOME AND SUPPORTS A MIXED, HEALTHY AND DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU ARE THE VISIONARIES.
YOU ARE THE ONES LOOKING 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND VISUALIZING THE POSSIBILITIES FOR LENEXA.
PROVIDING A VARIETY OF HOUSING FOR A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IS WHAT MAKES CITIES VIBRANT AND INVITING.
THIS PROPOSAL SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A DEVIATION FROM LENEXA VISION.
IT SHOULD BE SEEN AS AN EXPRESSION. AND FOR THAT REASON I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
THANK YOU. JACK GREGORY, FOLLOWED BY LAURA BERNHARDT, THEN CARMEN SHELLEY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED OVER TIME IS THAT FAITH OFTEN TALKS ABOUT TRUST.
AND SO I WANT TO AFFIRM AND TRUST IN THE PROCESS.
I THINK TRUSTING PROCESS MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE.
I BELIEVE THAT LENEXA HAS A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND I LIKE THE SENTENCE IN THAT PLAN WHERE WE CALL FOR A DIVERSE RANGE OF HOUSING TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND STAGES OF LIFE.
I TRUST THE PROCESS THAT CALLS FOR MEETING CRITERIA.
AND WE HEARD TONIGHT THE CRITERION THAT WERE MET.
I'M GOING TO TRUST THAT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL TOO.
HABITAT HOMEOWNERS WILL CAN INCLUDE. HABITAT.
HOMEOWNERS WILL BE ADDING VALUE TO OUR CITY. THEY WILL PAY TAXES.
THEY DESERVE THE RIGHT TO BUY AN AFFORDABLE HOME IN THE CITY WHERE THEY WORK.
EVEN CITY EMPLOYEES MAY FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.
THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY RISING RENT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.
FEAR CAN BE USED AS A WEAPON. I HOPE YOUR DECISION TONIGHT WILL NOT BE GUIDED BY FEAR, BUT BY FACTS AND BY EVIDENCE AND NOT SPECULATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. PLEASE VOTE YES.
LAURA BERNHARDT, FOLLOWED BY CARMEN SHELLEY, THEN MARK LESLIE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LAURA BERNHARDT, AND I'VE BEEN A LENEXA RESIDENT SINCE 2017.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT.
I ALSO HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA WHO HAS A VERY SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION.
HER NEPHEW LIVES WITH HER AND HELPS CARE FOR HER, AND WHILE THEY ARE BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET NOW, IF THEY HAD TO ENTER THIS HOUSING MARKET AT THE PRICES THAT IT CURRENTLY IS, WHETHER BY RENTING OR BUYING, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT AND THEY WOULD BE AT VERY SERIOUS RISK OF BECOMING UNHOUSED.
HOUSING PRICES HAVE SKYROCKETED IN THE LAST DECADE.
I BOUGHT MY OWN HOME IN THE TWO 40S RANGE TEN YEARS AGO.
[02:25:03]
AND I KNOW THAT I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS. THERE ARE MANY HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY CANNOT KEEP UP.I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE FEARS THAT SOMETIMES GET RAISED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FEARS ABOUT PROPERTY VALUES, SAFETY, OR THE KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO WILL LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE WORKING FAMILIES. THEY ARE NEIGHBORS.
THEY ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I WHO WANT A STABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME.
THIS PROJECT REFLECTS THE LENEXA THAT I WANT TO LIVE IN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
CARMEN SHELLEY FOLLOWED BY MARK LESLIE. THEN KATIE INGRAM COUNCIL MAYOR.
I AM CARMEN SHELLEY AND I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT.
MY HUSBAND AND I ARE NOW RETIRED TEACHERS FROM USD 232.
MY PARENTS LOANED US MONEY FOR A DOWN PAYMENT IN ORDER TO ENTER THIS HOUSING MARKET.
NOT EVERYONE HAS FAMILY WHO CAN HELP THEM STEP INTO THE HOUSING MARKET.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CAN BE THAT BRIDGE TO HOMEOWNERSHIP.
ONCE WE HAD SOME EQUITY, WE WERE ABLE TO STRETCH OUR FINANCES AND PURCHASE A LARGER HOME.
BUT WE STILL COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE NEAR MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE WE BOTH WORKED.
AND COMMUTING IS EXPENSIVE. VEHICLE GAS COSTS, NOT TO MENTION TIME COSTS FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ON SALARIES THAT ARE AT THE MARGINS. IT REDUCES THE STANDARD OF LIVING.
WE HAD HELPED BUYING OUR FIRST HOME GIVE ANOTHER FAMILY JUST LIKE OURS A HAND UP BY SUPPORTING THIS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT. THANK YOU, MARK LESLIE, FOLLOWED BY KATIE INGRAM, THEN LORI HAYNES.
I SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT BELIEVING IT IS BOTH REASONABLE AND NECESSARY.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
IN THIS DEVELOPMENT, THE HOUSES WILL BE PART OF A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL, ENSURING THE HOMES WILL STAY AFFORDABLE NOT JUST FOR THE FIRST PURCHASERS BUT FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER. THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY WHILE THESE HABITAT HOMES ARE STILL A MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR THE PURCHASERS, THEY ARE FAR MORE REALISTIC FOR FAMILIES WITH STEADY JOBS WHO SIMPLY NEED A FAIR CHANCE TO GET STARTED.
AND TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO BUILD UP A LEVEL OF EQUITY.
HOME OWNERSHIP IS A HUGE PART OF BUILDING RESPONSIBILITY, PRIDE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION.
THE HOUSING PROJECT WILL NOT RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE PROPOSED CENTENNIAL PARK.
THEREFORE, APPRAISAL VALUES FOR SURROUNDING HOMES SHOULD NOT DECREASE.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS A RESPECTED ORGANIZATION, HAVING A REPUTATION FOR BUILDING ATTRACTIVE, QUALITY HOMES AND CAREFULLY SELECTING FAMILIES WHO ARE READY FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH CITY'S PLANS AND VALUES.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A VERY GOOD THING FOR DESERVING HOMEOWNERS.
THANK YOU. KATIE INGRAM, FOLLOWED BY LORI HAYNES, THEN ROB CARR.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATIE INGRAM AND I'M A LENEXA AT RESIDENT A MOM AND A HOMEOWNER.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROPOSAL.
I SEE HOW STABILITY GIVES CHILDREN A SENSE OF BELONGING AND GIVES PARENTS THE ABILITY TO PLAN, TO BREATHE, AND TO FEEL SECURE. A HOME IS MORE THAN A BUILDING.
IT'S WHERE KIDS FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO GROW. IT'S WHERE ROUTINES ARE BUILT AND FUTURES BEGIN.
[02:30:06]
AND AS A HOMEOWNER MYSELF, I UNDERSTAND THE PRIDE AND LONG TERM SECURITY THAT COME WITH HAVING A PLACE YOU CAN TRULY CALL YOUR OWN.BUT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO REACH.
HARD WORKING FAMILIES, PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY ARE BEING PRICED OUT OF HOME OWNERSHIP, NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING WRONG, BUT BECAUSE THAT MARKET HAS JUST MOVED FAR BEYOND THEIR REACH.
AND LIFE JUST COSTS MORE. FAMILIES, JUST LIKE MINE, ARE FINDING THAT THE DOOR TO A STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOME IS QUIETLY CLOSING. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS OFFERING A REAL SOLUTION.
THESE HOMES, AS YOU KNOW, ARE PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE FOR THESE FAMILIES.
THEY ALLOW THE FAMILIES TO BUILD EQUITY, STABILITY AND DIGNITY.
KIDS DO BETTER, PARENTS CAN PLAN AHEAD AND NEIGHBORHOODS CAN GROW STRONGER.
AT ITS CORE, THIS IS WHAT THE KIND OF COMMUNITY I WANT LENEXA TO BE.
I WANT IT TO BE A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES WHO WORK HARD CAN AFFORD TO STAY AND PUT DOWN ROOTS.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LORI HAYNES, FOLLOWED BY ROB CARR, THEN MICHELLE KAUFMAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LORI HAYNES.
I'M A 15 YEAR RESIDENT OF LENEXA AND I LIVE IN THE 66227 ZIP CODE NEAR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
IN A RECENT EMAIL THAT I SHARED WITH EACH OF YOU, I SHARED FACTS.
I SHARED DATA AND THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY, AND HOW THIS PROJECT MEETS THOSE NEEDS.
BUT TONIGHT, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FROM THE HEART.
THE TRUE MEASURE OF ANY SOCIETY CAN BE FOUND IN HOW IT TREATS ITS MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS.
I BELIEVE THE SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO NEIGHBORHOODS.
STRONG COMMUNITIES DON'T PUSH PEOPLE OUT. THEY INVITE THEM IN.
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH HOMEOWNERSHIP POSITIVELY IMPACTS FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS.
DECADES OF DATA ACROSS THE COUNTY SHOWS, OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY SHOWS THAT WELL-MANAGED HABITAT HOMES ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS BY TURNING RENTERS INTO LONG TERM, INVESTED OWNERS. THE MEASURE OF A STRONG COMMUNITY IS NOT HOW EFFECTIVELY IT EXCLUDES, IT'S HOW RESPONSIBLY IT INCLUDES. I WANT TO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN CAN BE PROUD OF.
ONE THAT'S NOT JUST KNOWN FOR BEAUTIFUL HOMES, BUT FOR GOOD HEARTS.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS ROB CARR, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN AND PAT SMITHSON.
HI. MY NAME IS ROB CARR. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE HABITAT PROJECT TONIGHT.
I'M A NATIVE OF JOHNSON COUNTY. I'VE LIVED IN LENEXA SINCE 1998.
I'M A66215 GUY. IN THAT TIME FRAME OF 25 YEARS, 28 YEARS, THE VALUE OF MY 50 YEAR OLD HOUSE HAS TRIPLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVEN THOUGH MY HOUSE BACKS UP TO A DIFFERENT HOA, A NEIGHBORHOOD OF GENERALLY SMALLER HOMES. TWO OF THE THREE HOMES I CAN SEE FROM MY BACKYARD ARE RENTALS.
AND YET. AND YET, THE VALUE OF MY HOME HAS TRIPLED IN 28 YEARS.
WHY IS THIS? BECAUSE JOHNSON COUNTY BECAUSE LENEXA NOT SURE ABOUT THE TIMBERS, BUT IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS I SEE LENEXA INSPECTORS DRIVING AROUND IN THEIR RECOGNIZABLE VEHICLES, KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THINGS.
DID I MENTION THAT MY 50 YEAR OLD HOUSE HAS TRIPLED IN VALUE IN 28 YEARS? AND BECAUSE HABITAT. IT'S BECAUSE OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
IT'S BECAUSE OF LENEXA. I'VE BEEN OUT TO THE TIMBERS.
FABULOUS NEIGHBORHOOD. THOSE PROPERTY APPRAISALS, NO DOUBT, ARE APPRECIATING NICELY.
I CAN IMAGINE THIS PROJECT WILL NOT CHANGE THAT BECAUSE LENEXA AND BECAUSE HABITAT IS THE GOLD STANDARD IN THIS MATTER. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PICK A FABULOUS PARTNER, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS PICKED FABULOUS PARTNERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CITY. AS A PROUD LENEXA, I'LL BE DELIGHTED WHEN YOU DO.
THANKS, MICHELLE KAUFMANN, PAT SMITHSON, THEN JORDAN STONE.
[02:35:05]
HELLO, MY NAME IS MICHELLE KAUFMANN. I'M A LENEXA RESIDENT.I'VE SEEN THAT STABLE HOUSING IS NOT JUST A PERSONAL BENEFIT.
IT'S A CORNERSTONE OF HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. WHEN FAMILIES HAVE A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE, OUTCOMES IMPROVE ACROSS THE BOARD, IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT AND IN LONG TERM CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND HOME OWNERSHIP REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE WAYS THAT FAMILIES CAN BUILD THAT STABILITY.
I'VE ALSO SEEN HOW INCOME DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS FUNCTION WHEN THEY'RE PLANNED THOUGHTFULLY.
COMMUNITIES THAT INCLUDE FAMILIES AT DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS TEND TO BE MORE STABLE, MORE RESILIENT, AND BETTER POSITIONED FOR THE LONG TERM. IT ISN'T AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH.
IT'S PROVEN, AND IT REFLECTS THE KIND OF INTENTIONAL PLANNING THAT LENEXA IS KNOWN FOR.
I WANT LENEXA TO REMAIN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THIS CITY CAN ALSO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
SO I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO LENEXA.
PAT SMITHSON, FOLLOWED BY JORDAN STONE AND HANNAH JEFFREY.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SITS ALONG FLAT ROCK CREEK, AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS A SINGLE FAMILY OWNER AND LONGTIME RESIDENT IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DEVELOPMENT AT CLEAR CREEK.
I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND CARES ABOUT ALL ITS RESIDENTS, AND I WAS PROUD TO TAKE PART IN HELPING DEVELOP ALONGSIDE MY FELLOW VOLUNTEER LENEXA RESIDENTS AND THE LENEXA STAFF.
VISION 2040. WHEN I MOVED TO LENEXA, THIS WHOLE AREA WE'RE IN RIGHT HERE, IT DIDN'T EXIST FOR 35, WAS DESOLATE AND I WONDERED WHY THE HECK THEY BUILT THAT HIGHWAY.
NOW I DON'T. I HAVE ADAPTED AND I LOVE LENEXA.
HABITAT HOMEOWNERS ARE CAREFULLY SELECTED AND COMPLETE FINANCIAL EDUCATION, WHICH CREATES LONG TERM STABILITY, NOT TURNOVER. I APPRECIATE THIS PROJECT USES A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL TO KEEP HOMES AFFORDABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHILE REMAINING OWNER OCCUPIED AND WELL MAINTAINED.
RENTAL PROPERTIES MAKE UP 43% OF THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS.
THESE HABITAT HOMES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED. OVER MY 22 YEARS, I HAVE FOUND THE LENEXA CITY STAFF TO BE MOST ACCOMMODATING AND GOOD TO WORK WITH, AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH MANY DEPARTMENTS. I UNDERSTAND NEIGHBORS MAY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC, DRAINAGE AND DESIGN MILKWEED PLANTS BEING UPROOTED.
JORDAN STONE FOLLOWED BY HANNAH JEFFREY, THEN MARK MEERS.
MADAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S OKAY.
I HAVE A REALLY LOUD VOICE. I COULD HAVE JUST TALKED ANYWAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
I'M EXHAUSTED. I THINK YOU ALL ARE TOO. I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP THIS PRETTY SHORT.
I LIVE IN LENEXA. I CHOSE TO RENT IN LENEXA BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY IN LENEXA.
BUT I CHOSE THIS CITY BECAUSE OF ITS PARKS, BECAUSE OF ITS MANY PARKS, INCLUDING SHAWNEE MISSION, WHICH I RUN INTO EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW, THE HUNDREDS OF ACRES WE'VE GOT I, I USE OUR TRAILS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY SPACE, ANY TRAIL THAT I HAVEN'T RUN ON.
SO IF YOU SEE A GERMAN SHEPHERD AND LIKE A PERSON WITH A MORKIE ON THEIR BACK, IT IS ME RUNNING BY.
ACTUALLY, TODAY I WAS READING AND I SHOULD CORRECT THAT I WAS LISTENING TO AN LAMOTT'S BOOK.
[02:40:04]
AND WHERE JESUS CALLS OUT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UPSET THAT THEY ARE GIVEN THE SAME WAGES AS THE ONES WHO SHOW UP AT THE END OF THE DAY.THIS MIGHT BE A PARABLE SOME OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH, AND SOMETIMES IT HITS A LITTLE BIT HARD.
COUNCILORS, YOU'VE HEARD ALL THE COMMENTS. YOU HAVE THE HUNDREDS OF PAGES, AND I'M SORRY YOU HAVE TO READ THOSE, BUT YOU'VE HEARD IT ALL ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT HABITAT DOES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIKE MYSELF THRIVE.
GEOFFREY, MARK MEARS, AND THEN PAM MOSHER. MY NAME IS HANNAH.
GEOFFREY AND I LIVE IN LENEXA, AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR TEN YEARS.
I'M RAISING MY TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS IN THIS CITY, AND LIKE MANY FAMILIES IN JOHNSON COUNTY, I'VE BUILT A LIFE HERE WORK, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO PURCHASE A HOME HERE IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIS ONE.
IT IS THE FOUNDATION THAT MAKES WORK, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LIFE POSSIBLE.
IN RECENT YEARS, THAT FOUNDATION HAS BECOME HARDER TO REACH, AND SINCE 2018, THE NUMBER OF HOMES AVAILABLE FOR SALE UNDER $300,000 IN JOHNSON COUNTY HAS DECLINED BY ROUGHLY 75%. AT THE SAME TIME, ABOUT 45% OF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN JOHNSON COUNTY NOW LIVE OUTSIDE THE COUNTY, PUSHED FARTHER AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS, THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
I AM A WORKING PARENT. I AM RAISING TWO CHILDREN.
I AM DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT. AND STILL HOMEOWNERSHIP IN MUCH OF THIS COUNTY FEELS OUT OF REACH.
AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMES PROPOSED HERE.
THESE FAMILIES ARE NOT OTHER. THEY ARE ME. THEY ARE LIKE ME.
PARENTS AND WORKERS AND CAREGIVERS WHO WANT STABILITY.
EXCUSE ME. RESPONSIBILITY. AND A LONG TERM STAKE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.
THIS PROJECT DOESN'T SUBTRACT FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. IT ADDS THE PARKS REMAIN.
THE TRAILS REMAIN. WHAT CHANGES IS THAT? MORE FAMILIES GET A FOOTHOLD.
SO I'LL END WITH ONE QUESTION. WHEN DID NOT IN FEAR, BUT IN HOPE.
AND GARY O'NEILL. I AM MARK BEERS. I'M A RESIDENT, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DEVELOPMENT REFLECTS THE KIND OF PURPOSEFUL, RESPONSIBLE GROWTH THAT OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD PURSUE.
AS A LONGTIME BUSINESS LEADER, I HAVE SPENT MY CAREER STUDYING HOW ORGANIZATIONS SUCCEED OVER TIME.
THE LESSON IS CONSISTENT. SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS COMES WHEN PURPOSE IS PAIRED WITH DISCIPLINE.
HABITAT EMBODIES THIS PRINCIPLE. TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT CHARITY WITHOUT STANDARDS.
IT'S A RIGOROUS PARTNERSHIP THAT REQUIRES INCOME VERIFICATION, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, FINANCIAL EDUCATION, AND MEANINGFUL SWEAT EQUITY FROM THE FUTURE HOMEOWNERS.
THAT SOUNDS FAIR, DOESN'T IT? THE PROJECT CREATES ATTAINABLE HOME OWNERSHIP FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
THESE FAMILIES ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A FAIR PATH TO STABILITY, EQUITY AND BELONGING.
HEY, I GET IT. GROWTH ALWAYS RAISES QUESTIONS.
BUT FEAR BASED ASSUMPTIONS SHOULD NOT OUTWEIGH FACT BASED EVIDENCE.
WELL-BUILT, OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES WITH CLEAR STANDARDS CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY VALUE.
[02:45:02]
LENEXA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN GROW WITH INTENTION, PROTECTING OUR NATURAL SPACES WHILE MAKING ROOM FOR PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.THAT IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS.
THANK YOU. PAMELA MOSER, FOLLOWED BY GARY O'NEILL AND THEN KATHY STEINBERG.
IN 1988, MY FAMILY MOVED TO LENEXA 66219. I LATER MOVED AWAY, BUT CHOSE TO RETURN IN 2014 BECAUSE I TRUSTED AND LOVED THE CITY. IN 2021, MY HUSBAND AND I SOLD OUR HOME IN COUNTRY HILL WEST.
IT IS NOT THE LENEXA THAT I CAME TO TRUST. THE FACTS ARE CLEAR.
THE CITY REZONING SIGNS IDENTIFY THIS LAND AS PARKLAND.
THE OFFICIAL SALE CONTRACT IDENTIFIES IT AS PARKLAND.
YET LEADERSHIP NOW CLAIMS IT IS NOT PARKLAND.
NOW IS THE TIME TO CORRECT THAT BY VOTING NO.
ISN'T NOW THE TIME TO CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS? SHOULDN'T TRAFFIC STUDIES BE COMPLETED BEFORE APPROVAL? SHOULDN'T SAFETY SCHOOL CAPACITY, INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, GROCERY STORES, PHARMACIES, JOBS ALL BE EVALUATED? PLACING THIS DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA WHERE SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY WITHOUT PROPER DUE DILIGENCE DOES NOT SET ANYONE UP FOR SUCCESS. IF OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT FUTURE RESIDENTS, WE MUST ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE.
I PURCHASED MY HOME BEFORE 2024, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
THAT REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN OUR FAMILY'S DECISION TO MOVE HERE.
ONCE THE GREEN SPACE IS GONE, IT'S GONE. THIS LACK OF A CITY.
NEXT UP IS GARY O'NEIL, FOLLOWED BY KATHY STEINBERG, THEN DAVID CRUM.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL. I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO VISIT WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
FIRST, LET ME SAY WE PURCHASED OUR HOME EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF THE AMENITIES THAT WE APPRECIATED SO MUCH WAS THAT PARK, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER AMENITIES. BUT WITH THAT SAID, I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT TWO WORDS COMMON SENSE.
OKAY, IN OUR HOME PRICE RANGE, MOST WILL JUST KEEP DRIVING BY.
WHEN THEY LOOK AT THIS DEVELOPMENT ON ONE SIDE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AGAIN, THREE AREAS IS TO DRIVE INTO OUR AREA WILL ALL BE EXPOSED TO THIS.
AGAIN, THIS PROJECT MAKES NO SENSE. WE HAVE POLICEMEN, FIREMEN, TEACHERS, NURSES, YOUNG FAMILIES, SINGLE PARENTS WITH KIDS. WE HAVE RETIRED FOLKS.
THAT'S ME THAT DO WANT NOT DO NOT WANT TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VALUED DESTROYED BY SUCH A PROJECT.
AGAIN, THIS DOES NOT MAKE COMMON SENSE. THIS PROJECT IS PUTTING HUNDREDS OF ESTABLISHED HOMES IN JEOPARDY FOR 50 OTHER HOMES. I CALL THEM SUBSTANDARD HOMES. AGAIN, NOT MAKING COMMON SENSE.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SAYS HOME OWNERS BUILD EQUITY.
WHAT ABOUT THE EQUITY OF HUNDREDS OF HOMES SURROUNDING THIS AREA? WHAT ABOUT THAT EQUITY? DOES IT NOT COUNT? YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, FOLKS.
COMMON SENSE, SAYS STEINBERG, FOLLOWED BY DAVID NEAL, FOLLOWED BY JULIE BECKER.
AS A LATINA AND SINGLE MOTHER, I OPPOSE THIS PROJECT.
[02:50:01]
I AM NOW A HOMEOWNER. AS A SINGLE MOTHER IN THE TIMBERS, THE MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE EVER LIVED IN.WHILE HERE IN KANSAS. MY NEIGHBORS ARE WHITE, ASIAN, BLACK, LATINO AND INDIAN.
THEY ARE LGBT FAMILIES. THEY ARE SINGLE FATHERS AND SINGLE MOTHERS LIKE MYSELF.
WE ARE TEACHERS, NURSES, COUNSELORS, OWNING PROPERTY THERE.
IT IS DOABLE. WE ARE THE AMERICAN DREAM. I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THESE UNAFFORDABLE HOUSES.
THIS HAS DRIVEN THE PRICE OF HOUSING TO UNAFFORDABLE LEVELS.
THE LACK OF SUPPLY DRIVES PRICE. YOU WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH HOUSING? THEN STOP GIVING THESE FIRMS TAX BREAKS DOUBLE THEIR TAXES.
MAKE THEM RELEASE THESE HOMES BACK IN THE MARKET.
GIVING HABITAT THIS LAND IN PERPETUITY WILL CONTINUE TO DESTROY THE MARKET AND MAKE IT UNATTAINABLE.
I HAVE RESEARCHED LOOKING FOR THESE HABITAT SUCCESS STORIES AND I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THEM, BUT ACTUALLY WHAT I FOUND ARE GENERATIONAL TRAPS.
ADULT CHILDREN FROM THESE HOMES AND THESE PROJECTS MOVE INTO THEIR OWN HOUSING PROJECT.
THAT IS FAILURE. ALSO, THE STREET VIEW OF THE EXISTING HABITAT COMMUNITIES SHOW CARS LITTERED ON LAWNS AND ODDLY PAINTED HOMES THAT DISRUPTS THE CONTINUITY OF THE ADJACENT COMMUNITIES AND ABSOLUTELY DOES AFFECT OUR MARKET VALUE.
MISS CHELSEA, YOU WANT LENEXA TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND WORK.
YOU BUILD THE CITY CENTER, CORPORATIONS, HOSPITALS, AND THEN INSTEAD OF A ROBUST HOUSING TO ACCOMMODATE THESE PROFESSIONALS THAT YOU ARE COURTING, INSTEAD YOU PUT YOU POOR URBAN PLANNING BY PLACING A HOUSING PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE OF.
PLEASE WRAP UP. WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE VOTING BOOTH.
DAVID. CHROME. DAVID. CHROME, FOLLOWED BY JULIE BECKER, THEN PHIL SIMON.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID CHROME. I HAVE LIVED IN THE TIMBERS AT CLEAR CREEK FOR 14 YEARS, AND I OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL AS IT IS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED.
THAT PLAN MATTERED. IT INFLUENCED OUR DECISION TO MAKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OUR HOME.
OVER TIME, THAT VISION QUIETLY SHIFTED. TRAILS AND A POND WERE ADDED, AND NOW A PROPOSED MAJOR CHANGE IN LAND USE, WITH LITTLE OUTREACH TO THOSE MOST AFFECTED. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER ONE PRINCIPLE.
WHEN TRUST IS BROKEN, IT IS DIFFICULT TO REBUILD.
THIS IS NOT OPPOSITION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR HABITAT'S MISSION.
IT IS ABOUT COMPATIBILITY AND PROCESS. THE PROPOSED DENSITY AND LOT LAYOUT ARE OR INCONSISTENT WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND REPRESENT A MATERIAL CHANGE IN CHARACTER. EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS PRECEDENT. IF ADOPTED, PLANS CAN BE ALTERED WITHOUT MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT ASSURANCE DO RESIDENTS ACROSS LENEXA HAVE THAT THE SAME WILL NOT OCCUR IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? THE RESIDENTS RAISING THESE CONCERNS ARE LONGTIME TAXPAYERS AND INVESTED MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU TO REJECT THE PROJECT'S MISSION.
TONIGHT'S VOTE IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT HOUSING DENSITY.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO PAUSE THIS PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE ONCE PUBLIC TRUST IS DIMINISHED, IT IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO RESTORE THAN ANY DEVELOPMENT IS TO BUILD.
THANK YOU, JULIE BECKER, FOLLOWED BY PHIL SIMON, THEN TOMMY.
HI. I AM A TEACHER, COACH, PARENT, GRANDPARENT.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO REJECT THE PROPOSAL TO BUILD A HOUSING ON OUR PARKLAND.
THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. MANY WORKING PARENTS MAKING SACRIFICES TO LIVE HERE.
AS SUCH, PARKS ARE NOT VACANT LOTS WAITING FOR DEVELOPMENT.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL SPACES THAT SERVE EVERYONE.
[02:55:01]
GIVING ADULTS A PLACE TO EXERCISE AWAY FROM SOUND AND AIR POLLUTION.NO TRAFFIC, NO LAWNMOWERS, JUST NATURE TRAILS WITH NATIVE KANSAS GRASSES, MILKWEED, WILDFLOWERS, AND THE CALM PEACEFULNESS THAT NATURE PROVIDES.
IT'S ALSO A SAFE AND NATURAL HABITAT FOR ALL KINDS OF CRITTERS.
WE CANNOT REPLACE TREES, GREEN SPACE, NATIVE PLANTS, AND ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THEY PROVIDE ONCE THEY'VE BEEN BULLDOZED AWAY AND THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP THEM AND THEY'RE NOT.
THE TRAILS WILL BE THERE, BUT THEY WILL BE SURROUNDED BY HOUSES.
AND THAT'S CALLED A SIDEWALK, NOT A TRAIL. WE HAVE SIDEWALKS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR HOUSING, BUT SOLVING ONE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT CREATE ANOTHER.
ELIMINATE. ELIMINATING GREEN SPACE MOVES US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
I KNOW THIS TRAIL IS USED BY THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS.
I ASK YOU TO PROTECT IT. PHIL SIMON FOLLOWED BY TOMMY, THEN GAYLENE VAN HORN.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PHIL SIMON, AND I'M A HOMEOWNER.
AND THE TIMBERS OF CLEAR CREEK. LENEXA I HAD MY HOME BUILT BEFORE 2024.
AND RELIANCE ON THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
CITY OFFICIALS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY PUBLICLY STATED THIS PROPOSED SITE IS NOT PARKLAND.
HOWEVER, IN THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE APPLICANT, IT CLEARLY STATES, QUOTE, THE CITY PUBLISHED NOTICE OF THE PROPOSED EXCHANGE OF THE CITY OWNED PARK LAND. EQUALLY MISLEADING IS THE CITY MARKETED THE RENEWAL OF THE 38 CENT SALES TAX TO PURCHASE MORE PARK LAND FOR FUTURE NEEDS.
I ALSO RAISED THE FOLLOWING ETHICAL CONCERNS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR.
IN AN EMAIL DATED MAY 22ND, A CITY EMPLOYEE REQUESTED A SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM THE APPLICANT IN THE FORM OF SMALL BUMPS IN SCORING WHEN IT COMES TO QUALIFYING FOR A HOME FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND SETTING ASIDE A SMALL NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE QUALIFYING EMPLOYEES COULD HAVE A RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
ON AN OCTOBER 23RD EMAIL TO THE APPLICANT, THE CITY EMPLOYEE STATES.
THE MAYOR RESPONDED TO MY JANUARY 5TH EMAIL, DISMISSING MY CONCERNS OVER THESE ISSUES, AND STATED, A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PROCESS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
THE MAYOR DEFENDED THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES BEHAVIOR, STATING, I PERSONALLY TAKE NO ISSUE WITH THE IDEA THAT THE CITY'S POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS OR MAINTENANCE TEAMS COULD POTENTIALLY BE CONSIDERED WITH THE POOL OF APPLICANTS.
HOWEVER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I DOUBT THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS GIVEN TO PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. THESE INDIVIDUALS ALREADY LIVE IN THE TIMBERS AND SURROUNDING SUBDIVISIONS.
THE MAYOR DID NOT CORRECT ME. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THIS MISGUIDED PROJECT.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS TOMMY, FOLLOWED BY GAYLENE VAN HORN, THEN ERIC BOLTON.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TOMMY. I'M A LENEXA RESIDENT AND A LENEXA BUSINESS OWNER.
I SERVED AS VICE CHAIR OF THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BOARD.
I'M THE CEO OF BIG HOMES AND THE FOUNDER OF THE BUILDING HOPE FOUNDATION.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO NEIGHBORHOODS, PROPERTY VALUES, TRAFFIC, AND THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. STRONG OPINIONS ARE NATURAL.
I BELIEVE HOME OWNERSHIP IS PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THAT REALITY IS WHAT LED ME TO START THE BUILDING HOPE FOUNDATION IN 2024.
I SPOKE WITH THE CITY ABOUT THIS PROPERTY WHEN I WAS EVALUATING IT FOR HOMES.
AT THE SAME TIME, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WAS SEARCHING FOR LAND IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
I WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW IMPORTANT POINTS. THESE HOMES ARE NOT GIVEAWAYS.
THESE HOMES WILL BE WELL BUILT, ENERGY EFFICIENT AND CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
[03:00:08]
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE QUESTION ISN'T WHETHER THIS LAND WILL BE DEVELOPED, IT'S WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WANT TO BUILD.AS A LENEXA RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER WHOSE YOUNG KIDS WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY A HOME IN LENEXA, I AM FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CARING ABOUT OUR CITY.
NEXT UP IS GAYLENE VAN HORN, FOLLOWED BY ERIC BOLTON.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT PABLO CORDOBA. GAYLENE VAN HORN SIX SIX, 215.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AS A HARD WORKING, TAXPAYING, LENEXA CITIZEN, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF REZONING AND APPROVAL OF THE PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR THE CLEAR CREEK SUBDIVISION. SADLY, THERE ARE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PROJECT, BOTH FOR THE CITY AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. MISS HICKS FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INDICATED THE FOLLOWING.
AT THE NOVEMBER 11TH, 2024, JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING, HABITAT HAD A POTENTIAL OF FIVE PARCELS OF PROPERTY WAS THE POTENTIAL SITE AND SALE OF OUR LENEXA WETLAND PARK, KNOWN TO CITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND YOU COUNCIL AND MAYOR, AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION. BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 2024 MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THE AGENDA MINUTES FROM THAT BOARD MEETING INDICATE COMMISSIONER ALAN BRAND MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION OF CORONAVIRUS RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY IN THE AMOUNT OF 2.47 MILLION TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY TO ACQUIRE LAND TO BUILD 5050 PLUS HOME DEVELOPMENT IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
COMMISSIONER HANDZLIK SECONDED THAT MOTION. IT PASSED 6 TO 1 AND I DO HAVE COPIES OF THOSE, IS MY UNDERSTANDING. THE CITY PLANS TO SELL OUR WETLAND PARK FOR ABOUT $825,000.
WHAT ARE WHAT ARE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S PLANS FOR THE REMAINING 1.6 MILLION? THE BOARD'S MOTION THAT PASSED CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS MONEY IS FOR ACQUIRING LAND.
UNFORTUNATELY, HARD WORKING TAXPAYING CITIZENS OF LENEXA, INCLUDING TEACHERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, NURSES, RESTAURANTS AND OFFICE WORKERS, AS WELL AS RETIREES DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THIS PROJECT UNTIL DECEMBER 2025.
HOWEVER, THIS LACK OF TRANSPARENCY TRANSPARENCY BY THE CITY IS NOT SURPRISING.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP. NEXT UP WE'VE GOT ERIC BOLTON, FOLLOWED BY PABLO CORDOBA, THEN JACOB LAURENDEAU.
ERIC BOLTON. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, PABLO CORDOBA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PABLO CORDOBA.
I AM ORIGINALLY FROM ARGENTINA AND I CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE TIMBERS, COMING FROM A MORE LATIN AMERICAN STYLE OF HOUSING, MEANING DENSER AND MORE COMPACT. I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY HOW COMMUNITIES IN THE US EXPAND HORIZONTALLY, PROVIDING VALUABLE SPACE FOR PEACE AND BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING.
I TRULY LOVE HOW NATURE IS INTEGRATED INTO DAILY LIFE HERE.
PLANTS, ANIMALS, INSECTS AND PEOPLE RESPECTFULLY SHARE COMMON SPACES.
I'VE SHARED DOZENS OF PHOTOS WITH MY FAMILY PICTURES OF DEER, RABBITS, BIRDS, FIREFLIES, BUTTERFLIES, AND THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE THAT SURROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THOSE MOMENTS ARE WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL.
MY WIFE AND I CHOSE TO BUY TO BUY OUR HOME IN LENEXA BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN LENEXA VISION 2040 GREEN SPACE PARKS AND SAFETY WERE IDENTIFIED AS TOP PRIORITIES BY LENEXA RESIDENTS. THOSE VALUES WERE ESSENTIAL TO US AS WE DECIDED WHERE TO BUILD OUR AMERICAN ARGENTINIAN FAMILY.
VISION 2040 STRATEGY, NATURE AND OPEN SPACES RECOGNIZES THAT NATURE PROVIDES NOT ONLY ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS, BUT ALSO PROTECTION, COMMUNITY CONNECTION, AND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS.
I WORK IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD, AND EACH DAY TECHNOLOGY OCCUPIES MORE OF OUR LIVES.
BECAUSE OF THAT, I DEEPLY VALUE A FUTURE WHERE MY CHILDREN CAN REMAIN CONNECTED TO NATURE NOT THROUGH SCREENS, BUT THROUGH DIRECT EXPERIENCE. WHEN WE WERE EVALUATING WHERE WE LIVE, WHERE TO LIVE, THE LAND IN QUESTION WAS IDENTIFIED AS PARKLAND IN LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARKLAND. THAT PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR DECISION TO MOVE HERE FOR A FUTURE WHERE OUR CHILDREN AND US CAN LIVE CLOSE TO CONTACT WITH NATURE, FOR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF OUR BEAUTIFUL FLORA AND FAUNA.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO NOT APPROVE THIS SUBDIVISION.
[03:05:05]
THEN SHERYL SUE PARKS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.I LIVE IN WARD ONE AND I AM HERE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS BEING PLANNED TODAY.
WHEN I MOVED HERE, WE WERE TOLD THIS IS PARKLAND WHICH IS REALLY IMPACTED MY LIFE.
I LOVE GOING THERE, BIKING, WALKING. MY DOG LOVES IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOME NICE PLACES OVER THERE, LIKE SOCCER PARK, LIKE IN CENTRAL LENEXA.
THAT'S OUR ONE BIG PARK IN WESTERN LENEXA. I THINK WE SHOULD BE KEEPING IT, BUT LIKE MOVING IT FARTHER SOUTH WHERE THERE'S WAY MORE OPEN LAND, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN THAT PARK IS SPECIAL TO LIKE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, WHICH ARE ENDANGERED. THESE ARE MANY REASONS THAT I HAVE TO KEEP CLEAR CREEK PARK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ERIC SATTERFIELD, FOLLOWED BY CHERYL SUE PARKS AND MARY LESSLER.
AND THEN LATER ON, MY MOM BOUGHT A HOUSE NOT, YOU KNOW, A HALF MILE AWAY FROM THAT.
AND I GREW UP IN THIS AREA WHEN IT WAS MONTICELLO.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE BOUGHT A HOUSE, AND SHE AND SHE MADE IT HAPPEN FOR US.
THAT'S REALLY NOT THERE MUCH ANYMORE. THIS IS ABOUT ALL THAT'S LEFT OUT THERE.
AND I REMEMBER CALLING THE CITY WHEN WE WERE BIDDING ON THAT HOUSE AND ASKING THEM WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THAT PARK, AND THE PERSON I TALKED TO SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TURN IT INTO BLACK HAWK, JUST LIKE BLACK HAWK PARK.
THAT'S JUST IT'S CHANGED AND IT'S BEEN VERY SHADY THE WAY IT'S HAPPENED.
THE ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED HERE TONIGHT IS THAT WE DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF REPRESENTATION THAT WE NEED WEST OF K-7 IN LENEXA. AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO CHANGE WITH THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE.
MY WIFE WORKS IN HEALTHCARE. THE TIMBERS IS FULL OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS, TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS.
THEY'RE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN UNIFORM HERE TONIGHT THAT LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MEAN, I DON'T SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT I HOPE YOU DON'T KNOW.
CHERYL SUE PARKS, FOLLOWED BY MARY LOU, THEN ROBERT LOSER.
HI, MY NAME IS CHERYL PARKS AND I LIVE IN LENEXA.
FOR MANY YEARS I WORKED IN A PARENT'S DAY OUT PROGRAM AT SAINT MARK'S UNITED METHODIST, AND BEFORE THAT, FOR 30 YEARS AT ANOTHER CHURCH. EVERY DAY I WORK WITH FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING HARD AND SACRIFICING TO BUILD STABLE LIVES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT YOUNG FAMILIES ARE FACING HABITAT.
FAMILIES ARE VETTED. THEY GO THROUGH APPLICATION AND PROCESS APPROVAL PROCESS.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO INVEST SWEAT EQUITY MANY HOURS.
THEY CARRY MORTGAGES. THEY ARE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.
THEY GET TRAINING. THEY ARE NOT GIVEN HOUSES.
THEY PARTNER FOR THEM. AND AT THE HEART OF THIS, THEY WANT WHAT EVERY PARENT WANTS A SAFE PLACE TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN AND A CHANCE TO BUILD EQUITY OVER TIME INSTEAD OF WATCHING RENT CHECKS DISAPPEAR MONTH AFTER MONTH.
CHILDREN THRIVE. THEY SLEEP BETTER. THEY FOCUS BETTER.
THEY FORM FRIENDSHIPS THAT LAST. PARENTS BREATHE EASIER.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THE PROJECT IS NOT TAKING A RISK.
IT IS GAINING NEIGHBORS WHO WILL MOW THEIR LAWNS, VOLUNTEER AT SCHOOL EVENTS, WAVE FROM THE DRIVEWAY, AND TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES. FAMILIES LIKE THIS WOULD NOT DIMINISH A STREET IN LENEXA.
[03:10:02]
THEY WOULD BE A BLESSING TO IT. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, BUT I DO FEEL THAT THIS HOUSING ADDITION, WITH THE LACK OF INFORMATION AND THE THINGS I'VE HEARD TODAY, THEY'VE BEEN DONE WRONG.THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS MARY, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT LOEFFLER, THEN MICHAEL FEINGOLD.
HI, MY NAME IS MARY AND I AM A LOCAL TEACHER, AND I'M ALSO A KANSAS GREEN SCHOOL LEADER.
JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN THERE. AND I LIVE APPROXIMATELY A HALF MILE FROM THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, AND I TO PURCHASE MY HOME BEFORE 2024, IN RELIANCE ON THE CITY OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARKLAND.
THAT REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN OUR FAMILY'S DECISION TO MOVE HERE.
WHY ARE YOU CONSIDERING TAKING OUT PARKLAND, GREENSPACE, AG SPACE AND PUTTING IN A DEVELOPMENT WHERE THERE IS A PETITION FULL OF ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE VOTERS THAT DON'T WANT IT THERE? WHY NOT PUT IT IN AN AREA THAT NEEDS AN ECONOMIC BOOST AND OR STRENGTHENING? THIS LAND PARK COULD REMAIN A JEWEL OF LENEXA AND ATTRACT MORE FAMILIES TO OUR GREAT CITY.
WHY NOT LEAVE MORE GREEN SPACE? THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT DISRUPTING THE WETLANDS, BUT HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE WHEN THERE WILL BE HOUSES RIGHT UP NEXT TO IT AND RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE TRAIL, AND NOT TO MENTION HOUSES ALL ALONG THE TRAIL WITH LIGHTS AND PETS AND CARS, FERTILIZER RUNOFF, ETC. THERE WILL ALSO BE 11,000 PEOPLE A DAY DRIVING ALONG THE EDGE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER DELAYING THIS PROJECT UNTIL ALL CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED AND FAIRLY.
NOT JUST IN A RUSH TO SPEND $2.47 MILLION IN COVID FUNDS AND JUST HELPING 50 FAMILIES WITH $18 MILLION. NEXT UP IS ROBERT, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL FEINGOLD, THEN ANNA APONTE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROBERT LOEFFLER. UNLIKE THE CEO OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, I LIVE IN ARBOR LAKE, MARRIED TO A TEACHER THAT YOU JUST MET. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO FORMALLY REQUEST THAT THE PROPOSAL FOR SALE OF CLEAR CREEK WETLANDS BE IMMEDIATELY PAUSED, PENDING THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE LEGALITY AND INTEGRITY IN THE BID PROCESS AND THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
I HAVE OVER 30 YEARS IN THE PURCHASING FOR MAJOR CORPORATIONS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I KNOW WHAT FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION MEANS AND IS REQUIRED.
WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THIS COMMUNITY COUNCIL DOES NOT MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
KANSAS REQUIRES FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. THAT MEANS EVERY POTENTIAL BIDDER MUST RECEIVE THE SAME STATEMENT, WORK THE SAME REQUIREMENTS, AND THE SAME ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
KANSAS REQUIRES PRICE TO BE FAIR AND REASONABLE.
WHERE IS THE INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT COST ESTIMATE? WHERE IS THE DOCUMENTED VALIDATION ANALYSIS SUPPORTING THE SALE PRICE OF THE PUBLIC LAND.
IF THIS PROPERTY IS BEING TRANSFERRED BELOW MARKET VALUE, TAXPAYERS ARE ENTITLED TO A CLEAR, DOCUMENTED EXPLANATION. THE LACK OF CLEAR PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REGARDING BOTH THE SALE AND THE REZONING OF FURTHER COMPOUNDS THESE CONCERNS.
BECAUSE OF THESE SIGNIFICANT PROCEDURAL AND FINANCIAL CONCERNS, I HAVE FORMALLY SUBMITTED A FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE REQUEST TO DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL REGARDING THE USE OF 2.4 MILLION IN CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
I HAVE ALSO RAISED ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
MR. ZELDIN, GIVEN OPINION REVIEWS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SALE WOULD BE PREMATURE AND IRRESPONSIBLE.
MICHAEL FEINGOLD, FOLLOWED BY ANNA APONTE AND THEN WILLIAM J.
WARD JR. MR. FEINGOLD, KNOW FEINGOLD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANNA APONTE.
PRONUNCIATION. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SUPERVISOR I AM ALSO A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE TIMBER SUBDIVISION.
FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES, I GAVE MY CAREER TO THE CITY.
[03:15:04]
BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN LENEXA, I BELIEVED IN WHAT THE CITY STOOD FOR, AND I WAS PROUD TO SAY I WORKED FOR A CITY THAT TOOK CARE OF ITS RESIDENTS. THAT PRIDE IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TONIGHT.THE REPRESENTATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN MY FAMILY'S DECISION TO MOVE HERE.
I'M VERY NERVOUS, THOUGH. BREATHING HARD. LET ME BE CLEAR.
MY COMMUNITY AND I ARE NOT OPPOSED. NOT OPPOSED TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
WE RESPECT AND SUPPORT THEIR MISSION. PROVIDING SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MATTERS.
BUT WHAT ALSO MATTERS IS HOW AND WHERE WE DO IT.
THIS LAND IS PARKLAND. IT IS NOT EMPTY SPACE WAITING TO BE USED.
IT IS A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES GATHER, WHERE OUR CHILDREN PLAY, WHERE NEIGHBORS CONNECT, AND WHERE PEOPLE FIND PEACE IN A WORLD THAT IS OVERWHELMINGLY HORRENDOUS RIGHT NOW. ONCE THIS LAND IS GONE, IT IS GONE FOREVER.
THERE IS NO UNDO BUTTON FOR SELLING OFF OUR GREEN SPACES.
WHAT HURTS THE MOST IS NOT JUST THE PROPOSAL ITSELF.
IT'S THE FEELING THAT OUR VOICES NO LONGER MATTER.
LENEXA WAS ONCE A CITY THAT LISTENED FIRST. A CITY THAT PLANNED TO CAREFULLY.
A CITY THAT DIDN'T ASK ITS RESIDENTS TO SACRIFICE SOMETHING IRREPLACEABLE BECAUSE IT WAS CONVENIENT.
TONIGHT, MANY OF US FEEL UNHEARD. WE FEEL LIKE DECISIONS WERE BEING MADE FOR US, NOT WITH US.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO ABANDON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO BETTER, TO SLOW DOWN, TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM J. WARD, FOLLOWED BY DAVID BRIAN POTTER, THEN STEVEN BERNSTEIN.
SAYERS AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS WILLIAM WARD. I GO BY BILL. I'VE BEEN A PART TIME RESIDENT OF LENEXA SINCE 1973, AND A FULL TIME RESIDENT SINCE 1978. MY ZIP CODE IS 66215.
IF ANYBODY'S KEEPING TRACK. I STARTED VOLUNTEERING FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
I VOLUNTEER ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, MOSTLY NEW WORK, BUT ALSO SOME RECONSTRUCTION.
I'VE ALSO WORKED CONSTRUCTION AND REMODELING PROJECTS AT THE LENEXA AND MARTIN CITY RESTORES.
BEFORE MY RETIREMENT IN 2014, I VOLUNTEERED MOST SATURDAYS.
I NOW VOLUNTEER THREE DAYS A WEEK. I'VE WORKED ON HABITAT HOUSES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE METRO AREA, MOSTLY KCMO, KCK, AND OF COURSE NOW OUR NEW PROJECT DOWN IN OLATHE.
I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT HABITAT MAKES THROUGHOUT THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA.
2020 IS THE ONE I GO BACK TO GOAL TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I SUSPECT SOME MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE.
WHILE THE PLANS AND RENDERINGS WE SAW TONIGHT MAY NOT BE EXACTLY WHAT WE BUILD IN THE REALITY, I HOPE THAT THE LENEXA OFFICIALS, YOU AND THE OTHER PEOPLE ON STAFF HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO GO DOWN AND SEE THE PROJECT IN OLATHE, WHICH WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD, GOOD PREVIEW OF WHAT WE COULD DO HERE.
I URGE THE LENEXA CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE APPROVE HABITATS CLEAR CREEK PROJECT.
THANK YOU. DAVID BRIAN POTTER, FOLLOWED BY STEVE BERNSON, THEN SCOTT ROBEY.
I'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF THE GROWTH, WHICH IS PRETTY EXCITING.
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN VARIOUS EXTENTS WITH, WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND MORE THAN ONE TOWN AND HAVE REALLY BACKED THE MISSION. IT'S EXTREMELY STRONG AND VERY EXCITING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN HERE IN LENEXA, ESPECIALLY IN THIS MAGNITUDE. IT IS CONCERNING THIS REALIZATION OF THE CONFUSION THAT I LEARNED TONIGHT.
IT IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO STRONGLY APPROVE AND ENDORSE THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS STEVEN BERNSON, THEN SCOTT ROBEY, AND THEN ERICA SCHROY.
[03:20:09]
GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. MY NAME IS STEVE BERNSON, AND MY FAMILY LIVES IN LENEXA IN THE TIMBERS.I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS SPECIFIC PARKLAND IS SO UNIQUE AND WORTHY OF BEING SAVED.
THE ENTIRE PARKLAND AREA CREATES A UNIQUE BOWL EFFECT.
ONCE YOU STEP ONTO THE TRAIL, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS DISAPPEAR.
YOU'RE TOTALLY IMMERSED IN NATURE. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAPS.
THE MAIN NATURE TRAIL RUNS RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE ENTIRE PARKLAND.
IF YOU BUILD 50 HOMES ON THIS PARKLAND, MANY OF THEM RUNNING ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE NATURE TRAIL, THIS NATURAL SANCTUARY WILL BE LOST. I WANT TO FOCUS MY REMAINING COMMENTS ON A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LOSS OPPORTUNITY COST. IMAGINE IF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TOOK THESE RESOURCES, INCLUDING THESE FEDERAL FUNDS AND USE THEM IN DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF JOHNSON COUNTY, FILLING EMPTY LOTS WITH NEW HOMES, UPLIFTING ENTIRE BLOCKS OF FAMILIES, BUILDING NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES ON LAND ADJACENT TO THESE AREAS SO ENTIRE COMMUNITIES ARE UPLIFTED.
THERE ARE REAL OPPORTUNITY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECTS LOCATION, OPPORTUNITY COSTS THAT WILL BE LARGELY BORNE BY THOSE FAMILIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM RENEWAL OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO REJECT THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY ERICA GIROIR, THEN JODY MATTHEWS.
GOOD EVENING. AS LENEXA RESIDENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND IS A SUPPORTER OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
I'M PLEASED THAT LENEXA IS STEPPING UP TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A REALITY.
I'VE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO THE WORDS THAT PEOPLE HAVE PUT FORTH TONIGHT, AND I'VE THOUGHT CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT SAY NEXT TO HELP CLARIFY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. AND I JUST KEPT COMING BACK TO THIS.
THE QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY HERE, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ERICA SIROIS, FOLLOWED BY JODY MATTHEWS, THEN KEVIN CORLEY. HI. GOOD EVENING. WHEN MY FAMILY CHOSE TO BUILD OUR HOME OUT HERE IN WEST LENEXA, WE RELIED ON THE CITIES OF LENEXA COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH HAD IDENTIFIED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL AS A CITY PARK LAND.
FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERED.
IT INFLUENCED OUR DECISION TO INVEST IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS SIMPLY ISN'T ABOUT DEVELOPMENT. IT'S ABOUT CONSISTENCY.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT GOAL, BUT LOCATION AND PROCESS MATTER.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO PRESERVE ESTABLISHED PARKLAND BY RECONSIDERING THIS PROPOSAL, AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS INSTEAD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JODI MATTHEWS, WHO WILL BE ALLOTTED AN ADDITIONAL 30S.
COUNCIL. MATTHEWS. I LIVE IN ZIP CODE 66227 IN LENEXA. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN LENEXA FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
HE'S A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER AND I'M ON DISABILITY BECAUSE OF A RARE BRAIN DISEASE.
WE MOVED TO CEDAR CREST IN 2021. WE'RE NOT WEALTHY.
WE'RE NOT PRETENTIOUS. WE'RE NOT FEARFUL OR ANY OF THE OTHER ADJECTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN USED ABOUT US OR ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS. WE'RE COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE. WE'RE NOT HERE TO ARGUE ABOUT THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOMES.
WE'RE HERE. WE'RE NOT HERE TO OPPOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE JUST HERE TO PRESENT FACTS. AND I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I ON THE SIDE FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. THERE'S NO ARGUMENT.
BUT THAT'S IN GENERAL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR SPECIFIC LOCATION AND THE ISSUES WITH THAT,
[03:25:04]
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE LACK OF A NEUTRAL PROCESS.I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP GENERATIONS OF WEALTH AREN'T AREN'T, AREN'T BUILT OR BUILT OVER TIME, BUT GENERATIONS OF WEALTH AREN'T BUILT WHEN EQUITY IS CAPPED AT 25%.
THAT DOESN'T WORK. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER AGAIN.
THE ISSUES ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT'S BEEN DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT JOHNSON COUNTY'S HOUSING FOR ALL TOOLKIT STRESSES PRIORITIZING SITES NEAR TRANSIT AND JOBS TO KEEP OVERALL LIVING COSTS DOWN TO LESS THAN 15%, ACCORDING TO FEDERAL STANDARDS.
ACCORDING TO THE MID-AMERICA REGIONAL COUNCIL IN JOHNSON COUNTY, TRANSPORTATION COSTS WITHOUT NEARBY TRANSIT AVERAGE AROUND $13,000 PER YEAR PER PERSON WITHOUT TRANSIT. NEARBY, THAT $13,000 PER YEAR WELL EXCEEDS 15% OF INCOME FOR THESE FAMILIES THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
IT'S A GOOD CAUSE. IT'S NOT THE RIGHT LOCATION.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER UP WILL BE KEVIN CORLEY, AND SINCE IT'S THE SECOND TWO HOUR PERIOD, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AFTER THAT. MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS KEVIN CORLEY. I LIVE AT TWO 509 WEST 83RD TERRACE IN THE TIMBERS.
I WAS ALSO A POLICE OFFICER AT THE TIME. I RETIRED AFTER 27 YEARS WORKING HERE IN JOHNSON COUNTY, AND I CAN TELL YOU I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD THAT HOUSE BECAUSE I WORKED MY BUTT OFF.
NOTHING WAS GIVEN TO ME. I DID NOT INHERIT MONEY.
I WORKED MY BUTT OFF BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO LIVE. I MOVED IN WESTERN LENEXA BECAUSE IT'S OPEN, BECAUSE THE HOUSES WERE NICE. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE OFF I-35.
I SOLD MY HOUSE IN 2019, GOT AN APARTMENT WHEN I DECIDED I WAS READY FOR ANOTHER HOUSE.
I TOLD MY REALTOR I WANTED TO LIVE IN LENEXA BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PARKS.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT FEDERAL SUBSIDIZED HOUSING PARTICULARLY TONIGHT.
FUNDING THAT WAS ALLOCATED MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO IT WAS INTENDED TO HELP THOSE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC, ACCORDING TO THE JOHNSON COUNTY'S OWN MEMO. THIS FUNDING WAS MEANT TO ADDRESS PUBLIC HEALTH AND NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, SPECIFICALLY IMPROVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
SO I ASK THE GOVERNING BODY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS PURCHASING THESE HOUSES ARE WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID 19? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT USING COVID 19 RELIEF FUNDS FIVE YEARS LATER TO PURCHASE LAND FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ALIGNS WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHEN IT COMES TO WHEN IT APPROPRIATED THESE FUNDS TO THE STATE OF KANSAS? THESE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS, AND THEY DESERVE CLEAR ANSWERS.
WE'LL BE BACK IN TEN MINUTES. THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.
SO MOVED SECOND MOTION BY JOHN MICHAEL, SECOND BY AVERY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES.
THE NEXT SPEAKER THAT WE HAVE UP IS BECKY DENTON, FOLLOWED BY JOEL YOUNG AND THEN MARK AYERS.
HI. I'M SURE YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT OF HERE.
I'LL MAKE IT BRIEF, BUT I AM A NURSE. I LIVE IN THE TIMBERS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DECIDED TO MOVE OUT HERE IN 2017, AND IT WAS STRONGLY BASED ON THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS DEDICATED PARKLAND.
FURTHERMORE, THE MARCH 2025 ISSUE OF TOWN TALK MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK WHILE ADVOCATING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE THREE EIGHTH CENT SALES TAX. AT NO POINT WAS THIS CLEARLY DISCUSSED OR DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE CITY INTENDED TO SELL OR DEVELOP PORTIONS OF THIS LAND. THE CLEAR CREEK. CLEAR CREEK WETLANDS PARK PROVIDES ESSENTIAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES,
[03:30:03]
INCLUDING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, FLOOD MITIGATION, AND VITAL HABITATS FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE.I ALSO WISH TO HIGHLIGHT A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST REGARDING OUR LOCAL LEADERSHIP INVOLVEMENT WITH CLIMATE ACTION KC, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CONSIDERING THE SALE OF THE EXISTING GREEN SPACE.
WHILE I FIRMLY SUPPORT THE MISSION OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I BELIEVE THIS SPECIFIC LOCATION IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE SITES, OR CONSIDER RENOVATING EXISTING STRUCTURES WITHIN LENEXA TO MEET HOUSING NEEDS WITHOUT SACRIFICING PROTECTED PARK LAND. I ALSO HAVE TO WONDER NOW, ARE YOU PLANNING TO SELL ANY OTHER PARKLAND, BLACK CLIFF PARK? LAKE LENEXA PARK. I REQUEST THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THIS PROPOSAL AND UPHOLD THE COMMITMENT MADE TO THE RESIDENTS OF LENEXA TO PRESERVE OUR PARKS.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOEL YOUNG, FOLLOWED BY MARK AYERS, THEN JEFFREY POTTER.
JOEL HAD TO GO. OKAY, WE DON'T HAVE JOEL TONIGHT, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MARK AYERS, JEFFREY POTTER, THEN JEFFREY STEINBERG. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS MARK AYERS. MY WIFE AND I LIVE IN LENEXA, SPECIFICALLY IN THE TIMBER SUBDIVISION.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS PROPOSAL, OR AT LEAST DELAY UNTIL FURTHER CONSIDERATION CAN BE MADE INTO THE VALIDITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF THE PROPOSAL AND TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE APPLICANT. I HAVE VOLUNTEERED FOR THEM.
THIS PROPOSAL SIMPLY IS INAPPROPRIATE AND VIOLATES OUR TRUST IN THE CITY.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE SPEAKING TONIGHT THAT ARE NOT IMPACTED BY THIS DECISION.
THEY SIMPLY DON'T HAVE STANDING. THE HOMEOWNERS AROUND THIS PARK DO.
WE ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. MY WIFE AND I CAME TO.
IT WAS BETTER THAN WHAT WE SAW IN OTHER AREAS OF THE KANSAS CITY METROPLEX.
AND THAT LED TO A CLEAR DECISION THAT LENEXA WAS A GOOD PLACE TO GO.
WE BUILT A RETIREMENT HOUSE RECENTLY IN THE TIMBERS THAT WAS BASED ON THAT 20 YEAR PLAN.
OUR BELIEF IN THE CITY AND THE BELIEF IN THE CITY'S VALUE OF GREEN SPACES.
THE THAT REPRESENTATION, THAT PLAN LED TO OUR FINANCIAL DECISION.
FOR US, IT'S A RETIREMENT HOUSE. IT'S OUR LAST HOUSE.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED 45 YEARS. WE STARTED WITH AN APARTMENT.
WE GREW UP. WE BUILT A RETIREMENT HOUSE HERE WITH TRUST IN THE CITY AND TRUST IN WHAT WE CONSIDER VALUABLE, WHICH IS THOSE GREEN SPACES. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE THAT CHARACTER OF WEST LENEXA.
IT'S A GOOD PLACE, AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF US ARE REPRESENTING HERE.
WE MOVED OUT THIS WAY. PLEASE WRAP UP. THANK YOU.
IT CAN'T BE. JUST TWO MINUTES. THAT WAS A QUICK TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JEFFREY POTTER, FOLLOWED BY ANDY KEITH AND THEN ANNETTE BECKER.
AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, AND THE MINIMUM PRICE WAS STATED IN THERE FOR THIS AREA WAS 2.2 MILLION 959,000 FOR 53.8 ACRES, WHICH WORKS OUT TO 55,000 AN ACRE.
ONE WAS IN MARCH OF OF 2024. IN OTHER WORDS, IN NOVEMBER OF 2025.
IN A MARCH 2024 EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO SCOTT MCCULLOUGH, HE REPLIED TO ONE OF THE INQUIRIES AND I QUOTE, THE PLAN IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO WE WOULD BE WILLING TO KEEP THE DISCUSSION GOING.
[03:35:02]
THE STARTING POINT FOR THE CITY IS CONTAINED IN THE CLEAR CREEK RFP.SO WHAT CHANGED? SO WHY IS THE CITY WILLING TO SELL NOW AT 49,000 AN ACRE AND WILLING TO BREAK UP THE PROPERTY TO JUST ONE AREA WHEN IT WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL DEVELOPERS BEFORE TO TO BUY ALL THREE? THE RFP CLEARLY STATED THAT.
AND AND AGAIN, WHY BREAK IT UP? AND SINCE WHEN DOES PROPERTY VALUE GO DOWN IN THE COUNTY OF JOHNSON COUNTY OVER A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD? ALSO, I BUY IN BULK AT SAM'S AND COSTCO FOR A REASON.
THAT'S BECAUSE MY PRICE PER UNIT ITEM GOES DOWN, BUT NOT IN THE CASE OF THIS.
THIS REPRESENTATION WAS A REASON WHY WE DECIDED TO MOVE HERE.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE NOT TAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK AWAY AND VOTE NO.
HELLO? IS IT WORKING? OKAY? YEAH, I GUESS YOU HAVE TO SPEAK INTO IT.
I LIVE IN LENEXA. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. I DO NOT LIVE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH WETLANDS. IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH PARKS.
IT'S GOT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PROTECTIONISM AND FURTHERING A LIFESTYLE.
AND THAT LIFESTYLE DOESN'T INCLUDE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE OF A LOWER INCOME.
I'M NOT DENYING THAT THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT ARE.
YEAH, THAT'S HOW IT COMES ACROSS. SO IF POINT OF ORDER, I'D LIKE TO RECLAIM MY TIME IF I CAN.
FIVE OR 10S. IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH PARKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNETTE BECKER, FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS GILL AND THEN CHRISTINA WALLACE.
ANNETTE BECKER IS OUT. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO NICHOLAS GILL.
GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS NICHOLAS GILL.
I LIVE IN THE ARBORS LAKE SUBDIVISION HERE IN LENEXA.
THEIR APARTMENTS JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST OF ARBOR LAKE AND DUPLEXES JUST TO THE SOUTH.
MY ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE KEEPS CLIMBING, EVEN AS SHOWN BY MY INCREASING PROPERTY TAX BILL, EVEN WITH THE SMALLER FORM FACTOR DWELLINGS BEING NEARBY.
SECOND, THE SINGLE FAMILY OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING VIA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO PROVIDE HOUSING OPTIONS IN AN AREA WHERE PRICES ARE APPROXIMATELY, ACCORDING TO REALTOR.COM. THIS AFTERNOON, APPROXIMATELY $700,000 FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITHOUT USING MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
THIRDLY, I HAVE REVIEWED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BEING CONSIDERED AROUND THE AREA, INCLUDING THE STREETS AND AROUND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE PLANNING TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE ITS SUBDIVISION, SIMILAR TO SUBDIVISIONS TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. IN CLOSING, I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT FOR BRINGING THE BENEFITS OF OWNER OCCUPIED DENSITY AND ASSOCIATED IMPROVEMENTS TO WESTERN LENEXA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'LL START BY SAYING GOOD NIGHT. GOOD EVENING.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR THE RECORD, SAY THAT I'M AN ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AND OF THIS PROPOSAL, AND I DID NOT RECEIVE A CERTIFIED NOTICE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON FEBRUARY 2ND. BUT BEFORE MOVING TO THE TIMBERS, WE LIVED AT 87TH AND MOORER. AND IN THAT AREA, A DIFFERENT LAND USE CASE IS TALKED ABOUT REGULARLY.
THEY ASKED. THE OR. THE RESIDENTS SPOKE UP THOUGH, AND THEY ASKED THE CITY TO KEEP THE POOL.
THEY HAD A PETITION THAT WAS 1800. MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT THAT STORY IS THAT LENEXA LISTENED THE CITY, LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THAT POOL, AND THEY DID JUST THAT.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE ON PAPER. IF ANYTHING, I KNOW Y'ALL SPENT MILLIONS TO RENOVATE THAT POOL, BUT IT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT WANTED, AND IT'S WHAT THEY ASKED FOR.
[03:40:06]
AND THEY SHARED IT ON A PETITION WHERE WE HAVE 1900 SIGNATURES, WHICH BEATS THE POOL ONE AT THIS POINT.AND THERE'S 100% PROTEST PETITION FOR THE NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE AROUND THIS PROPOSAL.
BUT THE PEOPLE HERE ARE ASKING YOU TO REPEAT THAT HISTORY.
THEY WANT YOU TO LISTEN. THEY WANT YOU TO HEAR THEM.
THEY WANT YOU TO HEAR WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
LENEXA LISTENS. IT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT TO BELIEVE.
SO PLEASE KEEP THE PARK. PARK? THANK YOU. I HAVE 30S LEFT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT TOWARDS OUR ATTORNEY WHO'S MICHELLE BURNS, WHO'S 91. SHE'S NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
THAT WON'T BE POSSIBLE. SHE IS 91. 91? YEP. ANOTHER OUTBURST AND WE WILL ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
I'M TRAVIS HOLBERT, I'M ARBOR LAKE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE MY TWO MINUTES TO OUR ATTORNEY.
AND I'M 100% AGAINST THIS FOR ALL THE REASONS STATED.
DELANO POTTER, JACKIE STEINHOFF AND DAN WILKES.
ARE YOU NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT NOW? YOU DID IT BEFORE.
YEAH. IS THAT MANY PEOPLE? WE'RE GIVING EACH PERSON TWO MINUTES.
IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR TIME, YOU CAN LET IT GO.
TIME? NO, WE DID NOT IDENTIFY THESE OTHER PEOPLE.
FOR PRONOUNS. OTHER PEOPLE? YES. YOU CAN SPEAK.
YOUR ATTORNEY CAN GET TWO MINUTES. MY NAME IS DALANA POTTER.
I'M AN EDUCATIONAL AID FOR THE SHAWNEE MISSION SCHOOL DISTRICT AND A 33 YEAR RESIDENT OF LENEXA.
WE'RE IN OUR THIRD HOME IN LENEXA, HAVING BUILT IN THE TIMBERS TEN YEARS AGO.
THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WE BUILT THERE BECAUSE OF THAT PARK.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE WORKED OUR ENTIRE LIVES TO BUILD OUR FOREVER HOME.
WE CHOSE THIS AREA BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE CITY.
WE BACK UP TO THE GREEN SPACE AND WE LIVE THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE PARK.
I'M HERE TO BEG YOU TONIGHT TO PLEASE VOTE DOWN THIS PROPOSAL.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF WHO YOU'RE WANTING TO GIVE THIS LAND TO.
IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO HAVE THIS LAND.
I WANT IT TO REMAIN A PARK. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER SOLUTION.
THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER PLACE TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.
THE PROPERTY TAXES IN LENEXA ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST IN JOHNSON COUNTY.
THERE'S NO METRO BUS SERVICE. THERE'S NO RETAIL, NO PHARMACY, NO CHILD CARE, GROCERY STORES WITHIN MILES, AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A TWO CAR GARAGE, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE CARS TO PUT THEM IN AND MAYBE THEY WON'T HAVE TWO CARS, SO THEY NEED THE SERVICES CLOSE TO THEM TO MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL.
WE'RE PUTTING THIS PROJECT IN THE WRONG PLACE.
WE'RE SETTING THESE HOMEOWNERS UP FOR FAILURE.
YOU, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE VOTERS WHO PUT YOU IN THESE CHAIRS.
VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS ARE PART OWNERS OF OUR PARK, AND WE WANT IT LEFT JUST AS THAT.
I BEG YOU TO VOTE THIS DOWN. JACKIE STEINHOFF, FOLLOWED BY DAN WILKS, THEN GRACE MANEK.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JACKIE STEINHOFF AND I LIVE IN THE TIMBERS.
FROM 2012 TO 2024, THIS PARCEL WAS OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTED AS PARKLAND IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN.
BELIEVING THIS SPACE WAS PRESERVED FOR PUBLIC USE AND IT WASN'T JUST A LABEL, A TRAIL WAS INSTALLED, TREES WERE PLANTED, BENCHES WERE ADDED. THESE IMPROVEMENTS CLEARLY SIGNALED THIS AREA WAS INTENDED TO FUNCTION AS A PERMANENT COMMUNITY PARK.
[03:45:03]
I RUN THIS TRAIL OFTEN. I'VE SEEN COYOTES, FOXES, DEER AND CRAWDAD ALONG THE TRAIL.THERE'S EVEN A BEAVER IN THE CREEK BEHIND OUR HOME. THIS LAND, ALONG WITH THE MAN MADE WETLANDS, SERVES AS A RARE REFUGE FOR WILDLIFE. DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT SIMPLY REDUCE OPEN SPACE, IT WOULD DISPLACE HABITAT AND DISRUPT AN ECOSYSTEM THAT IS ALREADY FUNCTIONING.
THERE ARE ALSO SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
THE WETLANDS, CONSTRUCTED AROUND 2014 TO 2015 HELP MANAGE REGIONAL STORMWATER.
WE MUST ASK, HOW WILL ADDITIONAL IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AFFECT RUNOFF, DRAINAGE AND FLOOD RISK? CONSTRUCTION AND SOIL DISRUPTION COULD INCREASE EROSION AND COMPROMISE THE WETLANDS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY. ONCE ALTERED, THOSE IMPACTS ARE DIFFICULT TO REVERSE. FINALLY, THE TRAIL RELOCATION RAISES SAFETY CONCERNS.
THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL INDICATED THE TRAIL WOULD REMAIN UNTOUCHED.
HOWEVER, THE FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 PACKET SHOWS IT WOULD BE MOVED FURTHER SOUTH.
INCREASED TRAFFIC COMBINED WITH ADDITIONAL CROSSINGS ONLY HEIGHTENS THAT RISK.
THIS LAND HAS LONG BEEN PRESENTED AND IMPROVED AS PARK SPACE.
THE EXPECTATIONS CREATED AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS NOW IN PLACE SHOULD NOT BE SET ASIDE LIGHTLY.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL WILKS, FOLLOWED BY GRACE MANAK, THEN CHRISTY BOWMAN.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAN WILCOX, AND I KNOW YOU'RE SURPRISED THAT I'M OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT.
SO MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE REPEATEDLY SUBMITTED QUESTIONS AND EVIDENCE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HOME VALUES, ABOUT MISREPRESENTATION OF DWELLING CLASSIFICATIONS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH SCOTT STILL MANAGED TONIGHT TO NOT CORRECT.
AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE LAND IN QUESTION IS LEGALLY DESIGNATED PARKLAND.
TONIGHT, YOU MAY ASSUME THAT ONCE A VOTE OCCURS, THE OPPOSITION WILL SIMPLY GO AWAY.
WE WILL NOT. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS.
YOU CAN SIMPLY TAKE NO ACTION TONIGHT AND REMAND THE ZONING AND SALE CONTRACT BACK TO STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CORRECT A SIGNIFICANT LEGAL DEFECT. KANSAS LAW REQUIRES A SPECIFIC PUBLIC NOTICE BEFORE PARKLAND CAN BE SOLD.
THE LAND REMAINS LEGALLY PARKLAND. ISSUING A CORRECT PUBLIC NOTICE NOW WOULD ALLOW THE RESIDENTS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO FILE A PROTEST PETITION AND PUT THE QUESTION OF SELLING THE PARKLAND TO A CITYWIDE VOTE.
THAT IS DEMOCRACY AT WORK. THE APPROACH GIVES YOU A WIN, GIVES YOU A WIN WIN.
YOU AVOID TAKING A DIVISIVE VOTE TONIGHT, AND YOU ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO DECIDE THE FATE OF ITS OWN PARKLAND, SOMETHING THAT WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED ANYWAY WHEN THE NOTICE ISSUE IS WAS CHALLENGED.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GRACE MANAK, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTY HOFFMAN AND THEN MICHELLE BURNS.
AM I ALLOWED TO GO? SINCE I CAN'T GIVE MY TWO MINUTES TO THE.
YOU CAN EITHER LEAVE YOUR TIME ON THE TABLE OR YOU CAN SPEAK.
WE'RE NOT GIVING TIME TO OTHER PEOPLE. OKAY, I WON'T TAKE THE FULL TWO MINUTES. I JUST SINCE I CAN'T GIVE IT TO MY ATTORNEY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WENT OVER SOME OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE STATED HERE TONIGHT WHY WE ARE AGAINST THIS.
AND THE QUID PRO QUO EMAILS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE NOTICE AND PROCEDURAL DEFECTS WITH THIS PROCESS THAT, IN MY OPINION, ARE STATE AND LOCAL VIOLATIONS OF CITY CODE AND STATE LAW.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE CORE DEFICIENCIES AS WELL.
AND OBVIOUSLY TONIGHT HERE YOU'VE SEEN THE MASSIVE PUBLIC SENTIMENT AGAINST THIS WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE SMALLER OPINION OF OF THOSE THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS NOT BEING EVEN LENEXA RESIDENTS FOR THE MOST PART.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU, LIKE LIKE DAN SAID, TO, TO AT LEAST STAY THIS TO LOOK AT YOUR, AT THE LEGAL COMPLAINT THAT WE FILED, MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE. AND MAYBE TAKE THE TIME TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE RAISED THAT UP TILL NOW HAVE GONE UNADDRESSED.
SO THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME, SIR, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? HIS NAME? TRAVIS. TRAVIS. HOLBERT. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP, GRACE, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTY HOFFMAN AND THEN MICHELLE BURNS.
[03:50:05]
MY HUSBAND WORKS IN INSURANCE. WE HAVE FOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER.FOR CONTEXT, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LENEXA FROM A LOWER MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY.
NO SILVER SPOONS OF ANY SPORT OF ANY SORT. MY HUSBAND IS A FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANT FROM ROMANIA.
HE HAS ALSO WORKED FOR HIS BUTT OFF TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE HAVE STUDENT LOANS TO PUT OURSELVES THROUGH COLLEGE WHILE WORKING FULL TIME JOBS, MAKING ENDS MEET TO BUILD OUR LIVES AND BE ABLE TO ULTIMATELY LAND IN THE AREA WE HAVE TO CALL HOME SINCE 2022. BEFORE THAT, AS MANY AS MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS ACROSS LENEXA WE HAVE TO RENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SAVE UP TO BUY OUR FIRST STARTER HOME BEFORE DECIDING ON WHAT WE SEE AS OUR IDEAL LANDING SPOT, THE TIMBERS AS ANY PARENT DOES. WE TOOK MANY FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAKING THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OF OUR LIVES, WHICH INCLUDED SCHOOLS, SAFETY FACTORS SUCH AS TRAFFIC PATTERNS, PROXIMITY TO HOSPITALS AND POLICE, PROXIMITY TO NATURE, AND A QUIET QUALITY OF LIFE AWAY FROM OTHER DEVELOPING NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONSTRUCTION. WE RELIED ON THE CITY'S DOCUMENTS, NAMELY THE COMPREHENSIVE PARK PLAN FROM 2012 TO 24 THAT FOLLOWED THIS ENTIRE PARCEL.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO TONIGHT AND THE ABSOLUTE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THIS COUNCIL AND MAYOR HAVE PUT FORTH BEFORE US WITH THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF WHAT WAS WHAT HAS BEEN DEFINED AS PARKLAND, PARKLAND THAT WAS CONVENIENT TO GET BUY IN TO PASS THE 3/8 TAX, BUT NO LONGER PARKLAND WHEN THEY WANT TO SELL IT AT A DISCOUNT FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, WHO IS LOOKING TO GET RICH OFF THE LAND LEASE THEY ARE SEEKING TO BUY AS HOUSE MONEY, AKA COVID FUNDS, WHILE TRAPPING INEXPERIENCED BUYERS INTO WHAT SEEMS TO BE A SWEETHEART DEAL, BUT IN TURN IS LIMITING THEIR ABILITY TO BUILD TRUE EQUITY AND FREEDOM OF SALE ON A HOME THEY FULLY OWN.
LENEXA COUNCIL, WHO, INSTEAD OF HEARING THE CONCERNS OF ACTUAL LENEXA RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS, ARE LOOKING TO MASSAGE AND ADVOCATE FOR WHY THIS DECISION IS BEST AND PRETEND THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON AND IN THE WORKS.
THANKS. ONE CALL FOR CHRISTY BOWMAN. HAVE NOT SEEN HER IN HERE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT MICHELLE BURNS, FOLLOWED BY CECILIA TAPIA, THEN LAURA OWEN.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BEING HERE FOR SUCH A LONG NIGHT.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE BURNS. I LIVE IN OLATHE, KANSAS.
ACTUALLY, ABOUT A MILE FROM THE OLATHE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT, PROBABLY AS A CROW.
AND I WENT TO A MEETING AND I SPOKE WITH MISS HICKS AND EVEN GAVE HER MY CARD AND ASKED HER IF MAYBE I COULD, YOU KNOW, TALK AND GET INVOLVED BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND I KNOW MY CLIENTS THINK HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS A GOOD THING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NEEDED.
BUT THE THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS WHAT THE LAW IS.
NUMBER ONE, WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING ONE APPLICATION IN TWO MINUTES.
WE'RE DISCUSSING TWO, WITH TWO DIFFERENT APPLICANTS.
ONE OF THOSE APPLICANTS IS THE CITY. THAT'S YOU GUYS.
YOUR APPLICATION FOR REZONING AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF REZONING YOUR OWN PROPERTY TO THE BENEFIT OF YOUR CITIZENS SHOULD REALLY BE DONE WITH STRICT SCRUTINY. AND THEN THERE IS WHETHER AND ALSO THE GOLDEN CRITERIA COMPLETELY SKIPPED OVER, GLOSSED OVER.
HE ADMITTED IT DOESN'T. EVEN THE DENSITY DOESN'T COUNT.
DOESN'T GO WITH IT. YOUR I MEAN, IT'S JUST.
AG IS NOT A HOLDING ZONING AT ALL. THE TRAIL HAS BEEN THERE.
YOU'VE INVESTED MONEY, YOU'VE INVESTED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE'S MONEY AND THE TRAIL AND BENCHES AND TREES AND WHEN NOBODY'S TALKED ABOUT STORMWATER, YOU'VE WAIVED ALL OF THAT. YOUR CONCEPT PLANS FROM THE PAST REQUIRE BUFFERING AROUND THOSE THINGS AND ALSO IDENTIFY WETLANDS AND DETENTION BASINS EXACTLY WHERE THAT DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO GO.
WHERE IS THAT WATER GOING TO GO? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CECILIA TAPIA, FOLLOWED BY LAURA OWEN AND THEN SCOTT OLLENDICK. HI, CECILIA TAPIA. I PURCHASED MY HOME IN THE TIMBERS IN 2023.
I'M A SINGLE PARENT. I'VE BEEN SINGLE SINCE 2009.
I HAVE TWO GEN Z BOYS. I'M AN IMMIGRANT AND A CHEMICAL ENGINEER.
I DID THIS ALL BY MYSELF. I EVALUATED 40 HOMES BETWEEN SHAUN LENEXA AND OVERLAND PARK.
[03:55:03]
WHICH SHOWED THE ENTIRE PARCEL AS CITY PARK LAND.A 2024 TEXAS A&M STUDY SHOWS THAT GREEN SPACE REDUCES DEPRESSION BY 51%.
IT ALSO REDUCES THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT. THE PARK IS A TERRIBLE AREA FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
I OFTEN SEE WET AREAS WHEN WALKING MY DOG AND I HAVE TO WIPE OFF THE MUD.
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH WET BASEMENTS IF YOU ACTUALLY BUILD THERE.
I USED TO DO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. THE POND WILL EXPERIENCE CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THAT FERTILIZER RUNOFF WITH NITROGEN, NITRATES AND PHOSPHORUS.
CYANOBACTERIA CAN ARISE AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT NEUROLOGICAL HEALTH EFFECTS.
THE PUSH TO APPROVE THE PROJECT IS CONCERNING.
THERE ARE JUST SEVERAL ETHICAL VIOLATIONS. I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT HABITAT IN 2026 REMAINS AS THE LARGEST SINGLE HOME BUILDER IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES, $2.4 BILLION. THEIR EXECUTIVES MAKE UP TO $500,000.
THE 25% LIMIT ON THE HOMEOWNER WILL KEEP THEM SUPPRESSED.
THEY SHOULD OWN THE LAND WHEN YOU DO A REDEVELOPMENT WITH HABITAT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA OWEN, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT OLLENDICK, FOLLOWED BY ROBYN LYNN BORLAND.
I BELIEVE MISS OWEN IS HERE. ALL RIGHT. SKIPPING OVER, MISS OWEN.
MR. OLLENDICK. GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE FOR PARKS, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU.
JUST READ YOU WHAT? WHAT THE CITY HAS REPRESENTED.
THIS AS. THE 60 ACRE NATURAL AREA IN WESTERN LENEXA IS CURRENTLY KNOWN AS THE CLEAR CREEK WETLANDS.
IN THE FUTURE, IT WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO CENTENNIAL PARK, A PLANNED PUBLIC SPACE THAT WILL OFFER NEW AMENITIES WHILE PRESERVING THE SITE'S UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES. TWO WEEKS AGO, I LEARNED THAT THAT'S NOT 60 ACRES, IT'S BIGGER THAN 60 ACRES.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A WHAT AN ACRE IS. I KNOW, OWN A LITTLE PIECE OF IT.
YOUR YOUR WEBSITE SHOWS IT AS SO MUCH MORE. LOCATED BETWEEN CLARE ROAD AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE RESERVE AND CLEAR CREEK ESTATES, THE SPACE IS ALREADY A PEACEFUL RETREAT FOR WALKERS, RUNNERS AND NATURE LOVERS.
VISITORS CAN ENJOY VIEWS OF PONDS, OPEN GRASSLANDS, AND NATIVE WETLAND HABITATS.
ORIGINALLY ACQUIRED IN PART OF LENEXA WATERSHED MANAGEMENT EFFORTS, THE SITE WAS DEVELOPED IN 2015 TO PROVIDE REGIONAL STORMWATER DETENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. FUTURE PARK PLANNING WILL BUILD ON THIS FOUNDATION TO CREATE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY DESTINATION, WHILE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT NATIVE WILDLIFE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE HEAR THIS, NOT THIS, THIS ORIGINAL HOMES, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT PLOTS THERE THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE DEVELOPED. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEEN REPRESENTED. NOW, I AM NOT OPPOSED TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. I'VE HELPED BUILD HOMES IN WHEN I LIVED IN WISCONSIN AND WHEN I LIVED IN IOWA.
THERE IS GROUND, I BELIEVE IT'S WEST 60TH PARKLAND.
IT'S A MILE FROM HERE, JUST AS CLOSE TO THE HOSPITAL.
THIS, AGAIN, IS NOTHING TO DO WITH WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
AND IT IS ALL ABOUT GIVE US SOME GREEN SPACE.
THAT'S SO MUCH LITTLE LEFT. THANK YOU. ROBIN LYNN BALLEN, FOLLOWED BY TIERNEY PARKER PARKER, FOLLOWED BY MIA TORRES. HI, MY NAME IS ROBIN AND GOOD EVENING.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LENEXA FOR 43 PLUS YEARS.
MAYBE ON ONE LEVEL, BECAUSE WHEN WE WHEN I SELL MY HOME, I DON'T THINK I COULD AFFORD ANOTHER ONE UNLESS I AM ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. THERE ARE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE COMING OUT OF COLLEGE AND TRADE SCHOOLS THAT WOULD LOVE TO QUALIFY TO BUY A HOME.
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS THE FIREMEN, THE TEACHERS, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE OFFICES AND WORK IN THE CITY OF LENEXA. THESE PEOPLE NEED TO NOT JUST TRAVEL FOR MILES AND MILES AWAY, BUT BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.
[04:00:05]
HABITAT. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.I VERY MUCH APPROVE OF THAT. AND IF IT IF IT ISN'T TOO MUCH TO SAY, I HOPE THAT NOT.
TIERNEY PARKER FOLLOWED BY MIA TORRES, THEN GENTRY GRACIE.
HI. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I WANT TO SHARE A QUICK STORY ABOUT MYSELF.
I GREW UP IN LENEXA SINCE 1979. AT 22, I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOUSE WITH NO FAMILY ASSISTANCE.
I SAVED THE REQUIRED 3% DOWN, BOUGHT AN $80,000 HOUSE, WHICH IS ABOUT HUNDRED AND $50,000 TODAY.
THERE AREN'T EVEN CONDOS FOR $150,000 TODAY AVAILABLE TO BUY.
BELIEVE ME, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A YEAR AND A HALF FOR THINGS. TEN YEARS LATER, I SOLD THAT HOUSE, BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE WITH A $200,000 PRICE TAG.
WITHOUT THAT FIRST AFFORDABLE HOME, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. IF WE HAD TO BUY THE HOME WE WERE IN TODAY AS A CURRENT BUYER, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO IF WE WERE NEW HOME BUYERS, BECAUSE THIS PRICE TAG IS 475,000.
A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THE WHOLE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THING. FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS TEND TO MOVE WITHIN FIVE YEARS, 25% EQUITY TAKES 5 TO 10 YEARS TO GET. SO THE 25% EQUITY A FAMILY CAN EARN TOWARDS THE NEXT HOME THAT THEY WOULD BUY.
LIKELY, THEY WOULDN'T LIVE IN THIS HOME LONG ENOUGH TO EVEN GET THAT FULL 25% BEFORE THEY MOVED ON TO THEIR NEXT STEP UP, RIGHT? LIKE LIKE I DID. ALSO, A LOT OF THIS MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2020 FOR COVID MONEY.
PRETTY SURE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TOWARDS THE LA QUINTA THING TO MAKE A HOMELESS SHELTER.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS LENEXA THAT STOPPED THAT ONE TOO.
THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MIA TORRES, FOLLOWED BY GENTRY GREASY, THEN EVIE CRAIG.
MY NAME IS MIA TORRES. WE LIVE BIRTHS. WE WEST LENEXA RESIDENTS.
WE WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS PROPOSAL.
ARE OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSED TO THIS. WE ARE THE HOMEOWNERS WHO LIVE NEXT TO THE PROPOSED SITE AND WHO WILL BE EXPERIENCING THE DAILY CONSEQUENCES INCREASED TRAFFIC, LOSS OF PARK LAND, POTENTIAL FLOATING RISK AND WILL BE IMPACTED THE PROPERTY VALUES AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
WHILE ALL OPINIONS ARE WELCOME, IT IS RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE WHO WILL BE BEAR THE LONG TERM IMPACT.
AND THOSE VOICES DESERVE PRIORITY. WEST LENEXA RESIDENTS EXPECT RESPECT FROM OUR LEADERS. DECISIONS INVOLVING A WETLAND, A NATURAL PARK, INCREASED TRAFFIC AND ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE PEOPLE WHO INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND CALL IT HOME.
RESIDENTS CHOOSE WEST LENEXA BASED ON THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, QUALITY OF LIFE, LIFE AND PARKS. MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROPOSAL WITHOUT ADDRESSING CLEAR NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION UNDERMINES THAT TRUST. THE REQUEST IS REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE.
DENY THIS OR PASS THIS DECISION. GIVE WAY TO THE VOICES OF LENEXA RESIDENTS WHO WILL LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DECISION. REMEMBER, WHEN A LAND IS LOST IS LOST FOREVER.
ESPECIALLY THIS ONE THAT IS A PARKLAND FOR ALL LENEXA RESIDENTS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GENTRY GREASY AND ONE CALL FOR EVIE CRAIG IF SHE'S HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS GENTRY AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF HABITAT PROJECT.
MY HUSBAND IS NOW A MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST WITH A PRIVATE PRACTICE IN JOHNSON COUNTY, AND I'M A GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT KU MEDICAL CENTER WORKING ON MY PHD IN NEUROSCIENCE. AND LIKE MANY YOUNG COUPLES IN OUR LATE 20S, WE'RE FACING THE DECISION.
DO WE SPEND OUR SAVINGS PAYING OFF STUDENT LOANS, BUYING A HOME, OR PREPARING FINANCIALLY TO START A FAMILY? WE'VE WORKED HARD TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR FINANCES AND EXPECT TO FINISH PAYING OFF OUR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT LOANS WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.
[04:05:03]
HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE ARE EARLY ON IN OUR CAREERS, WE DON'T.I RESPECT THE SACRIFICES AND HARD WORK GIVEN BY CURRENT RESIDENTS TO LIVE HERE, AND I SHARE OUR STORY, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETIMES THE PERCEPTION THAT BEING ABLE, BEING UNABLE TO BUY A HOME HERE IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY OR A LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY. BUT IN REALITY, MANY HARD WORKING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, PROFESSIONALS WHO WANT TO LIVE, WORK AND INVEST IN THIS COMMUNITY SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE RANGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.
SO APPROVING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT IS ONE MEANINGFUL STEP FORWARD TOWARDS EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND HELPING ENSURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN CONTINUE TO CALL JOHNSON COUNTY THEIR HOME.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THE FINAL SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS EVIE CRAIG.
SORRY. I THINK THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, I WAS THE FIRST AND NOW I'M THE LAST.
AND I DON'T LIKE EITHER OF THOSE, SO I NEED TO ARRIVE AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
MY NAME IS EVIE CRAIG, AND MY HUSBAND TOM AND I HAVE LIVED IN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHAT WAS THE WESTERNMOST PART OF LENEXA WHEN WE MOVED HERE IN 1999? IN WHISPERING HILLS, AT THE PART OF 87TH STREET THAT BECOMES 83RD, WHICH WE USED TO HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T GO THAT FAR WEST UNLESS THEY WERE GOING TO DESOTO. SOTO. AND IN THOSE TIMES THERE'S BEEN MANY CHANGES, AND THOSE CHANGES ARE A MIXED BAG.
AS A RESIDENT OF WARD ONE AND WEST LENEXA, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS WE'VE HAD CONGESTION. 87TH STREET USED TO BE ABLE TO CROSS.
NOW IT'S VERY DANGEROUS RIGHT THERE. AS THE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS WHEN WE TURN.
EITHER WAY, THAT JUST HAPPENS. OUR PARK, BLACK HAWK PARK, WHICH IS GORGEOUS, WHERE WE ENTER IT FROM OUR HOUSING DIVISION IS NOW A WHATEVER THE CART IS CALLED, I CAN'T. SORRY. YOU KNOW, THE THE THINGY, THE FRISBEE.
SORRY. SO WE CAN'T TAKE THAT WALK ANY LONGER, AND THERE'S CONGESTION AROUND IT.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK TO DRIVE. ARE THESE HASSLES? YES. DO THEY PISS US OFF? YES. BUT THEY AREN'T BETRAYALS.
AND THEY AREN'T HARDSHIPS. THEY'RE PART OF THE PAYOFF THAT COMES WITH SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT WE'VE HAD, MOST OF WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVE. SO I DO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS NOT BECAUSE OF HOW I FEEL ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, ALTHOUGH I THINK THE MISSION IS GREAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING A STEP IN A DIRECTION, BUT I SPEAK ABOUT IT FOR FOR IT'S SELFISHLY THOSE IN GERMANY, THOSE HASSLES. AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THE DISC GOLF LANGUAGE, BUT NONETHELESS THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY OTHER BENEFITS I CAN NOW, WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, GET TO GREAT RESTAURANTS, A GREAT VARIETY I CAN GET TO TO STORES.
AND THAT WAS NOT TRUE OF LIFE IN THIS PART OF JOHNSON COUNTY IN 1999, I CAN ASSURE YOU.
THANK YOU. THAT DOES INCLUDE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS EVENING.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO CITY COUNCIL'S QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
JOHN MICHAEL. ABSOLUTELY. I'LL GLADLY START WITH QUESTIONS.
COULD I SPEAK TO THE APPLICANT REALLY QUICK? I LOST WHERE YOU WERE.
THERE YOU ARE. EITHER ONE. AWESOME. THANK YOU.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME HOW PROPERTY TAXES WORK IN THIS SITUATION, WHERE THE HOMEOWNER OWNS THE HOME AND THE CLT OWNS THE LAND? YEAH. SO HOW IT WORKS IS THAT THE HOMEOWNER, SINCE WE ARE THE LANDOWNER, THE HOMEOWNER ESSENTIALLY WILL PAY THE PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE HOME AND THE STRUCTURE. AND THEN WE OWN THE LAND.
AND SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT FOR THE LAND. SO WHEN JOHNSON COUNTY COMES THROUGH AND APPRAISES PROPERTIES, IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT. THEY'LL BE ASSIGNING BASICALLY AN APPRAISED VALUE TO THE LAND ITSELF AND TO THE STRUCTURE THE IMPROVEMENT.
IS THAT ACCURATE? THE APPRAISER UNDERSTANDS THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE LAND. OKAY, FANTASTIC. I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M CONFUSED ABOUT, I HEARD SOME MENTIONS OF ABATEMENTS OR INCENTIVES.
CAN YOU SHARE WHAT INCENTIVES YOU'RE APPLYING FOR RIGHT NOW? WE HAVEN'T APPLIED FOR ANY ABATEMENTS OR INCENTIVES AT THIS TIME.
OKAY. REALLY TACKING ON TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[04:10:06]
I HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS SAYING THAT HOMEOWNERS ONLY GET TO KEEP 25% OF THE EQUITY IN THEIR HOME.IS THAT ACCURATE? I THINK WHAT I WAS GETTING FROM THE PRESENTATION AND FROM THE PACKET WAS THAT THE PRINCIPLE THAT THESE HOMEOWNERS ARE PAYING TOWARDS THEIR HOME, THEY KEEP 100% OF. CORRECT. OKAY. AND SO THAT 25% PORTION IS NOT THE PRINCIPLE, IT'S THE MARKET APPRECIATION.
CORRECT? SO IT'S NOT 25% OF THE EQUITY. IT'S 100% PRINCIPAL PLUS 25% APPRECIATION VALUE. CORRECT. OKAY. SO PUTTING IT INTO CONTEXT FOR MYSELF, IF I HAD THE OPTION OF PAYING, CALL IT ROUGHLY $1,000 A MONTH FOR A MORTGAGE ON ONE OF THESE HOMES, OR $1,000 A MONTH ON RENT AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, WHICH IS HOW LONG I RENTED HERE IN LENEXA, I COULD EITHER HAVE HAD THREE YEARS OF LIVING IN AN APARTMENT AND $36,000 GONE TO THAT PROPERTY OWNER, OR I COULD HAVE HAD $36,000 OF EQUITY PLUS MARKET APPRECIATION IN THAT HOME.
YES, PLUS THE 25% OF MARKET APPRECIATION. FASCINATING.
OKAY. CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME MENTIONS WERE BROUGHT UP ABOUT HOME VALUES.
AND I DON'T HONESTLY RECALL SEEING THEM IN THE PRESENTATION.
CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE PROJECTED LIKE HOME SALE VALUES WOULD BE AND HOW HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GOT TO THOSE VALUES? SURE. SO RIGHT NOW WITH OUR HOMES IN OLATHE, WE ARE JUST STARTING TO SELL THOSE HOMES AND WE'RE SEEING THEM APPRAISING AND HAVING PRE APPRAISALS AROUND 230 TO $265,000. WE ANTICIPATE THESE BEING POTENTIALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE TWO CAR GARAGE AND THE ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE BUT RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 245.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE AN APPRAISAL ON THEM, BUT ABOUT TWO 4245 TO ABOUT 280.
OKAY. AND WHO PERFORMS THOSE APPRAISALS? WE HAVE AN APPRAISER JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WHO DOES THAT.
SO, LIKE A CERTIFIED APPRAISER. CORRECT. I HEARD REFERENCE TO SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING A TURN INTO CLAIRE.
CAN YOU REFRESH ME ON WHOSE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO CONSTRUCT THAT TURN IN? SO THE DEVELOPER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSTRUCTING THAT TURN IN? OKAY.
FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE TRAIL. WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY? DEVELOPER OR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WOULD BE BORNE OF THE DEVELOPER.
OKAY, SO RELOCATING THE TRAIL WOULD BE ON THE DEVELOPER, CORRECT? THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL OF MY APPLICANT QUESTIONS.
GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR STAFF QUESTIONS. AWESOME.
CAN STAFF SPEAK TO WHAT THE 2015 PROCESS FOR DISPOSITION LOOKED LIKE? WHAT WERE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE FOLLOWED? WHAT NOTICES DID GO OUT, OR DO WE HAVE THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW I DIDN'T I DIDN'T EMAIL MY QUESTIONS.
EXCUSE ME. IN 2015, WE TOOK A RESOLUTION TO THE GOVERNING BODY TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED SALE OF APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF THE 126 130 ACRES AT THIS SITE. IT WAS IDENTIFIED THEN IN THE NOTICE THAT WE'D BE SELLING UP TO TWO THIRDS OF THAT PROCESS BY STATE STATUTE. WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH NOTICE IN OUR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION AT THAT TIME TO PUBLISH THAT RESOLUTION TO SELL UP TO TWO THIRDS OF THE CLEAR CREEK PROPERTY, I'LL CALL IT. AND THAT WAS PUBLISHED THE REQUISITE AMOUNT OF TIME.
THE PUBLICATION ALSO COMES WITH A 30 DAY PROTEST PERIOD AFTER THE LAST PUBLICATION IN THE RECORD.
AND WE RECEIVED NONE AT THAT TIME. SO THAT WAS THE PROCESS.
IT WAS DONE IN A PUBLIC MEETING IN 2015. OKAY.
THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST CHECKING MY UNDERSTANDING HERE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS THE RFP IN 2018. WHAT LEGAL OBLIGATIONS DOES THE CITY HAVE?
[04:15:07]
LIKE WHAT ARE WE HELD TO ON AN EXPIRED RFP? IT IS EXPIRED AND WE WOULD CONSIDER EXPIRED.WE HAVE NO OBLIGATIONS TO HONOR THAT. IN FACT, INCLUDING THE RFP WAS THE EXPLICIT LANGUAGE THAT IT WAS SUBJECT TO COMPLETE NEGOTIATION, EVEN IF THE RFP WAS STILL IN EFFECT. SO WITHIN THE RFP, LET'S SAY A DEVELOPER ACTUALLY APPLIED TO THAT RFP, WHICH NONE OF THEM DID, WE WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH A DEVELOPER IF THEY WANTED ONE POD, TWO PODS, OR SOME OTHER PURCHASE PRICE, LIKE WE AS COUNCIL WOULD HAVE HAD.
THAT AUTHORITY UNDER THAT RFP. IS THAT AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY? ABSOLUTELY. ANY ANY SALE STILL WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
ANY DEVELOPMENT, AS YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
SO EVERYTHING IN THAT RFP, WHILE IT WAS OUR PREFERRED METHOD, WAS SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATION.
HAD A DEVELOPER WANTED OR DESIRED TO DO SO? THANK YOU.
SO THE 2018 RFP BEING EXPIRED? CLEARLY. I GUESS WHAT I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT IS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WERE MAKING HOUSING DECISIONS BEYOND 2015.
WHERE IS THERE ANY KIND OF LISTING OR INFORMATION, PHYSICALLY OR ONLINE, FOR THE LAND BEING FOR SALE? IT'S NOT CURRENTLY LISTED. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO IT'S NOT LISTED ANYWHERE.
IT, IT SINCE 2018 WHEN WE DID THE RFP PROCESS, WHICH WAS PUBLIC PUBLISHED, DISCUSSED IN AN OPEN MEETING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, IT'S NOT BEEN LISTED IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE SINCE 2018.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S NOT ATYPICAL FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A FEW MORE THAT ARE VERY SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE GOLDEN CRITERIA.
SCOTT, ARE WE COOL WITH GOING THROUGH THOSE? DO I KNOW CORRECTLY FROM THE REPORT THAT THE LOT WIDTH DEVIATION DOES NOT COME WITH A SIDE SETBACK DEVIATION? THAT IS CORRECT. THE SIDE YARDS WOULD BE MAINTAINED AT THE SEVEN FOOT STANDARD.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE STANDARD DISTANCE BETWEEN HOUSES, JUST NARROWER HOMES, NARROWER LOTS, LOTS, POTENTIALLY NARROWER HOMES.
BUT THE SIDE YARD SPACE WOULD BE THE SAME AS A STANDARD.
THANK YOU. AND THEN DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT THERE WERE THAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO PLAT THEIR HOME ALONG THE SOUTH BOUNDARY OF CLEAR CREEK ESTATES, THAT SOME OF THE OTHER PODS. CLASSIFICATIONS MIGHT HAVE TO SHIFT.
CLEAR CREEK ESTATES DOESN'T HAVE A CLASSIFICATION.
OKAY. BUT SO IF LIKE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH OF THIS SUBDIVISION WENT THROUGH AND PLATTED THEIR PROPERTY FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY WOULD THEN HAVE A CLASSIFICATION WITH THAT PLAT. YES. POTENTIALLY DEPENDING ON IF IT'S A IF IT'S A ONE LOT PLAT OR SOMETHING.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES HAVE SOME WAIVER CAPABILITY.
BUT SO IT DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT, BUT YES, THERE WOULD BE A CLASSIFICATION PER THE CODE.
SPEAKING OF THE 2022 REZONING APPLICATION AND PLANNING PLAT FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTION. I SEEM TO RECALL THAT SINCE I WAS ON PLANNING COMMISSION.
DID YOU SAY THAT ONLY ONE PERSON SPOKE AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING? CORRECT. YEAH, I REVIEWED THAT IN LIGHT OF THIS APPLICATION, BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY IS THE SAME TYPE OF REZONING AND PLATTING OF CITY PROPERTY IN THE PERCEIVED PARK PARKLAND PROPERTY.
AND THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO YOU RECALL OR DID WE HAVE NOTES? I'M SURE WE HAVE NOTES.
DO WE? DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE COMMENTS WERE? IT WAS, AS I RECALL, IT WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE PLAT AROUND THE PRIVATE PROPERTY PORTION OF THAT PLAT, AND WE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION IN THE MEETING.
SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MY LAST ONE.
[04:20:08]
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE. FENCE ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY ONLY.CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME WHY WE ONLY HAVE A FENCE THERE? THAT IS THE CODE REQUIREMENT TO DO A PERIMETER LANDSCAPE BUFFER WITH FENCE.
OKAY. OH, AND DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH CLAIRE BEING A COLLECTOR? IT'S JUST A PERIMETER FENCE. STANDARD FOR ANY SUBDIVISION ALONG ANY ROAD.
OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
YEAH. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT, BUT I'LL CHIME IN LATER.
THANK YOU GUYS. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR STAFF? MARK LINDSAY, I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE PROPOSED HOMES.
AND YOU SHOWED I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN CALL IT UP ON THE ON YOUR SUBMITTAL.
IS THERE GOING TO BE JUST A SINGLE STORY HOME.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE A TWO STORY FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY. SO OKAY. SO THEN YOU'RE IN SOMEWHERE IN THE, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE 1300 SQUARE FOOT FIRST FLOOR PLATE AND THEN UP TO LIKE 2000 IS THE 2000 THE AGGREGATE OF THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE BASEMENT PARTIAL FOR THE ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS IN THE BASEMENT, LIKE A REVERSE ONE AND A HALF.
IS THAT THE EQUATION FROM THE 1300 TO THE 2000, OR IS THAT GOING TO BE A 2000 SQUARE FOOT FLOOR PLATE? SO IT WOULD BE THE AGGREGATE TOTAL OF THAT. OKAY.
AND SO WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SO THE WHERE'S THAT CHART? SO IN REGARDS TO A ONE STORY HOME, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A WHAT WAS THE D.
1600 SQUARE FEET. OKAY, OKAY. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
JUST A SECOND AGO, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH OF IS A PRIVATE PURVIEW.
I CAN'T REMEMBER JUST THE SOUTH OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR THE SOUTH OF THE PARK.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLASSIFICATION. TO THE NORTH OF O NORTH, I THOUGHT SO WHAT'S THE CLASSIC CLASSIFICATION? SOUTH OF THE 91ST IT'S C, BUT THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FURTHER.
IT WAS. IT WAS. I THINK IT WAS E. NEVER MIND.
I DO REMEMBER THAT. NEVER MIND. NEVER MIND CONTROL OR ARE YOU KNOW AM I? LET'S SEE. THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT NAMES I GET CONFUSED ON WHERE CREEKSIDE WOODS, PRAIRIE VIEW, THOSE ARE ALL.
YES, SIR. SO THIS LOCATION, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CREEKSIDE WOODS, PRAIRIE VIEW AT CREEKSIDE WOODS, THOSE ARE CLASSIFICATION E, SO THAT'S A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THAN DC OR B.
OKAY. AT THE GROUND FLOOR OKAY. SO THEN EARLIER THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS I THINK YOU SPOKE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THE INITIAL TIMBERS WAS WAS WAS TYPE B. CLASSIFICATION TYPE B FOR THAT. AND THEN THIS NEWER PHASE I THINK WAS IT TAKEN OVER BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS TAKEN OVER BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT THEN THAT WAS NOW CLASSIFIED AS, AS TYPE C.
WHAT WOULD A DEVELOPER TYPICALLY ASK FOR? THE MAXIMUM.
I WANT TO BUILD TYPE A AND THEN BE LIMITED. AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN NEVER GO DOWN.
AND SO HE'S GOING TO HAVE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD 24,000 OR 2400 SQUARE FOOT FIRST FLOOR.
[04:25:02]
IF A SUBDIVISION IS CLASS C, LET'S SAY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK AGAINST CREEKSIDE PARK WITH A NEW APPLICATION, AND THAT IS CLASS C, THEN A DEVELOPER CAN EITHER MATCH THAT CLASSIFICATION, DO LARGER THAN THAT. SO B OR B OR A OR ONE STEP DOWN. BUT THEY CANNOT GO ANY LOWER THAN ONE LETTER DOWN BELOW WHAT THAT REPRESENTS FROM THE GROUND FLOOR AREA. AND SO IF THERE IS A DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE CODE THAT GRANTS THE PLANNING COMMISSION SOME AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER THAT.BUT ESSENTIALLY OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO KEEP IT AT ONE STEP LOWER OR EQUAL OR GREATER.
OKAY. SO YOU KNOW, AS AN ARCHITECT, AND I'M LAYING OUT A SITE PLAN TO MAXIMIZE, MAXIMIZE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN I'LL ASK BECKY FOR THIS. IN OUR RFP IN 2018, WE WE WANTED OUR PREFERRED CONCEPT WAS TAKING THIS TO MORE HIGHER DENSITY, TO TRY AND MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF HOMES WE CAN PUT ON EIGHT ACRES.
AND WE'RE WANTING IT TO GET TO LIKE A FOUR PROPERTIES PER ACRE.
AND SO WE'RE HAVING THAT AS A PREFERRED CONCEPT IN 2018.
BUT NOW IN 2025, THAT'S NOT A PREFERRED CONCEPT.
WE WANT TO HAVE LESSER DENSITY. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS SHOWN THIS MAP IN, I THINK IT WAS SOMETIME ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I THINK MAYBE OUT OF A RETREAT THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN SELLING THIS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT I KNEW ABOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING. SO MY QUESTION IS, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE WAY WE'RE WE'RE PREFERRED HERE, AND THEN ANOTHER DENSITY, ANOTHER TIME A DEVELOPER COMES ON, WE WANT LESSER DENSITY.
AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ATTAINABLE HOMES, I THINK THE GOAL OF THAT, IN MY OPINION AND IN MY JUDGMENT, WAS TO TRY AND MAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE HIGHER DENSITY.
SO THEN A DEVELOPER THEN CAN SHOVE MORE HOMES INTO AN ACRE AND, AND BUILD MORE HOMES.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE BUILDING THESE MANSIONS ON THESE SINGLE FAMILY LOTS THAT HAVE 13, 14,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS. AND SO I'M REALLY TORN IN THE FACT THAT NOW WE'RE KIND OF AT THAT VISION THAT WE HAD BACK THEN IS NOW GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IN THIS SUBMITTAL. CAN YOU HELP EXPLAIN OR HELP CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE? WELL, I THINK THE MAIN THING I WOULD SAY IS 2018 WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO.
AT THE TIME THAT WE DID THIS RFP, THE MARKET WASN'T REALLY BUILDING THE SMALLER LOT, SINGLE STORY, REVERSE STORY AND A HALF THAT WAS SORT OF A NEWER, A NEWER THING, THE SMALLER LOT KIND OF COTTAGES OR I CAN'T VILLAS.
OBVIOUSLY THE MARKET'S CHANGED A LOT SINCE THEN, AND YOU DO SEE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WHAT WAS SORT OF MAYBE NOT LAID OUT THE SAME AS WHAT WAS CONTEMPLATED IN THE 2018 RFP, BUT CERTAINLY AT THE DENSITY, YOU SEE MORE OF THAT.
IT IS. I DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH THERE'S A MATERIAL DIFFERENCE PERSONALLY IN WHAT IS SHOWN HERE AND WHAT IS WHAT HABITAT IS PROPOSING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S THE PREFERRED CONCEPT VERSUS WHAT WAS PREFERRED IN 2018.
THAT IS THE QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL TODAY. SO WE'RE THIS IS BEING PRESENTED TO YOU AS A PROPOSAL, AND YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AS TO WHETHER THIS IS WHAT YOU PREFER OR NOT.
HABITAT WANTED TO DO A 50 LOT PROJECT HERE BECAUSE THAT MET THEIR GOALS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE RIGHT SIZE OF A PROJECT FOR THEM.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERN WITH THAT FROM, FROM A DENSITY PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO I THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD AS I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK.
COUNCIL MEMBER. WELL, AT THAT TIME, WHEN DID THE COTTAGES NORTH OF CITY CENTER GET BUILT? I WAS JUST CURIOUS, BECAUSE I WAS KIND OF ENVISIONING THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS KIND OF PUSHING FOR THAT.
AND I CAN REMEMBER BECAUSE I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THE COTTAGES NORTH OF AND I THINK THOSE WERE WONDERFUL, ACTUALLY WONDERFUL HOMES. DOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT CONCEPT IN REGARDS TO ENTERING FROM THE BACKS OF THE HOUSES OR THERE'S REALLY ALMOST NO PROPERTY LINES.
[04:30:07]
I MEAN, NO SETBACKS. I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE.AND SO MY, MY, MY THOUGHTS IS THAT THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WAS, WAS, WAS FOR THAT.
AND SO IS THERE A TIME FRAME ON I THINK THE COTTAGES HAVE BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN THIS.
I THINK THEY WERE BUILT BEFORE 2018. I WANT TO, I WANT TO I'M JUST SPITBALLING HERE.
I WANT TO SAY THEY'RE 15 ISH YEARS OLD. THE COTTAGES ARE BUT YEAH, I THINK WHAT YOU SEE AT THE COTTAGES AND CITY CENTER NORTH IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT WE WERE YOU KNOW, KIND OF ENVISIONING WHEN WE LAID OUT THIS RFP FOR 2018.
BUT REALLY, AT THAT TIME, THE COTTAGES WAS A REALLY UNIQUE PROJECT.
IT WASN'T WASN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU SAW, YOU KNOW, BEING BUILT IN VERY MANY PLACES, BOTH AS TO THE DENSITY AND TO THE WAY THEY SORT OF HAVE A FEW OF THE LITTLE KIND OF BACK ALLEYS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
YEAH. OKAY. WELL, THIS WAS KIND OF BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I'M JUST A LITTLE PERPLEXED ON, YOU KNOW, GOING GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, I GUESS, ON THIS, WHICH I REALLY AND I REALLY LOVED THAT THE COTTAGE LOOK, I DROVE DROVE THROUGH IT ENOUGH TO A LOT OF FRIENDS HOUSES OVER THERE AND BUT ANYWAY AND THOSE VALUATIONS OF THOSE HOMES ARE A LOT MORE INTENSIVE AND EXPENSIVE TO WHERE IT WOULD MAKE A DEVELOPER MORE INCLINED TO WANT TO TAKE OVER THESE PROPERTIES AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET REALLY WASN'T FOR SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT REALLY WASN'T HAPPENING BACK IN LIKE 2018 OR THAT'S REALLY SLOWLY COMING BACK NOW EVEN. AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING IF WE NEED TO GO BACK AND PAUSE THIS AND GET BACK TO LOOKING AT A, ANOTHER RFP TO GET MORE COMPETITIVE BIDS TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS THAT THE IN ORDER TO HAVE JUST THE SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS, THE FIRE CODE WOULD NOW REQUIRE THAT BE 50 UNITS OR LESS.
BACK THEN OR NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T RECALL BUT I, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT YOU'RE THE QUESTION YOU'RE BEING ASKED IS ON THE REZONING OF THIS PIECE OF GROUND AND ON THE SALE OF THIS PIECE OF GROUND, IF THAT REZONING PASSES, AND IF IF THOSE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN, THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. OKAY.
THANK YOU. AVERY. THANK YOU. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
I WOULD SAY. OH, GOODNESS. FIRSTLY I APPRECIATED COUNCIL MEMBER HANLEY'S LINE OF QUESTIONING, PARTICULARLY FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND THE NUANCES BETWEEN PROPERTY TAX ON THE HOME AND THE LAND.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT CREATES THE PURCHASE PRICE TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THAT FAMILY INTO PERPETUITY.
SO WHEN YOU SAY IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE SO IT STAYS WITH THE HOUSE.
BUT I GUESS HOW DOES IT HOW DOES IT BECOME MORE AFFORDABLE? ARE YOU DEPRECIATING THE THE VALUE FROM MARKET? ARE WE SORRY? ARE WE DEPRECIATING THE VALUE? ARE YOU REDUCING THE VALUE FROM WHAT YOU'D SAY THE MARKET IS? AGAIN, IF, SAY, YOU HAD A $200,000 HOUSE AND IT'S GONE UP 100,000.
THE OWNER WOULD, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY CARRY 25,000 THAT THEY WOULD GET OUT OF THAT TRANSACTION.
RIGHT. WHERE DOES THAT 75,000 GO? SO WITHIN THE RESALE FORMULA, ESSENTIALLY, WHEN THE HOMEOWNERS SIGN THEIR GROUND LEASE WAS WITH US, THEY AGREED THAT THEY THEY AGREED TO THE RESALE FORMULA, WHICH IS ALL THEIR PRINCIPAL PLUS A 25% APPRECIATION.
SO THEN THAT APPRECIATION, THIS ADDITIONAL 75%, THEN IT JUST STAYS WITH THE HOUSE.
AND SO THEN BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO SELL IT AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE TO THE NEXT FAMILY, BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS WE JUST BACK OUT THAT 25%.
THE 25% GOES AWAY, GOES TO THE HOMEOWNER HOMEBUYER.
OKAY. SO IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE MARKET FOR THE NEXT BUYER.
[04:35:01]
TAXES AND OR THEIR MORTGAGE RATE OR THE MORTGAGE? SINCE WE SERVICE THE LOAN IN HOUSE, WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LENDER FOR THE LIFE OF THE LOAN. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN. ONE WE HAVE HUD CERTIFIED COUNSELORS ON OUR TEAM. SO IF ANY OF OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE BEHIND ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT, THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS WE CONTACT THEM AND BRING THEM IN HOUSE, WORK WITH A COUNSELOR IF NEEDED TO GET THEM BACK ON TRACK.AS FAR AS THE TAXES GO, WE ESCROW ALL OF THAT.
SO TAXES AND INSURANCE, WE ESCROW. AND THEN WE MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS, AND SO THOSE WILL BE PAID.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A FORECLOSURE IN MORE THAN TEN YEARS, BUT IN THE CASE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO, WE WOULD GO THROUGH A FORECLOSURE PROCESS. AND SO DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT ULTIMATELY THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS STILL RESPONSIBLE THEN FOR PAYING THE PROPERTY TAXES? IF A HOMEOWNER CANNOT, IS THE CLT RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THOSE? HABITAT IS THE MORTGAGE LENDER, AND THEN HAVING THOSE ESCROW ACCOUNTS WERE THE ONES WHO WOULD PAY THOSE.
OKAY. GOT IT. YEP. AND PERHAPS A SILLY QUESTION, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN OWNER'S INCOME GOES ABOVE THE GUIDELINES? PRESUMABLY THEY'RE NOT EVICTED.
AND THEN THEY MOVE ON TO OTHER HOMES, OR THEY CAN STAY WITH THEIR HOMES, TOO, IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, THIS CAN BE THEIR FOREVER HOME. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THIS ONE'S PERHAPS MORE FOR SCOTT IN SAFS.
IN STAFF'S OPINION, IS THE CLT GOING TO POSE ANY OR CARRY ANY UNIQUE BURDENS OR RISKS RELATIVE TO OTHER HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS? NO, WE DON'T SEE ANY ANY BURDEN THAT THAT WE WOULD HAVE.
WE DEAL WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES ON, ON PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ISSUES, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE REALLY THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF IN TERMS OF THOSE TRACTS FOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, THINK OF TALL GRASS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH DEALING WITH THIS ENTITY OUTSIDE OF ANY OTHER HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU CHELSEA. I THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HANLEY COVERED MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, AND AS HE WAS ASKING THEM, I WAS CHECKING THEM OFF.
SO I REALLY ONLY HAVE JUST A FEW LINGERING QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND ONE MORE TIME, BUT FOR A VERY QUICK QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE COVERED THIS, THE RANGE OF SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THESE HOMES.
COULD YOU REMIND US THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS IN THESE HOMES AND THE RANGE FOR THAT? SURE. YEAH. SO THESE HOMES WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO 5 BEDROOMS AND THEN 2 TO 3 BATHROOMS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.
MY NEXT QUESTION, ACTUALLY IS FOR SEAN. WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE NOTICE, THE SALE NOTICE FOR UP TO TWO THIRDS OF THE PARKLAND IN 2015.
AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NOTICE AND HEARING AND THERE WAS NO PROTEST PETITION.
IT THEN ESSENTIALLY GRANTS THE CITY AUTHORITY, LEGAL AUTHORITY THEN TO DISPOSE OF THAT PROPERTY.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF EXPIRATION ON THAT OR IS THAT UNTIL THE PROPERTY IS DISPOSED, THERE IS NO EXPIRATION ON ON THAT NOTICE. OKAY. WHEN WE NOTICE, IT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO SELL.
AND REAL ESTATE DEALS ARE OFTEN COMPLEX AND TAKE A LOT OF TIME AS, AS THIS ONE.
AND SO IT'S NEEDED TO DO THAT AND GET THAT FLEXIBILITY SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROPER PLAN.
OKAY. AND THEN MY MY FINAL QUESTION ACTUALLY HAS TO DO WITH.
A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY, I KNOW THAT. SCOTT, YOU TALKED ABOUT DURING YOUR PRESENTATION THAT IT WAS NOT REQUIRED AND THAT ONE WAS NOT DONE. WHAT'S WHAT'S THE THRESHOLD THAT WOULD REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY? DOES IT HAVE TO BUTT UP VERY CLOSE TO THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING ROADWAY OR WHAT? WHAT IS THAT DETERMINING FACTOR? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A USE THAT WOULD BE PROPOSED THAT WAS MORE INTENSE THAN WHAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CLASSIFIES
[04:40:09]
THE PROPERTY FOR, BECAUSE OUR STREET NETWORK HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE LAND USES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.GOING INTO THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THOSE ARE ALL LOOKED AT IN IN VIEW OF THE LAND USES THAT THEY'RE SERVING. AND SO WE DESIGNED CLAIRE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HANDLE THE CAPACITY OF 12 OR 13,000 VEHICLE TRIPS PER DAY.
THAT'S BASED ON WHAT THOSE LAND USES GENERATE ALONG THAT ROUTE IN THE GREATER AREA.
SO BECAUSE IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THIS IS SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL.
HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THIS WERE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, THEN AT THAT POINT IT MIGHT TRIGGER A POTENTIAL TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY AT THAT POINT. CORRECT. THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
OKAY. OKAY. COMMERCIAL USE OR SOMETHING MUCH DIFFERENT THAN A SINGLE FAMILY TRIPS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. QUESTION FOR LINDSAY. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU JUST TO KEEP STANDING THERE, BUT SPEAK, SPEAK, IF YOU WILL, TO THE THE IMPACT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECTS HAVE IN AREAS SIMILAR TO LENEXA AND AND JOHNSON COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WHAT EVIDENCE INFORMS YOUR DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND HOW YOU IDENTIFY AND MEASURE A PROJECT THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL ULTIMATELY BE SUCCESSFUL? YEAH, I THINK THERE'S MANY WAYS THAT WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE CREATING WITH THE WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE IN THE HOUSES THAT WE'RE BUILDING AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING. THE FIRST THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, CONSIDERING WHERE IT IS THAT WE CAN ACQUIRE LAND, WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE THINGS. ONE IS THE HOUSE, THE THE LAND THAT'S AVAILABLE ITSELF, HOW MANY UNITS WE CAN GET OUT OF IT, THE DEMAND THAT WE HAVE HAD FOR THESE TYPES OF HOUSING, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH OUR OLATHE PROJECT, WHICH IS 14 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WE HAD OVER 500 INQUIRIES WITHIN THREE AND A HALF WEEKS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR OUR PROGRAM AND REACHING OUT, LOOKING AT THEIR INCOME, MAKING SURE THAT THE GUIDELINES AND THE QUALIFICATIONS ALL MEET WITH WHAT THE SALES PRICE OF THESE HOMES WOULD BE.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE DO IMPACT STUDIES JUST TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR FAMILIES, HOW WE'RE IMPROVING THE FAMILIES LIVES AND JUST LOOKING AT THE GENERAL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND HOW WE'RE CREATING IMPACT WITHIN THAT SPACE.
WE HAVE MANY PARTNERS WHO INFORMED US AND HELPED US WITH THE SELECTION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AND, AND GOING AFTER, YOU KNOW, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND THAT INCLUDED FOR PROFIT BUILDERS, ARCHITECTS AND MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND TEAM WHO HELPED US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IF THIS WAS A GOOD FIT FOR WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. NOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO.
BACK IT UP. MEANING, YOU KNOW, YOU. NOT NECESSARILY YOU.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN KANSAS CITY, BUT SAY YOU'RE ANOTHER SISTER ORGANIZATION, IF YOU WILL.
WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BUILT A PROJECT. THE PROJECT WAS IN OPERATION FOR A WHILE.
HOW DID IT AFFECT THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY AROUND THEM? YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS, SO TO SPEAK? YEAH. SO WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL HABITAT AFFILIATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE DONE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE OF THIS SIZE, IF NOT MUCH LARGER. AND SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE STUDIED THOSE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DATA FOR YOU RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY THERE CERTAINLY IS DATA OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WE CAN GATHER.
OKAY. I THINK YOU ANSWERED MY OTHER ONE. GIVE ME ONE SECOND.
OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. QUESTION FOR SHAUN. MORE, I GUESS MORE OF A TECHNICAL QUESTION ABOUT GOLDEN.
WHAT CONSTITUTES SOMETHING THAT'S LEGALLY DISPOSITIVE? I MEAN, WHAT BECAUSE EVERYTHING I READ SUGGESTS IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVIDENCE BASED.
[04:45:07]
YOU KNOW, I JUST CAN'T SAY. YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT THIS PROJECT WON'T WORK, OR I FEEL LIKE THIS PROJECT WILL WORK.AND SO AS WE EVALUATE THIS AND WEIGH THE CLAIMS YOU KNOW, BOTH FOR AND AGAINST IT.
SPEAK, IF YOU WILL, TO WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US AND HOW THAT ALLOWS US TO.
GET TO AN ANSWER THAT'S, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING IT, YOU KNOW, GROUNDED IN IN THE LAW.
THOSE GOLDEN CRITERIA ARE PROVIDED AS A GUIDELINE, AND STAFF PROVIDES YOU THEIR ANALYSIS.
BUT YOU'RE IT'S YOUR JOB TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE GUIDELINES AND GOLDEN CRITERIA AND USE WHATEVER CRITERIA YOU BELIEVE APPLY TO THIS PROJECT. YOU CAN WEIGH CERTAIN CRITERIA MORE THAN OTHERS, AND YOU CAN WEIGH ONE CRITERIA MORE THAN ANY OF THEM.
ELSE THEY ARE GIVEN WHAT YOU WANT TO APPLY TO IT.
I WOULD SAY THAT YOU SHOULD BACK ANY OF YOUR ANALYSIS UP WITH THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE AS YOU KNOW THEM, SUCH THAT IT IS A REASONABLE DECISION BASED ON REASONABLE EVIDENCE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER IT DOES.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP. I AM A QUESTIONER, SO.
I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. CRAIG. I'D LIKE TO CHAT JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARKS. I HAVE LIVED IN LENEXA FOR 40 YEARS.
FORMER MAYOR BOWMAN APPOINTED ME TO THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD IN 1994, AND I SERVED CONTINUOUSLY ON THAT BOARD UNTIL I WAS ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT A LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS AGO.
WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE BOARD, BILL NIX, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER, WAS OUR PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, AND HE TOOK ME ON A TOUR OF OUR THEN PARKLAND ONE OF WHICH WAS REFERRED TO AS 80 ACRE PARK ON MONTICELLO ALONG COON CREEK. NOW THAT IS NOW BLACKHOOF PARK.
AND TO DEVELOP LAKE LENEXA IN OUR WATERSHED UNDER A RANGE OF.
RECREATION. THE CITY ACQUIRED PROPERTY SURROUNDING THE 80 ACRES TO THE TUNE OF I THINK.
NOW WE OWN 245 ACRES OR SOMETHING ON THAT ORDER.
AND SO I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THE LENEXA WAS WAS VERY SMART, VERY MINDFUL IN ACQUIRING PARK LAND OUT IN ADVANCE OF DEVELOPMENT. AND WHEN PARKLAND OR POTENTIAL PARK LAND BECAME AVAILABLE, AN INDIVIDUAL POTENTIALLY CONTACTED THE CITY AND SAID, HEY, I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SELL.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND SO THE CITY RESPONSIBLY EVALUATES THAT I THINK THE NEXT PARK WE LOOKED AT WAS 60 ACRES, AND IT WAS OUT AT THE END OF WHAT WAS THEN 95TH STREET.
BUT 95TH STREET WENT AWAY AND BECAME PRAIRIE STAR PARKWAY AWAY.
AND WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE TOOK THAT 60 ACRES AND WE MODIFIED.
WHAT OUR OWNERSHIP WAS TO ADD ANOTHER 11 ACRES OR 11 OR 7.
ANYWAY, WE MADE IT BIGGER AND MADE IT A MORE RESPONSIBLE, USABLE PARK.
I WAS ON THE PARK BOARD IN 98 OR 9, AND AGAIN IN OH SIX WHEN WE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S GENERALLY BEEN DISCUSSED TONIGHT. AND THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, WE WERE DISCUSSING A LARGE REGIONAL LAKE TO TAKE CARE OF STORMWATER IN THE AREA.
[04:50:02]
AND EVEN IN THOSE DAYS, I RECOLLECT THAT THERE WAS A PLAN FLOATED THAT SHOWED SOME DEVELOPMENT AROUND THAT LAKE.NOW, AS OFTEN HAPPENS, PLANS CHANGE, TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, AND OVER TIME, THAT CONCEPT OF A LAKE BECAME. HOW DO I USE THE WORDS? WASN'T. WASN'T THE. WASN'T GOING TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS WETLANDS WOULD BE TO MITIGATE THE STORMWATER. AND YET WE STILL OWNED ALL THAT PROPERTY.
AND WHEN YOU BUY PROPERTY, YOU BUY WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
YOU DON'T SOMETIMES YOU JUST TAKE WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND SO AS I RECALL, WHEN THAT SALE WAS MADE, IT WAS ALSO MADE CLEAR, I THINK, IN A MEETING TO BILL AS PARKS DIRECTOR THAT, HEY, THE CITY MAY OWN THIS LAND, BUT IT'S NOT ALL GOING TO BE PARK.
DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP THAT YOU GOT 120 ACRES TO DEVELOP.
AND SO AS TIME HAS GONE ON, IT'S BECOME A LINEAR PARK WITH WETLANDS THAT SERVE THAT AREA.
SO THAT'S THAT'S THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT I RECALL.
AND SO AS AS A MEMBER OF THE PARK BOARD FOR THOSE 27 YEARS, I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER.
DESCRIBED TO ME AS 127 ACRE PARK. AND I DON'T I DON'T THINK THE CITY I THINK THE CITY IS THOUGHTFULLY DEVELOPED WHAT THEY NEED FOR A WETLAND AND PARK IN THAT AREA.
QUESTIONS. CHELSEA. SORRY. COURTNEY DID IT AGAIN.
LET ME START WITH LINDSAY. OKAY. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS. I KNOW YOU WERE TOUCHING ON IT A MINUTE AGO, AND IN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS ABOUT ESCROW, AND. AND YOU ANSWER THAT FOR ME. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE OVER 500 PEOPLE INQUIRE SINCE PLANNING COMMISSION, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WAS FOR THE OLATHE PROJECT.
SO SINCE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'VE AVERAGED 7 TO 9 PHONE CALLS AND ADDITIONAL EMAILS PER DAY.
OKAY. SO WHEN YOU GO TO CHOOSE THE, WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HERE.
OR WHEN YOU HAVE ONE IN OLATHE, DO THEY COME FROM A LIST THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OR IS YOU TAKE SEPARATE APPLICATIONS LIKE NEW FOR EVERY PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE? YEAH. SO WE WOULD TAKE SEPARATE APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE YEAR WHERE WE OPEN UP FOR APPLICATION, AND INDIVIDUALS ARE ALLOWED TO DO WHAT'S CALLED A PRE-APPLICATION SCREENING, FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND THEN FROM THAT PRE-APPLICATION SCREENING, WE WHITTLE IT DOWN TO A FULL APPLICATION BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY EXTENSIVE APPLICATIONS.
SO WE WOULD OPEN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT OR ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.
WE OPEN IT UP TO OTHER FOLKS TO APPLY FOR DURING DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
OKAY. I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I WAS ASKING IS, IS THERE A RUNNING LIST WITH LIKE A PRIORITY ORDER? OR IF DO YOU HAVE A FOR EACH PROJECT THAT YOU DO LIKE. THERE'S JUST LIKE A SEPARATE LIST FOR EACH PROJECT, BECAUSE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AREN'T INTERESTED IN LIVING IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY.
YEAH. SO WE OPEN UP. LIKE I SAID, WE OPEN UP THE APPLICATION AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TRACKS TO GET THEM INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP. AND FOR SOME FAMILIES, THEY'RE TWO MONTHS AWAY, THREE MONTHS AWAY FROM BEING READY TO HAVE HOMEOWNERSHIP THROUGH A HABITAT HOME.
AND THEN FOR OTHER FAMILIES, THEY'RE SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT MONTHS AWAY.
AND SO THAT'S A MUCH LONGER TIME PERIOD IN WHICH WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND SO BASED OFF WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WHERE THEY'RE HOW MUCH TIME IT'S GOING TO TAKE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO TO PREPARE THEM FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP IS HOW WE ESSENTIALLY AND ALSO THEIR INCOME. OF COURSE, THEY ASK PEOPLE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE FOR THE HOUSE IN WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN.
BUT WE TAKE ALL OF THAT CRITERIA AND WE ESSENTIALLY MAP OUT WHICH FAMILIES ARE BEST FOR EACH HOME,
[04:55:02]
AND THEN WE SEND THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THOSE TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR APPROVAL.THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD IS WHAT IF SOMEONE OWNS YOUR HOME AND THEY GREW UP THERE AND THEY'VE LIVED THERE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND THEIR PARENTS PASS AWAY, BUT THEIR INCOME LEVELS DO NOT MEET THE STANDARD TO STAY AS A QUALIFIED RECIPIENT OF THAT HOME. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT POINT? YEAH. SO WITH ALL OF OUR FAMILIES THAT ARE PURCHASING OUR HOMES WE LIKE TO DO IS TO HELP THEM WITH YOU KNOW, HAVING THE LEGAL NECESSARY, THE NECESSARY LEGAL NEEDS TO TRANSFER THAT ASSET TO WHOEVER THEY WOULD LIKE TO TRANSFER THAT TO.
SO THAT'S A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH WITH OUR HOMEOWNERS.
OR MAYBE IT'S NOT PAID OFF. DO THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY THERE BECAUSE THAT'S THE HOME THEY GREW UP IN, OR DO THEY NEED TO SELL IT? SO THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND DO EVERYTHING IF THEY ARE THE NEW OWNER OF THE HOME? AND IF THEY DEFAULT OR WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING, WE WOULD GO THROUGH A FORECLOSURE JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS IF THEY MADE TOO MUCH MONEY.
I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK IS THAT WOULD THEY LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN THAT HOUSE? BECAUSE THEY MADE TOO MUCH MONEY AFTER THEY ARE, AFTER THEIR PARENTS WOULD PASS.
WE WOULD STILL ALLOW THOSE ORIGINAL OWNERS TO PASS THAT ON.
HOW LONG? I KNOW THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT A 5 TO 6 YEAR TIMELINE FOR THE BUILD OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOW LONG DOES A TYPICAL HOUSE TAKE? DO YOU DO THEM IN ORDER? LIKE WE HAVE SOME BUILDERS IN OUR CITY THAT KIND OF GO DOWN THE BLOCK AND THEY BUILD THE HOUSES, YOU KNOW. IS THAT HOW YOU DO THAT OR HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE EACH ONE TAKING.
IS IT BASED ON YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS OR DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC TIMELINES THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MEET REGARDLESS OF VOLUNTEERS? YEP. SO WITH THIS ONE, WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A SIX YEAR PROCESS, AS MENTIONED DURING OUR PRESENTATION.
AND SO HOW THAT LOOKS IS THAT WE DO MULTIPLE FOUNDATIONS IN AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
AND THEN WE ALSO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OTHER BUILDERS IS THAT THEY'RE HELPING US TO BUILD THE HOUSES AS WELL, SO THAT WE'RE BUILDING THEM TO MEET THE TIMELINE AND THE GOALS OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY. AND. I THINK THAT THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD FOR YOU.
I HAVE SOME FOR SCOTT. THANK YOU. YES. HI, MARK.
YOU CAN WAIT UNTIL CHELSEA'S OR TILL COURTNEY'S FINISHED. OH. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY.
NO. SCOTT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN? I KNOW THAT YOU DID A PRETTY THOROUGH HISTORY OF HOW WE KIND OF GOT HERE, AND I THINK CRAIG'S EXPLANATION OF THE THE PARK ITSELF TIMELINE WAS GOOD, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE TIMELINE FOR WHEN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS UPDATED VERSUS THE MASTER PARK PLAN? THAT WAS UPDATED? BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE MASTER PARK PLAN TONIGHT BEING THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR MANY OF THE RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY WHICH DOCUMENTS ARE USED FOR WHAT REASONS? AND WHAT THE TIMELINES WERE WHEN THOSE WERE UPDATED BASED ON THE 2018 SURE CHANGES.
THAT'S THE PLAN THAT HAD THE 30 ACRES SHOWING A 15 ACRE PARK FROM 2000 TO 2000 24. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HAD DIFFERENT ITERATIONS FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AT ONE POINT THERE WAS SOME DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED.
I THINK THE SHAPE WAS DIFFERENT. THERE WERE SOME EVOLUTION OF CONCEPT THERE.
CONSTRUCTION. ALL THE EFFORTS IN 2015 2018 FOR DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY ADOPTED ITS FIRST PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN IN 2012.
[05:00:05]
AND THAT PLAN, AND MAYBE PARKS DIRECTOR LOGAN WAGLER CAN ADVISE, YOU KNOW, IF I GO ASTRAY.THAT PLAN WAS VERY CONCEPTUAL IN NATURE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO PROGRAM OUT TO LOOK AND ASSESS EXISTING PARKS AT THE TIME OF 2012 AND LAY OUT SOME CONCEPTS AND PROGRAMING FOR POTENTIAL PARKS IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT IS TRUE THAT THAT THE MAP THAT WAS USED IN THAT PLAN IDENTIFIED ALL 127 ACRES, I THINK BECAUSE THE CITY OWNED ALL 127 ACRES AT THAT TIME. AND GOING FORWARD.
SO I RECALL THINGS LIKE A RECREATION, A WEST RECREATION CENTER.
WELL, SINCE 2012, WE'VE SHIFTED IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND AROUND WHAT RECREATION LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE THE RECREATION CENTER ON THIS CAMPUS AND JUST RENOVATING OLD OLD TOWN LOW TECH OLD TOWN ACTIVATION OR OLD TOWN AREA. SORRY IT'S GETTING LATE. I'M STARTING TO JUMBLE WORDS.
BUT SO MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED AROUND THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT IT'S MEANT TO DO.
AND WE'RE HEARING NEW IDEAS TONIGHT, IN FACT, ABOUT WHAT THAT FUTURE 57 ACRE PARK SHOULD BE, SHOULD IT BE HIGHLY ACTIVATED, SHOULD IT BE MORE PASSIVE, YOU KNOW, AND NATURAL AND WHAT KINDS OF THINGS THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THEN IN 24, ALONG WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE PARKS BOARD AND THE AND THE PARKS MASTER PLAN WAS UPDATED TO REALLY MARRY UP THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE PARK MASTER PLAN.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT VERY SPECIFIC PAGES IN BOTH THE PARK MASTER PLAN AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH THE WITH THE KIND OF FORTIFIED INTENTION FOR THAT AREA. SCOTT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TOO, THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS TOOK THREE YEARS.
OH, SURE. BOTH PROCESSES ACTUALLY TOOK THREE.
MANY DIFFERENT NOTICES AND MEETINGS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SUBCOMMITTEES AND TWO DIFFERENT BOARDS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE PARK BOARD, BOTH LOOKED AT AT THOSE PLANS WE HAD.
WE HAD A LOT OF KIND OF CRISSCROSSING COMMITTEES AND ON BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES.
OKAY. THERE'S ALSO BEEN CONVERSATIONS TONIGHT ABOUT A DISCOUNTED LAND PRICE.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS LAST APPRAISED.
I THINK BECKY MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT. IT WAS APPRAISED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN AUGUST, I THINK.
2020 5TH AUGUST 2025 I'M SORRY. AUGUST OF 2025 AT $43,000 AN ACRE.
OKAY, SCOTT, CAN YOU TELL CAN YOU TELL US THE HOW MAYBE THE APPRAISALS WORK WITH DEVELOPED VERSUS UNDEVELOPED LAND. LIKE, I KNOW THAT WHEN I GO TO BUY A HOUSE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED OR THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A CONTRACTOR, YOU KNOW, THEY SAID THE PRICE OF THIS LOT IS X AMOUNT WHEN WE'RE BUYING ACRES THAT ARE UNDEVELOPED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
I MAY TURN TO CITY ATTORNEY SHAUN BECAUSE I THINK HE'S IN THAT ARENA MORE THAN I AM.
BUT THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY. IT'S APPLES AND ORANGES YOU CAN'T COMPARE.
DEVELOPED LOT COST TO UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT DOESN'T HAVE STREET INFRASTRUCTURE, SEWER, WATER, STREET LIGHTS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COME WITH DEVELOPED LAND.
THEY'RE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS. SHAUN ANYTHING TO.
I AGREE. AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS WHEN.
SO WE FINISHED THE WETLANDS IN 2018 ISH. ACTUALLY LIKE 15, 15, 15.
OKAY. SO WHEN WERE THE THE STUBS PUT IN FOR THE POTENTIAL ROADS LIKE 2000.
SO THEY WERE THERE PRIOR TO THE CHANGE IN. SO THEY SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE ON ALL THREE SIDES OF THOSE PARCELS LIKE THE, THE STUB LIKE WHERE EVERYBODY PARKS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE.
YEAH. WHERE THE POTENTIAL ROAD TIM CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE HISTORY THERE.
[05:05:05]
TIM GREEN, CITY ENGINEER. YES. ON UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY, WHEN A DEVELOPED PROPERTY ADJACENT TO IT DEVELOPS, WE ALWAYS REQUIRE A STUB INTO THE UNDEVELOPED LAND.SO AS WE BUILT CLARE IN 2009, THIS LAND WAS UNDEVELOPED.
SO WE MADE ACCESS INTO THAT. AND BY DOING IT AHEAD OF TIME, WE GET THE ACCESS POINTS WHERE WE WANT THEM AT VERSUS SOMETHING BEING OFFSET, WE CAN GET THEM IN THE RIGHT SPOT. SO AND WE CHOSE THAT PARTICULAR SPOT BECAUSE IT ALIGNED WITH SOMETHING ELSE OR JUST IT WAS AT THAT TIME I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAD A SET PLAN. IT WAS MORE OF JUST SPACING OF BETWEEN THE ROUNDABOUTS AND IT MADE THE BEST LOCATION FROM A TRAFFIC STANDPOINT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HEY, LINDSEY, THE I'M SORRY. I'LL START WITH SCOTT, SINCE YOU'RE UP THERE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE WALKING OFF, BUT THAT WAS THAT WAS TIM. LITTLE WHILE AGO, JOSH WAS TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC STUDY AND, LIKE, MORE OF A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT. WHAT SIZE OF MULTIFAMILY WOULD REQUIRE? LIKE, LIKE DUPLEXES OR OR. I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE CAN GET THAT BREAK THAT GRANULAR AT THIS POINT.
SO WE HAVE ENGINEERS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERS ON STAFF THAT THAT MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS.
I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS WE CAN USE YOUR MIC, PLEASE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M GOING WITH THIS IS, IS YOU AND I HAVE BEEN IN BACK AND FORTH ON SOME DISCUSSIONS OF OH, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. TRAFFIC. SOMETHING RELATED TO TRAFFIC.
OH, TRAFFIC AND MULTI IN IN ARCHITECTURE AND EVALUATING ARCHITECTURE.
BUT YOU THEN RELAYED TO ME THAT A TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS, A SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENT, RESIDENTIAL ONE WE DON'T HAVE THE PLANNING STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE GRANULARITY OF BEING ABLE TO EVALUATE ARCHITECTURE AND SIZE, MASSING, SCALE, PROPORTION. WE DO THAT PRIMARILY THROUGH THE HOUSING CLASSIFICATION STANDARD.
PLANNING IS MORE A REVIEW AND IT'S ALMOST MINISTERIAL IN TERMS OF ARE YOU MEETING ALL OF THE STANDARDS FOR STREET LAYOUT, BLOCK LENGTH, LOT SIZE, SETBACKS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A VARIATION IN HOMES, ONCE WE LAND ON A HOUSING CLASSIFICATION, THE SIZE OF THE HOME AT THE GROUND FLOOR, WE APPLY THE CODE WHEN THE PERMITS COME IN INDIVIDUALLY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE THOSE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
SLOPED ROOFS. PORCH AND GARAGE OR CARPORT. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE CODE SAYS.
EVERY HOME MUST HAVE PASSED THAT WE DON'T ADDRESS COLORS WE DRESS A LITTLE BIT OF MATERIALS.
WE DON'T ADDRESS COLORS. YOU CAN GO LARGER, OF COURSE, IN SIZE UP TO THE SETBACKS.
AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT VARIATION IN ARCHITECTURE OF HOMES.
SO WE DON'T LOOK AT IS THIS A TUDOR STYLE HOME VERSUS A CRAFTSMAN STYLE HOME, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THOSE ARE LEFT ALL TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING THE HOME CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS ALSO IS IS OUR IS OUR UDC.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT JUST ROOF IT HAS A GARAGE AS A, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED OR YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY MINOR SORT OF ARCHITECTURAL CATEGORIES OR JUST REALLY SIMPLISTIC.
IS OUR UDC KIND OF OUTDATED? HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? BECAUSE TO ME, AS AN ARCHITECT, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MINIMALISTIC AS FAR AS BEING ABLE, AS THE CITY COUNCIL ARE PLANNING STAFF, TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF HELP ESTABLISH CERTAIN STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND SIZE AND SCALE AND MASS RATIOS PROPORTION. AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME HERE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT VERSUS STUFF ACROSS THE STREET.
WE DON'T TYPICALLY GET THIS DETAILED ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION ON A SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION, FOR EXAMPLE THE CODE IS APPLIED AND THE HOMES ARE DEVELOPED.
[05:10:10]
HOME ARE THE TYPES OF HOMES THAT ARE GETTING DEVELOPED IN THE CITY.WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CLASSIFICATION MAP AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT AND HEARD A LOT FROM, FROM FOLKS IN THE TIMBERS, THEY'RE KIND OF THE ANOMALY IN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THEY WERE STARTED IN A TIME PERIOD BEFORE OH EIGHT HIT.
AND SO YOU'RE NOT SEEING HOMES BUILT. TYPICALLY VERY LARGE WITH THREE CAR GARAGES.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO PULL UP THE HOUSING CLASSIFICATION MAP.
I COULD POINT TO SEVERAL AREAS THAT ARE LIKE THAT.
SO I GUESS I GUESS WE NEED TO, AS A CITY COUNCIL, MAYBE LOOK AT OUR UDC TO, TO DEVELOP A LITTLE BIT BETTER CHARACTERISTIC OF OUR STANDARDS IN REGARDS TO THAT, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S SO ANTIQUATED IN MY MIND. SO I'LL JUST KEEP GOING ON THAT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE SET UP THIS CLASS OF THIS DWELLING CLASSIFICATION.
AND I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT A DEVELOPER WILL TYPICALLY TRY AND MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF DENSITY ON A LOT, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO A CLASS A HOUSE BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT TUTORS, THERE'S DIFFERENT STYLE OF HOMES.
BUT THEN THE SECOND FLOOR, IT WINDS UP BEING SO MUCH MORE LARGER THAN THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND SO WE WE CLASSIFY THIS DEVELOPMENT AS IN THE TIMBERS, I'LL SAY AS A CLASS C, BUT YOU SAID THAT A LOT OF TIMES THESE GO UP IN SCALE AND THEY GO A LOT BIGGER.
I'VE DONE A LITTLE DUE DILIGENCE IN JUST THE, THE HOUSES JUST RIGHT ALONG THE STREET IN THE TIMBERS THAT THAT BACK UP TO CLAIRE AND NOT ANY OF THEM ARE TYPE C HOUSES. EVERY ONE OF THEM IS A TYPE A OR MAYBE A B PLUS.
AND SO THE INTENT OF A CODE IN DEVELOPMENT IN MY MY WORLD IS YOU'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE SOMETHING, BUT YOU CAN'T GO I WANT, I WANT, I WANT THIS BUILDER, THESE FIVE BUILDERS TO BUILD THE 20 600 SQUARE FOOT HOME ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE REALISTIC ASPECTS OF WE GOT TO GO TO A TYPE C BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE A C, THERE MIGHT BE A B. BUT THE MAJORITY OF THESE HOUSES, IF YOU AGGREGATE AND ADD UP ALL THE CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S AN AVERAGE OF 3112FT² PER HOME. AND IF LINDSAY'S TALKING ABOUT THESE PROPERTIES BEING 1300 TO 2000 MAX. WELL, IT'S NOT AN IN-KIND HOUSE, AND IT'S.
IT'S NOT IN HARMONY WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE.
WELL, IT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND I WALKED YOU THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR CODE.
SO SHORT OF THAT, WE DON'T PICK INDIVIDUAL HOMES.
I KNOW THAT THE THE HOMES TO THE NORTH ARE ACTUALLY SMALLER.
WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T USE THOSE BECAUSE THE CODE SAYS DON'T USE THOSE.
CERTAINLY DEVELOPERS CAN CHOOSE TO BUILD LARGER THAN THAT.
AND THAT'S A THAT'S A FLOOR THAT'S A MINIMUM.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS CAN CAN PROVIDE FOR MORE DEVELOPERS CAN CAN DO LARGER HOMES, BUT OUR CODE HAS TO WORK THROUGH A PROCESS THAT HAS TO BE CONSISTENTLY APPLIED. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS SITUATION.
YES. AND AND THAT MAY BE AND AND I DON'T HOW DO WE EVER GET DIVERSITY IN HOUSING IF WE'RE TO MATCH PRECISELY WHAT THE SUBDIVISION IS TO ADJACENT.
[05:15:03]
WELL, WE HAVE A STANDARD OF ONLY ONE CATEGORY DOWN.CORRECT. AND IF THESE IN MY IN MY I'LL CALL IT EXPERTISE IN MY EVALUATION.
AND IF THESE ARE MORE OF A TYPE A AND B, WELL WE'RE TWO, 2 TO 3 LEVELS DOWN TO A TO A D.
AND THEN FOLKS, WE HAVE LET YOU TALK FOR 3.5 HOURS.
CAN YOU PLEASE LET THESE TWO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITHOUT INTERRUPTING.
AND THEN IN TURN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VALUATION OF HOMES AT 245 TO 280,000 SQUARE FOOT.
WELL, THAT'S NOT IN HARMONY WITH THE SURROUNDING HOMES.
WHICH AREA ARE WE ATTEMPTING TO BE HARMONIOUS WITH? IS IT THE AREA TO THE WEST, THE AREA TO THE NORTH, TO THE EAST OR TO THE SOUTH? BECAUSE THEY ALL ARE DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THEIR THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
BUT YOU SAID YOU CAN'T EVALUATE THE THE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH, BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE ADJACENT, WHICH IS WHAT WE DID PER THE CODE AND PER THE HOUSING CLASS OF THE PLAT.
IT IS MEETING THE CODE REQUIREMENT. WELL, I GUESS ANOTHER INTENT OF BEING A DEVELOPER, ARCHITECT, BUILDER. IN LOOKING AT THE TYPE C AND D CLASSIFICATION IN THIS ASPECT, WE'RE TRYING TO GO FROM THE MINIMUM OF C TO A, A, B IN THE TIMBERS. BUT THIS DEVELOPMENT TO ME IS MAXIMIZING THE D TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT. AND SO IT'S TO ME IT'S AN APPLES AND ORANGES KIND OF SCENARIO IN REGARDS TO THE HOUSES. AND I MEAN, YOU CAN JUST REALISTICALLY AS A PLANNER, AS A, AS A STAFF, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE MASSING, THE SCALE AND THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE SIZE.
I JUST CAN'T COMFORTABLY. I JUST CAN'T COMFORTABLY SAY THAT THIS IS IN LINE.
I KNOW THERE'S TECHNICALITIES IN REGARDS TO THE CHARACTERISTICS AND WHETHER IT'S THE ARCHITECTURE OF STUFF, BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF CRITERIA IN OUR UDC.
I APPRECIATE THOSE VIEWS. THANK YOU. BILL. WHO? A SIMPLE ONE. THE PEOPLE TO THE NORTH. AND ALSO LINDSEY WORRIED ABOUT THE TREE.
ROH. WHERE DO YOU THINK THE UTILITIES ARE GOING TO BE? THE ELECTRICAL. YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THEM IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE OR THE BACK OF THE HOUSE? I'LL CALL DOUG UBBEN UP. WHO'S THE ENGINEER ON THIS? GOOD EVENING, DOUG PHELPS ENGINEERING. WE ANTICIPATE THE UTILITIES GO IN THE FRONT YARDS.
FRONT YARD. YEAH, WE WOULD KEEP THEM OUT OF THOSE TREES IN THE BACKYARDS.
THAT'S GOOD ANSWER. AND AND BOTH STAFF AND LINDSAY SAID THAT TRY TO KEEP THOSE TREES AND, AND I THINK THE UTILITIES USUALLY ARE THE ONES THAT CAUSE THE PROBLEMS. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT A REAL GOOD CHANCE. AND WE'LL PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THAT.
OKAY. CORRECT. YEAH. TELL HAROLD. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
LINDSAY, YOU YOU YOU ANSWERED JOHN'S QUESTION ON THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW. WHEN I MET WITH YOU AND YOU TOOK ME AROUND, AND YOU SHOWED ME SOME HOUSES THAT YOU HAD DONE AT OH, 26TH AND OLIVE AND OTHER PLACES IN IN THE LAND TRUST.
YOU GUYS PAY THE TAX? THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THE LAND? IS THAT CORRECT? YES. WE HAVEN'T ASKED FOR. YES.
NO, BUT YOU DO. YOU RIGHT NOW, JOHN GOT THE HOUSE, PROPERTY TAXES PAID AND YOU PAY THE TAX ON THAT.
NOW, YOU ALSO TOLD ME THAT FLINT HILLS HABITAT WAS WORKING HARD IN TOPEKA TO.
DON'T LET ME PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH TO TO ELIMINATE THAT ON LAND TRUST LAND.
[05:20:06]
IT'S JUST ACTUALLY HAVING THE APPRAISERS BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT RESALE FORMULA IS SO THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAYING TAXES ON WHAT THEY ACTUALLY CAN REALIZE WITH THEIR PROPERTY. SO WITH THE RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF WHO THEY CAN SELL IT TO AND THE RESTRICTIONS ON HOW MUCH THEY CAN REALIZE IT, THAT'S WHAT IS TRYING TO BE DONE WITH 2408 THAT FLINT HILLS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTRODUCED.MIKE. A SIMPLE WAY TO PUT IT IS THIS IS CODIFYING IN STATE STATUTE A DIRECTIVE TO THE DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY VALUATION AT THE STATE LEVEL OF HOW TO HANDLE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS.
TOGETHER I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT OKAY. THANK YOU.
ALSO LINDSEY, I MENTIONED AND AND SO DID STEVE BERNSON THAT HE HAD VOLUNTEERED FOR HABITAT, AND THAT HE HAD SEEN WHAT I CALL ONE OFFS.
NOT NOT A SUBDIVISION. IT IS OLATHE, YOUR FIRST SUBDIVISION.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN WHAT'S CALLED FOCUSED NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OVER IN KCMO, ONE WHERE WE JUST COMPLETED OUR 20TH HOME, THE OTHER ONE WHERE WE'RE COMPLETING OUR 14TH HOME.
AND THEN OLATHE OBVIOUSLY IS A 14 SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
AND THESE ARE SUBDIVISIONS, OR ARE THEY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE OLATHE ONE IS A SUBDIVISION? THE TWO IN KCMO ARE INFILL STRATEGIC INFILL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY.
YEAH. AND SO LENEXA WOULD BE YOUR SECOND TRY AT THIS.
CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEP. GOOD. THANK YOU.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPER OR STAFF.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST HAD ONE THAT I WANTED TO SUBMIT, SORT OF FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RECORD. I HAD ASKED STAFF VIA EMAIL ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURE 91ST STREET AND WHOSE BURDEN THAT WOULD FALL UPON.
SHOULD THE OTHER TWO TRACKS, OR AREAS B AND C BE DEVELOPED, HOW WOULD THAT CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ROAD WORK OUT? YEAH. SO YOU KNOW, THE RFP CONTEMPLATED A SPECIAL BENEFIT DISTRICT TO CONSTRUCT 91ST STREET.
THIS POD DOESN'T TAKE ACCESS FROM 91ST STREET, NOR NEED 91ST STREET FOR ACCESS.
PODS B AND C BOTH DO NEED 91ST STREET FOR CODE REQUIRED ACCESS.
AND THE CITY WOULD I WOULD EXPECT US TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT SPECIAL BENEFIT DISTRICT AT SOME LEVEL, BUT THAT WOULD BE A NEGOTIATION. THANK YOU. ARE YOU READY TO START GOLDEN DELIBERATIONS? MARK. I HAVE ONE MORE ON THAT.
BECKY, IN REGARDS TO PODS B AND C, I KNOW THE THE RFP TALKED ABOUT BUYING ALL THREE PROPERTIES.
HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS? WE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING MENTIONED IT ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT IN THE RFP TO BUY ALL THREE PROPERTIES WITH POTENTIAL APPROVAL OF THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT.
WILL. WILL THAT AFFECT? WELL, I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY.
I THINK IT WILL AFFECT THOSE OTHER TWO PODS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND REALLY POSSIBLY EVEN THE ROAD SOUTH OF 91ST, THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH OF 91ST. BECAUSE THE VALUATION I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OF OF OF THE OF THE OF THE HOMES.
SO DO WE DO WE FEEL THAT I MEAN, AS A, AS A DEVELOPER, I'D, I'D WANT TO BUY ALL THREE TO MAKE THE ECONOMICS OF, OF ALL OF THAT WORK. AND I'M CONCERNED THAT SELLING OFF THE MOST PRISTINE TOP OF THE ROCK PARCEL IN THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS. AND THE WAY I KNOW THAT I DID TOUR IT AND WALKED WITH MY WIFE AND MY DOGS THE
[05:25:10]
OTHER DAY, AND IT IS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL. AND SOME NEIGHBOR DID MENTION THAT WHEN YOU KIND OF WALK INTO THAT AREA, YOU'RE KIND OF IN NATURE.AND I WOW, I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF IT THAT WAY. AND BUT I DID SEE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SITE.
AND THIS IS A PREDOMINANT, HILL, PREDOMINANT ARCHITECTURE OF THE SITE.
IT'S REALLY PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST HILLS IN THAT AREA, AND KIND OF A GATEWAY TO THE, TO THE, TO THE PARK. I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER TWO PARCELS AND SOUTH OF 91ST, WHETHER THAT EVEN EVER OCCURS.
SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT ALL THREE PARCELS HAVE BEEN FOR SALE SINCE 2015, AND NO ONE'S BOUGHT THEM ALL. AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN BUYING BOTH PODS. WE MAY HAVE FOLKS WHO COME TO US AND WANT TO BUY ONE POD.
WHAT? WHERE WE GO FROM HERE? I'LL TELL YOU JUST ANECDOTALLY, AND THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ANECDOTE, BUT BUT A DEVELOPER CALLED ME YESTERDAY TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN PODS B AND C, SO THAT'S JUST AN ANECDOTE, BUT I'M SHARING IT. THANK YOU. OKAY.
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE DELIBERATIONS AND START WORKING ON A MOTION? YES. AVERY. GO AHEAD. SURE. YEAH. OH. THANK YOU.
FIRSTLY, I WANT TO SAY I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYONE THAT'S COME OUT TONIGHT AND PARTICULARLY HERE HOW WE'VE SEEN A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR LENEXA.
AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE SEEING WHAT THIS APPLICANT HAS HAS PUT BEFORE COUNCIL.
I'D SAY AS IT RELATES TO THE CRITERIA AND PARTICULARLY AGAIN, THE, THE REZONING OF THIS LAND, I THINK IF IT'S IN CONFORMANCE REALLY TO OUR MASTER PLANS.
SO SEEING AGAIN WHAT WE HAVE INTENDED TO DO WITH THAT LAND, I THINK THIS THIS MAKES SENSE.
AND IT IS, IN MY OPINION AGAIN, ALIGNED WITH THE NEARBY ZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL.
SO AND I BELIEVE, AGAIN, THIS IS A. GOOD PROPOSAL.
AND I THINK IN THAT IN THAT WAY. AND FORGIVE ME BECAUSE I'M NEW TO TO COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW IF AT THIS POINT WE INDIVIDUALLY EXPRESS HOW WE INTEND TO VOTE OR IF IT'S JUST AFTER, I THINK, JUST STATING WHICH GOLDEN CRITERIA YOU BELIEVE ARE IN CONFORMANCE, THAT SORT OF GIVES US AN IDEA.
GOT IT. YEAH. NO. AND SO AGAIN, I CERTAINLY THINK I'VE LISTED A COUPLE, BUT THERE ARE A FEW OTHERS THAT I BELIEVE STAFF PRESENTED THAT I AGREE WITH. I THINK CAN YOU BE SPECIFIC, PLEASE? YES. NO. I'M SORRY. SHOULD I JUST SAY H AGAIN? FROM THE MASTER PLAN UTILIZED BY THE CITY, I THINK THAT THAT'S IN COORDINATION WITH THAT THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
A AND B, THE ZONING FOR NEARBY. I AGREE WITH ALL OF THOSE.
THIS PROJECT REALLY PRESENTS A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.
ONE OF THE. IT'S A NATIONAL CRISIS RIGHT NOW WITH ATTAINABLE HOUSING. JOHNSON COUNTY AND LENEXA ARE NO DIFFERENT.
AND THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS. THAT JUST SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE A HOME RIGHT NOW. OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE TO DOWNSIZE.
AND I'VE SPOKEN TO SO MANY CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE GETTING AGED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE THING I HEAR THE MOST ABOUT.
[05:30:04]
AND. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS SURROUNDED BY OTHER RBP1 DEVELOPMENTS, AND IN MY OPINION, THAT DOES FIT THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DWELLING, AND WE WENT THROUGH DWELLING CLASSIFICATIONS FOR A WHILE, BUT THIS DOES, IN MY OPINION, CONFORM WITH THE CODE. IT IS ONE STEP ALPHABETICALLY DOWN.
AND AGAIN, IF WE LOOK AT THE ZONING AND THE USE OF SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S TWO RIGHT THERE. THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE ZONING AND THE USE UNDER GOLDEN CRITERIA THAT, IN MY OPINION, ARE SATISFIED WITH THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION.
I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST FOR ME, AND WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THIS IS, IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OUR VISION 2040.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THAT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE VISION STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE, AND THIS WAS SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MAKING TO UPDATE THIS, AND IT INVOLVED THREE YEARS PLUS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT VERY CLEARLY STATES THAT A VARIETY OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING CHOICES ARE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, NO MATTER THEIR STAGE OF LIFE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, OR PHYSICAL ABILITY.
ONE OF THE GOALS, AGAIN, SUPPORT A DIVERSE RANGE OF HOUSING TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.
IT'S MENTIONED A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE GOALS WE WANT TO BE WELCOMING.
LENEXA IS A WELCOMING CITY, NOT EXCLUSIVE. AND AND PUSHING.
CERTAIN TYPES OF HOMES OUT OF THE ABILITY TO LIVE IN LENEXA.
THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. AND WE SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY.
WE ARE A VERY INCLUSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, A VERY INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, AND A VERY INCLUSIVE CITY.
AND, I MEAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REFERENCES IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND I THINK THIS APPLICATION CONFORMS TO THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS, IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT OR ANY OTHER DEVELOPER THAT WOULD BE COMING BEFORE US. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME UNIFIED DEVELOPMENTAL, EXCUSE ME, DEVELOPMENT CODE REGULATIONS AS ANY OTHER SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS APPLICATION SATISFIES A NUMBER OF THE GOLDEN CRITERIA. CRAIG. I ALSO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT I AND MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED OVER ABOUT THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
I DIDN'T COUNT THEM, BUT SOMEBODY DID 800 PAGES WORTH OF CORRESPONDENCE.
AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND DIGEST THE CORRESPONDENCE, AND I'VE LISTENED TO THE 99 PEOPLE WHO SPOKE THIS EVENING AND OFFERED, I THINK, VERY SINCERE, VERY HEARTFELT OPINIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT. I'VE REVIEWED THE PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET IN THE CITY COUNCIL PACKET AND LISTENED TO THE PRESENTATIONS BY THE APPLICANT AND BY OUR STAFF AND I.
REVIEWED ALL OF THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GOLDEN CRITERIA.
CRAIG, CAN YOU GIVE US A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF WHICH CRITERIA, PLEASE? WELL, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING AND USE OF NEARBY PROPERTIES.
[05:35:07]
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE ANY DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS.PROPERTY HAS BEEN VACANT FOR QUITE A WHILE. SO OUR STAFF CERTAINLY RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE SAFETY IN THE STREET NETWORK.
OKAY. THANK YOU. CHRIS. I THINK THIS PROJECT CARRIES A LOT OF BURDENS THAT OTHER PROJECTS MIGHT, MIGHT NOT CARRY.
YOU KNOW, WE APPROVED A DEVELOPMENT IN DECEMBER, AND IT WAS VERY UNCONTROVERSIAL UNCONTROVERSIAL.
EXCUSE ME. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE PROJECT.
AND SO WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO IS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S REQUIRED OF OF US FROM YOU KNOW, THE GOLDEN CRITERIA, BOTH WHAT THE COURT SAID AND WHAT WE, THE CITY ADDED.
BECAUSE I THINK WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DELIVER ON THE PROMISES THAT ARE ARTICULATED IN VISION 2040. AND I KNOW IT'S A PLATFORM THAT MANY OF US RAN ON TO EXPLORE WAYS TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO JUST RELY ON THE FACT THAT, HEY, IT FEELS GOOD.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE YOU KNOW, STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT. AND THAT'S LETTER G ON THE GOLDEN CRITERIA CHART WE HAVE THERE.
THE PROJECT ALSO CONFORMS WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MASTER PARK PLAN. AND AGAIN IT MIGHT NOT BE EXPLICITLY LISTED IN VISION 2040, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY THERE IN SPIRIT.
AND I DON'T THINK IT REQUIRES A PARTICULARLY BROAD READING OF, OF THAT DOCUMENT.
THE ZONING AND USES OF NEARBY PROPERTIES THE PROJECT IS COMPATIBLE.
IT'S GOT THE SAME ZONING. THE HOUSE STYLE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND I KNOW WE'VE, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE PROJECT IS SUITABLE FOR THIS PIECE OF LAND.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE PROJECT, WHEN THE WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS BOUGHT IN 2015 CITY STAFF DREW THREE PODS OF, OF HOUSES. NOW, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S SET IN STONE? THAT THAT'S WHAT IT IS. NOT NECESSARILY, BUT I THINK IT FITS IN WELL WITH THE DIRECTION THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN STAFF SINCE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL. AND AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO MEET THAT STANDARD OF, OF OF EVIDENCE, WHICH IS WHY I WAS ASKING LINDSAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT EVIDENCE? YOU KNOW, CAN SHE PRESENT? BUT ALSO, I THINK WE HAVE TO ASK FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT US TO DELAY. HAVE THEY FULLY PRESENTED THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY WILL BE HARMED? NOW, I'M NOT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOT A LAWYER.
BUT I DID SOME ACADEMIC RESEARCH, AND MOST OF THE DOCUMENTS I FOUND SEEM TO SUGGEST THAT THERE'S POSITIVES FROM THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, AND IT'S PROBABLY HOW A LOT OF OTHER PROJECTS ARE, ARE ARE EVALUATED.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO THIS ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, THERE ARE DIRECT JOBS AND INDIRECT JOBS.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN ANTICIPATION OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY, ETCETERA, ETCETERA.
AND SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DRIVING MY THINKING AROUND THAT THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT WE SHOULD APPROVE AND THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD THAT WE DID.
SO THANK YOU. CHRIS. BILL. THANK YOU. MAYOR.
[05:40:12]
THE THE PROJECT THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE APPROVED, THAT WE APPROVED IN DECEMBER.EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE THE SAME CLASSIFICATION. SO MY, MY POINTS TONIGHT, I HAVE COMMENTS ON ITEM FOUR. ITEM FOUR IN GOLDEN.
AND ALSO HOW ITEM FOUR IN GOLDEN RELATES TO US POTENTIALLY SELLING THE LAND.
ITEM FOUR, ASK US THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PROPOSED USE WILL DETRIMENTALLY AFFECT NEARBY PROPERTY.
WELL, I THINK IT WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT NEARBY PROPERTY.
THE APPLICANT'S ITEM HAS GENERATED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THE ONE THAT MOST CAPTURED MY THOUGHTS WAS A FOREWORD FOR FOREWORD COMMENT FROM MR. SIX, WHEN HE WROTE EARLY. IT'S ALL IN THE PACKET WHEN HE WROTE THINK ABOUT FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
I AGREE FIRST IMPRESSIONS. THE APPLICANTS HOUSES THAT ARE PROPOSED AND DEPICTED IN THE PACKET ARE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING AREA HOUSES.
THEY DO NOT FIT THE CONTEXT NOR THE FABRIC OF THE AREA, AND THEY CREATE A FIRST AND LASTING IMPRESSION WHICH AFFECTS PROPERTY VALUES. THE STAFF REPORT TELLS US THIS DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT.
THIS DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT IMPACT NEARBY HOME VALUES.
THAT'S. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN OPINION. I HAVE AN OPINION.
MY OPINION IS THAT IT WILL AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES BY THE HOUSES THAT ARE DEPICTED IN THE PACKET. THE STAFF REPORT TELLS US THE PROPOSED HOUSES ARE A CLASSIFICATION.
D IT TELLS US THAT ARBOR LAKE, JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST IS A D.
IT SHOWS US ON THE MAP THAT CREEKSIDE TO THE SOUTH IS AN E, AN EVEN LOWER CLASSIFICATION THAN THE PROPOSAL AND ARBOR LAKE. ALL OF THAT IS TRUE TO SQUARE FOOTAGE.
BUT WHAT DO THE HOUSES IN ARBOR LAKE AND CREEKSIDE LOOK LIKE? I'M SURE THE ARCHITECT ON MY LEFT HERE HAS A BETTER PHRASE.
I MEAN, SCOTT AND MARK TALKED ABOUT MASSING AND SCALE AND OTHER STUFF, SO I'M SURE THEY HAVE BETTER PHRASES, BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO USE IS MORE ESTHETIC. AND WHAT I MEAN IS THAT ARBOR LAKE AND CREEKSIDE, INDIVIDUAL HOUSES, THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSES HAVE VARIETY, THEY HAVE FACADES, THEY HAVE FACADES AND ROOF LINES THAT VARY, HAVE FACADES THAT GO IN AND OUT, IN AND OUT.
WE GOT ROOF LINES THAT ARE MULTIPLE BREAKS IN THE ROOF LINE.
THEY VARY A LOT. THEY DO NOT TEND TO LOOK FLAT.
THE ROOF LINES ON EACH HOUSE. MULTIPLE BREAKS AND I THINK THAT MAKES THEM MORE ATTRACTIVE, MORE APPEALING, AND YEAH, MORE ATTRACTIVE AND MORE APPEALING AND MORE ESTHETIC.
THE DEPICTED HOUSES HAVE A TOTAL OF 5 OR 6 OF THESE BREAKS AND IN AND OUT FACADES. THE CREEK SIDES DOUBLE THAT.
[05:45:03]
THE ARBOR LAKES AT MINIMUM DOUBLE THAT, AND IN SOME CASES TRIPLE IT.TO ME, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. THE APPLICANT IF THE APPLICANT TWEAKED AND DEPICTED AND BUILT THEIR HOUSES TO BE MORE ESTHETIC AND APPEAR SIMILAR, I THINK, TO ARBOR LAKE AND CREEKSIDE, THAT THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAYS TOWARDS GAINING APPROVAL FOR THIS PROJECT.
WITHOUT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, I DON'T SEE HOW WE IN GOOD FAITH CAN APPROVE THIS PLAN AND THIS REZONING. FINALLY, TONIGHT WE FIND OURSELVES WEARING TWO HATS, ONE HAT. AS THE CITY COUNCIL. WE ASK, DO WE APPROVE THE REZONING AND THE PLAN? THE SECOND HAT IS AS OWNERS OF THE LAND AND WE ASK OURSELVES, HAVE WE COLLECTIVELY HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW A SALE OF THIS LAND WILL AFFECT NEARBY PROPERTY? WE, THE CITY, ARE A NEARBY PROPERTY OWNER AND WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION AS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF HOW JUST SELLING ONE THIRD OF THE PROPERTY WE WANT TO SELL, THAT'S NOT PARKLAND.
HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO SELL THE OTHER TWO PODS OF PROPERTY.
I'M GLAD, BECKY, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, MAYOR. I'M GLAD BECKY GAVE US SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.
I REMEMBER WHEN WHEN CRAIG GAVE ME SOME HISTORY TONIGHT ON THE ON THAT WHOLE CENTENNIAL PARK.
THE. YEAH. THE WHOLE SOUTH SIDE CATALPA TREES.
WE GOT TO BUY HALF A STREET FROM BLACKMAN TO THE CATALPA GROVE.
THEY DIDN'T SAY IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S HOW IT WENT.
AND YEAH, YOU OWN HALF OF IT. YOU BUY HALF THE STREET.
THANK YOU. BECKY WE NEED TO CONSIDER, WITH ALL THE PUBLICITY, FRANKLY, ALL THE PUBLICITY SURROUNDING THIS, WE AS THE OWNERS NEED TO CONSIDER. PERHAPS THERE ARE DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE NOW HEARD ABOUT IT AND WOULD BE WILLING TO BUY THE WHOLE 54 ACRES, AND AT WHAT PRICE WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO BUY IT? OR EVEN AT WHAT PRICE THEY'D BE WILLING TO BUY THE 17 ACRES.
ONCE WE DECIDE THAT WE WANT TO SELL 17 RATHER THAN THE WHOLE 54, AND IF WE ONLY SELL THE 17, DO WE REALLY WANT TO SELL THE OTHER 34 AFTER WE SELL THE 17? WE HEARD WE HEARD ALL KINDS OF COMMENTS WRITTEN.
AND TONIGHT, HOW MUCH PEOPLE REALLY LOVE THAT PARK.
SO. MAYBE WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR MINDS ON 54 AND JUST GO WITH THE 17.
THAT THOSE ARE QUESTIONS WE, AS THE OWNERS SHOULD BE ASKING OURSELVES.
AND THERE WERE EVEN A LOT OF NON LENEXA LIKE IN THE PARK.
AND IF WE APPROVED THIS PLAN ON THE 17 ACRES WITH THE HOUSES THAT ARE DEPICTED TO LOOK SO DIFFERENT FROM ARBOR LAKES AND CREEKSIDE, HOW WILL THAT AFFECT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OUT WEST? WE, THE OWNERS OF THE LAND, HAVE NOT HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE NEED TO SLOW THIS DOWN AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT A PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF US, JUST AS THE LANDOWNERS. WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO? LENEXA IS A DESIRABLE LOCATION.
DESIRABLE LOCATION. THERE'S NO HURRY TO SELL THE LAND.
[05:50:06]
IT'S BEEN FOR SALE FOR EIGHT YEARS. LENEXA IS GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER.AND THIS LAND IS PRIME LAND NEXT TO A PARK. LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL HOUSES NEXT TO THE PARK THAT WE SWAPPED LAND FOR JUST RECENTLY. OUT ON THE END OF PRAIRIE STAR PARKWAY.
DO YOU REMEMBER, LIKE I DO, HOW THE HOMES IN PARKHURST JUST FLEW OFF THE MARKET BECAUSE THEY WERE NEXT TO SHAWNEE MISSION PARK. AND LOOK AT THE HOMES BEING BUILT AROUND BLACKHOOF PARK.
JUST BEAUTIFUL. JUST BEAUTIFUL. THIS IS PRIME LAND NEXT TO A PARK.
WE CAN WAIT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE SALE AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES INTO THIS LAND FITS AND RESPECTS THE CONTEXT AND THE FABRIC OF THE AREA. I. WE JUST GOT TO SLOW DOWN.
THANK YOU. MAYOR. JOHN. MICHAEL, CAN I ASK YOU.
CAN I ASK YOU A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? BILL? YEAH.
SO YOU MENTIONED REALLY KIND OF BOILING THIS DOWN.
IS THAT BOILING IT DOWN SUCCINCTLY, ACCURATELY? I, I THINK SO THAT ESPECIALLY IN COMPARISON TO NEIGHBORING SUBDIVISIONS ARBOR LAKES AND CREEKSIDE.
OKAY. THOSE ARE THESE AND EASE AS IS. I THINK THEY'RE D A D AND E.
SCOTT. GOD, I HOPE THEY ARE. YEAH. AS OPPOSED TO UNCLASSIFIED CLEAR CREEK ESTATES THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY FALL UNDER DEF. YEAH. SO YOU'RE FINE WITH COMPARING IT TO A LOT OF OTHER SUBDIVISIONS? NOT THE ONE THAT'S ALSO RIGHT THERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M FOLLOWING THIS.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. THE SOUTHERN DIVISIONS.
I MEAN, THOSE WERE BUILT IN THE 70S, PROBABLY, OR THE 60S.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WERE BUILT, BUT THE THE CREEKSIDE AND THE ARBOR LAKES, THOSE ARE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN I SAY RIGHT NOW, THAT'S TEN, 12, 15 YEARS RIGHT NOW, I GUESS WHERE I STRUGGLE WITH THAT LINE OF LOGIC IS THE AGE OF THE STRUCTURES DOESN'T IMPACT THE CLASSIFICATION OF THOSE STRUCTURES.
AND IF YOUR CONCERN GOES BACK TO RESALE VALUE, THEN YEAH, IF I'M GOING THROUGH I'M ALSO LOOKING AT CLEAR CREEK ESTATES OR I'M ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE KIND OF LEGACY PROPERTIES THAT AREN'T IN ONE OF THOSE SUBDIVISIONS, AND SUDDENLY MY OPINION OF THE WHOLE AREA IS OFF.
I MEAN, TO ME, LIKE LIVING, YOU KNOW, EAST OF 435, IF WE ARE ONLY COMFORTABLE WITH SAME CLASSIFICATION, SAME LOOK, MY HOME WOULDN'T BE WHERE IT IS BECAUSE IT CAME EITHER AFTER SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER AND MUCH QUOTE UNQUOTE NICER, OR IT CAME AFTER SOMETHING THAT'S SMALLER AND QUOTE UNQUOTE LESS NICE.
AND SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE REALLY SHOULDN'T ALLOW FOR A DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION TYPE RIGHT THERE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CODE SPECIFICATIONS? DO WE FOLLOW OUR OWN CODE IS WHAT I'M ASKING.
WELL, I'M, I'M, I'M I'M SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR CODE, BUT THOSE THOSE HOUSES IN ARBOR LAKE AND CREEKSIDE DO NOT LOOK LIKE ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE HOUSES THAT ARE DEPICTED IN THE PACKET, AND TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH. THOSE ARE LARGE, LARGE LOTS WITH OUTBUILDINGS THAT IT JUST IT IT JUST LOOKS LIKE IT'S A SUBDIVISION THAT IS SO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAT IF I COULD MAYBE SAY IT A DIFFERENT WAY, LIKE OUR FORMER MAYOR USED TO, IF ALL THIS LAND WAS FLAT AND YOU WERE STANDING AT 91ST STREET AND YOU LOOKED OUT ON ALL OF THEM, YOU COULD SEE ALL OF THEM EQUALLY. YOU WOULD HAVE MIXED VALUES, MIXED ESTHETICS OF THE HOUSING THAT'S OUT THERE.
THERE IS SOME THAT IS MORE ARCHITECTURALLY TO YOUR STANDARDS.
YOU HAVE THE OLDER HOMES THAT WERE BUILT BEFORE THE CITY WAS ANNEXED.
SO IN IN THAT CRITERIA, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS A MIXED BAG.
WE CAN'T CHERRY PICK WHICH ONES WE SEE IN THAT VIEW.
[05:55:05]
MAYBE JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION, BILL. THERE'S A LANDSCAPE BUFFER.THERE'S AN EIGHT FOOT BLACK ARCHITECTURAL FENCE PROPOSED.
THIS IS A CUL DE SAC OF 50 HOMES. THERE IS ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
WELL, I, I, I THINK IT WOULD CHANGE MY IMPRESSION.
AND WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR, I SEE THE WORLD.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD CHANGE AN AWFUL LOT OF IMPRESSIONS AS YOU DRIVE.
DRIVE NORTH ON CLARE AND YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT.
YEAH. THANK YOU JOHN. I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
I CAN EITHER LET MARK GO OR I CAN JUST GO THROUGH MINE.
OKAY. I MEAN, I'LL GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE GOLDEN CRITERIA.
I WHOLLY DISAGREE THAT THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T FIT WHAT'S PROPOSED HERE.
EAST LENEXA LOOKING A LOT DIFFERENT FROM WEST LENEXA.
THEY'RE RANGING IN AREA OR GROSS SQUARE FLOOR OF OTHER HOMES IN THE AREA WITHIN A HALF MILE.
AS WE LOOK AT THE ZONING AND USE OF PROPERTIES NEARBY, THEY'RE ALL RESIDENTIAL.
AGAIN, PLEASE STOP WITH THE COMMENTARY WHILE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SPEAKING.
THE ZONING AND USE OF PROPERTIES NEARBY. IT'S HOUSING, SO IT'S APPROPRIATE IN MY MIND, WHETHER IT'S THIS PROPOSAL OR WHETHER IT'S YOUR HOMES THAT SOMEHOW GET, YOU KNOW, FOUR ACRES EACH, IT'S RESIDENTIAL.
THAT GOLDEN CRITERIA IS FULFILLED, THE SUITABILITY OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
IT DOES COME INTO THAT QUESTION, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SAYING THAT WE WANT THIS FOR SALE AS 17 OR 30 4 OR 51 ACRES? THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THAT IS THAT THE CITY SAID IN 2015, WE'RE OPEN TO SELLING THIS MANY ACRES.
THAT SAYS US AS A CITY, WE CAN'T BE TRUSTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR WORD.
CONFORMANCE WITH THE COMP PLAN. YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE FOR THE 2022 THROUGH 2024 PROCESS.
I THINK I MET SOME FOLKS IN THE ROOM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND SO I THINK WHILE YEAH, THERE CERTAINLY WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR MAKING SURE CONTINUALLY THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT PORTIONS OF THIS LAND ARE OPEN FOR SALE. AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AS WE SOUGHT THAT PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
AND SO, YEAH, I CERTAINLY THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN CONVERSATIONS AROUND PODS B AND C.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE SAID THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN TERMS OF SELLING THIS PROPERTY.
OKAY. SO FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS, I THINK I'VE READ EMAILS AND EMAILS AND EMAILS AND EMAILS.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT.
ONE IS THE APPLICATION FOR LAND USE AND AFTER THAT THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH TO ME HOLD TWO DIFFERENT CRITERIA AT FACE VALUE. THIS APPLICATION IS VERY CLEAN WHEN IT COMES TO FEWER
[06:00:06]
DEVIATIONS THAN OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS. FOR OTHER ONE IT MATCHES THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR SUBURBAN DENSITY. IT'S SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, AND MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE GETTING RIGHT NOW ARE ABOUT HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. AND I FEEL LIKE MAYBE THERE'S EVEN AN INCONSISTENCY WITH WHAT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE SHARED WITH ME ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE VERSUS WHAT THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE. IN THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT I FELT LIKE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE OTHER THAN JUST NO.IF THE CITY DIDN'T OWN THIS PROPERTY, THIS APPLICATION WOULD HAVE COME THROUGH.
AND IT BEEN A PRETTY CLEAN APPLICATION. THERE'S NO SUBSIDIES, THERE'S NO WAIVERS, THERE'S NO INCENTIVES, THERE'S NO. AND SO FROM THAT ASPECT I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A DECENT APPLICATION AS FAR AS GOLDMAN IS CONCERNED.
IT'S RBP1 FOR ME. IT FITS THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE NOT DEVIATING FROM THAT. I FEEL LIKE IT'S ON A COLLECTOR, WHICH WOULD HAVE A BUFFER.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN GOING THROUGH THIS, WE'VE GOT THE ZONING MATCHES, THE SUITABILITY FOR THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS GO, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF INVESTMENT ON THE WETLANDS. AND I FEEL LIKE THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT HAS A HIGHER BURDEN THAN ANY OTHER APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THIS ARE WITHHELD.
THE SECOND PART OF THIS IS THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THIS IS WHERE I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE VALID CONCERNS AROUND NEIGHBORS ARE HAVING IN REGARDS TO THE PROCESS. BECAUSE WE OWN THE PROPERTY, IT BECOMES A DIFFERENT SET OF CRITERIA PER SE WHEN IT COMES TO JUST MAKING THAT STRICTLY LAND USE DECISION, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCRETION.
AND WITH THAT, I'VE GONE BACK TO WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THE CITY? AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE SAID FROM 2018 THAT THESE PARCELS WERE UP FOR SALE WITH THE RFP. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY IS DISPUTING THAT.
I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AROUND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VERSUS WHAT THE PARK MASTER PLAN IS, AND, AND IS USED AS. AND I THINK TONIGHT WE'VE HEARD THE HISTORY OF THE PARK BOARD AND THE SITE ACQUISITION.
AND WHAT IS WAS THE INTENTION OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY? I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS JUST ABOUT LIKE, FROM WHAT BILL SAID, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY.
THIS IS A WHAT DOES THE CITY WANT TO SEE WHEN IT GOES TO FULFILL THE VISION OF 2040? AND ONE OF THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME, EVER SINCE BEFORE I RAN FOR OFFICE, WAS HAVING DIVERSE HOUSING, AND THAT WAS FOR EVERYBODY.
INCOMES AGES, STAGES OF LIFE. WHEN? MOST OF US BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOUSES AND WE CAME INTO THE HOUSING MARKET. THE INTEREST RATES WERE NOT WHAT THEY ARE TODAY.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION ISN'T WHAT THEY ARE TODAY.
PEOPLE AREN'T STARTING FROM THE SAME PLACE. EVEN IN DOING ALL THE THINGS RIGHT, YOU WORKING HARDER ISN'T GETTING YOU FURTHER AHEAD NOW THAN IT DID 15 YEARS AGO. AND WE HAVE A HOUSING SHORTAGE AND WE'VE SEEN THAT SINCE 2000.
WELL, PRIOR TO COVID WE SAW HOUSING SHORTAGE THAT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT WE ALSO SAW THAT STAGNATE DURING COVID BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T MOVING, WHICH THEN SPIKED ALL OF OUR PROPERTY VALUES, WHICH THEN CREATED A BUBBLE, WHICH THEN ALSO AGAIN THE NEED FOR MORE HOUSING.
[06:05:03]
SO WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS TO INCREASE THE HOUSING STOCK IN THE CITY AND HAVE TRIED TO BE REALLY CREATIVE AROUND EXPLORING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR PROVIDING THESE OPTIONS.AND FRANKLY, OUR CITY IS GROWING AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING, WHICH IS DRIVING THE PRICES UP.
WHAT PEOPLE PAY IN RENT HERE IS CRAZY. AND WHAT PEOPLE PAY IN DAYCARE IS EVEN CRAZIER.
YOU HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY, OR YOU HAVE A SINGLE PERSON WITH A COUPLE OF KIDS, OR YOU HAVE EVEN A NEWLY ENTERED, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAKES $70,000 A YEAR, WHOSE WIFE OR SPOUSE STAYS HOME WITH THEIR TWO KIDS BECAUSE DAYCARE IS GOING TO COST $35,000. AND THAT IS REAL.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS ALIGNS WITH THE MISSION THAT VISION 2040 SETS OUT.
IT ALIGNS WITH THE COMP PLAN, AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TONIGHT.
MARK. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO SCOTT AND SOME OF THE STAFF AND BECKY ABOUT DOING MY DISSERTATION EARLY ON. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GET SOME CLARIFICATIONS OUT THERE, AND I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS MY CONCERNS.
BILL, BILL TOOK STOLE A LOT OF MY THUNDER IN REGARDS TO ARCHITECTURAL TERMS, ESTHETICS.
I'VE GOT A SON AND AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO BE PROPOSING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND IN A NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BUY A HOUSE.
BUT NOT ONCE DID THEY SAY WE'RE LOOKING IN LENEXA.
NOT ONCE. THEY WERE REALISTIC AND THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING ELSEWHERE.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING ON ZILLOW. IT'S $200,000, HOMES.
HE'S A HAPPY KID. HE CAN REMODEL. HE CAN BUY A $200,000 HOME.
SO THIS MISNOMER THAT THINGS AREN'T AFFORDABLE IS A MISNOMER BECAUSE THERE'S HUNDREDS OF HOUSES ON ZILLOW FOR SALE RIGHT NOW FOR $200,000. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL TERMS OF LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AND WHERE YOU WHERE, WHERE YOU LIVE.
I'VE NEVER REALLY EQUATED TO HAVING TO LIVE IN LENEXA AND WORK HERE.
WHEREVER I'VE WORKED, I'VE TRAVELED TO THAT. I BOUGHT A HOUSE HERE IN LENEXA BECAUSE OF ACCESS.
I WE HAVE 1900 CITIZENS THAT THIS THAT I HAVE CONCERN OF THIS DEVELOPMENT. I THINK WE ARE HERE AS A CITY COUNCIL.
REPRESENT THOSE 1900 FOLKS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WE AS A CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE AD ASTRA POOL.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THIS IS CONCERNING, VERY SIGNIFICANT.
AND NOT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE HAS MENTIONED 1900 PEOPLE.
I JUST CAN'T GET OVER IT. I CAN'T GET OVER IT.
AFTER AFTER THIS. AFTER THE STATE OF THE CITY.
TODAY, I TOOK A DRIVE. I TOOK A DRIVE OUT AND BUY THIS.
JUST TOOK MY TIME. I WAS GETTING READY TO DRIVE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I NOTICED TWO SIGNS, THE TIMBERS AND THE PRICE OF THEIR HOMES. AND THEN I NOTICED THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD.
I NEVER GET THESE NAMES RIGHT. PRAIRIE VIEW, ANOTHER SIGN 500 $800,000 HOMES.
IT REALLY ALLOWED THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THEIR JUDGMENT.
THERE IS JUDGMENT IN THIS. IT ALLOWED THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO TAKE A JUDGMENT TO VERIFY AND CONFIRM CLASSIFICATIONS BASED ON IF THIS IS IN HARMONY WITH SURROUNDING AREAS.
THAT IS SUCH A BROAD TERM. I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN HARMONY WITH THIS AREA.
[06:10:07]
I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.LENEXA ARE FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. BUT WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO BE ALSO FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT CURRENTLY LIVE IN LENEXA. SO I ADAMANTLY FEEL WE AS A CITY COUNCIL NEED TO REASSESS THINGS. WE NEED TO STOP THIS THING ALL AT ONCE AND REEVALUATE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AS A, AS A AS A CITY COUNCIL IN LOOKING OUT FOR OUR CITIZENS.
IN REGARDS TO THE GOLDEN CRITERIA. THERE'S NUMEROUS ITEMS AND WHETHER CHARACTER AND WHETHER IT'S ZONING OR APPEARANCE OR VALUATION, THERE'S A LOT TO CHARACTER SUITABILITY.
THERE'S A THERE'S SUBJECT ISSUES IN REGARDLESS OF SUITABILITY.
THIS WILL THIS WILL BILL TALKED ABOUT IMPRESSION.
HE TALKED ABOUT IMPRESSION. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT IMPRESSION IS A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT.
111 CITIZEN ASKED, WOULD YOU BUILD A HOME NEXT TO THIS? I'VE GOT A QUESTION THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY SPOKE TONIGHT.
BUT THEY'RE QUESTIONING TRANSPARENCY. AND LET'S UNDERSTAND MAKE SURE WE'VE DONE THINGS RIGHT.
SO I THINK BACK TO BACK TO DIA, I THINK THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL DETRIMENTALLY AFFECT THE VALUATION, THE MARKET VALUATIONS OF THESE HOMES. I MEAN E LINKED TO THE TIME THE SUBJECT PROPERTY HAS REMAINED VACANT.
EVERYBODY'S SAYING THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT IT WELL.
I MEAN, WE DON'T NEED TO SELL THAT LAND. WE DO NOT NEED TO SELL THE LAND.
WE OWN IT. I'D LIKE TO HOLD ON TO IT. AND I ACTUALLY DID TOUR THAT PARK THE OTHER DAY AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, I'M GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK. AND THE RELATIVE GAIN TO PUBLIC HEALTH, I THINK THE RELATIVE GAIN TO PUBLIC HEALTH IS IN 1900 PEOPLE. IT'S IN ME. I CAME IN HERE WORRIED ABOUT MY HEALTH, STRESSED ABOUT THIS, NOT GETTING ANY SLEEP, WONDERING IF I'M GOING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I REMEMBER WE JUST HAD A CITY COUNCIL RETREAT JUST THIS RECENTLY.
AND I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THIS IS WE HAD A LITTLE CRITERIA, A LITTLE TEST TO KIND OF SEE WHAT CATEGORY WE FIT IN AS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY COUNCIL AND I FIT IN THE UPHOLDER GROUP.
IT MEETS OUR EXPECTATION. IT ALSO MEETS INNER EXPECTATIONS.
WELL, MY OUTER EXPECTATION IS I'M GOING TO UPHOLD THE STANDARDS THAT WE'VE ALREADY ADHERED TO IN THE CITY, UPHOLD THE OUTER EXPECTATION OF WHAT THE 1900 CITIZENS IN LENEXA EXPECT OF US.
AND THE LAST ONE IS MEET MY EXPECTATIONS. I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO DO THIS FOR GLAMOR SHOW.
I SIGNED UP TO REPRESENT MY CITIZENS IN LENEXA.
THANK YOU. AS A PART OF MY PROCESS FOR EVALUATING ALL OF THIS, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE RECEIVED.
I WENT BACK AND DID A FULL REREAD OF VISION 2040, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND OUR PARKS MASTER PLAN, AND I JOINED THE CITY IN 2019, JUST AFTER THIS FIRST DOCUMENT WAS AUTHORED.
SO I WASN'T PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT ON THE FIRST PAGE, IT SAYS MORE THAN 3500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE LENEXA 2040 PROCESS AT 50 COMMUNITY EVENTS, WITH MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE JOINING THE STEERING COMMITTEE AT FOUR DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS.
AND ONE OF THE PILLARS THAT THOSE 3500 PEOPLE CAME UP WITH IN 2019 WAS HOUSING CHOICES FOR ALL PEOPLE AND ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING RANGES AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM.
[06:15:04]
IN 2021, I WAS APPOINTED BY MAYOR BOEHM TO SERVE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE, AND I WAS THERE FOR ALL THREE YEARS OF THAT PROCESS WHERE WE HAD MULTIPLE INTERNAL WORKSHOPS.WE HAD PUBLIC WORKSHOPS IN THIS ROOM WHERE WE PRINTED ALL OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SCENARIOS, AND WE INVITED THE PUBLIC DOWN TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THOSE MAPS.
AND ONE OF THE MAPS PUBLISHED IN THAT BOOK IS AN AREA OF CHANGE MAP THAT INCLUDES THIS AREA.
THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT PODS THAT SHOW VERY CLEARLY ON THAT AREA OF CHANGE MAP, AND THAT WAS IN CONVERSATION IN FOR THREE YEARS. WHILE THAT PROCESS WAS TAKING PLACE, WE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS AS A CITY COUNCIL AT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETINGS, WE HAD A JOINT SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DISCUSS.
AND MOST OF THE CONTENT OF THAT MEETING WAS AROUND WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO ABOUT HOUSING, BECAUSE AT THE TIME, WE WERE RECEIVING A LOT OF HEAT ABOUT MULTIFAMILY, AND PEOPLE WERE TIRED OF MULTIFAMILY.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT NOT BUILDING SINGLE FAMILY, AS COURTNEY RECALLS.
FAST FORWARD THEN TO 2023 AND 2024 AGAIN, THE PROCESS TOOK ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
WE INVITED PEOPLE DOWN TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK, AND THERE WERE ONLY THREE COMMENTS FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ON WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN TO THAT PARK. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS, BUT I'M LOOKING COMPREHENSIVELY AT THE LAST SEVEN YEARS OF WHAT WE'VE SAID AND WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS SAID.
THEY WANTED YOU, YOU PUT ON TOP OF THAT THE ELECTIONS IN 2019, 2021, 2023 AND NOW 2025, AND THE SHAWNEE MISSION POST HAS ASKED ALL NINE OF US, WHERE DO WE STAND ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY ASKS US EVERY ELECTION CYCLE.
WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR OWN COMMUNITY MEMBERS THIS IS A CRISIS.
SO WHEN WE COME TO YOU TONIGHT, AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, ALL THINGS EXIST ON A SPECTRUM.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE SUCCESS IN BOTH.
I THINK THAT YOU CAN STILL HAVE A QUALITY PARK, SIMILAR TO CIRCLE PARK, OR ANY OF THOSE LARGE SIZED PARKS THAT YOU ALL CAN STILL ENJOY, WHILE WE ALSO ADDRESS EVERYTHING THAT WE PUT IN THESE DOCUMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE ASKED US FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
SO I AGREE WE'VE MET THE GOLDEN CRITERIA, AND OUR CHOICE TONIGHT IS TO BE LEADERS AND TO DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS OR NOT, BECAUSE DELAYING FURTHER DOESN'T SOLVE ANY ATTAINABLE HOUSING PROBLEMS. IT ONLY CONTINUES THIS CONVERSATION, AND IT CONVEYS TO THE WORLD THAT WE AREN'T SURE STILL ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THAT PROBLEM.
SO FOR ME, I'M THE TYPE OF LEADER THAT WHEN I TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE LEADERS AND I WILL BE THE FIRST ONE OUT THERE WITH A HAMMER TO BUILD HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOUSING.
WITH THAT, I HEARD A. I HEARD THE MAJORITY THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE.
AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? LET'S DO ONE AT A TIME, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER I COUNCIL MEMBER EITERICH I COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLTON.
NO. COUNCIL MEMBER NIX NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BELL I COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMSON.
I COUNCIL MEMBER DENNY I COUNCIL MEMBER HERON I MAYOR SAYERS I MOTION PASSES.
NEXT UP IS ITEM SIX, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING.
MAYOR. YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THE PLAN AS THE PLAT AS WELL.
LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. OKAY, CRAIG, I'LL GET STARTED WHILE YOU'RE WALKING OVER.
[06:20:05]
NEXT UP IS ITEM SIX IS A THE RESOLUTION. YOU GOT TO DO FIVE B.FIVE B. SO SORRY THAT'S NOT IT'S BELOW IN THE APPROVED MOTION. THERE'S TWO THERE. SORRY. OKAY.
SO WE JUST DID ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO UPHOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND ONE IS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY PLAN AND PLAT FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD P ONE ZONING DISTRICT MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE. MOTION BY CHELSEA. SECOND. SECOND BY AVERY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NO. THAT'S AGAIN MARK AND BILL OPPOSED.
[6. Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Kansas Real Estate Contract for the sale of property located in the vicinity of 86th Terrace & Clare Road]
KANSAS CITY FOR THE SALE OF APPROXIMATELY 16.8 ACRES OF REAL PROPERTY IN THE VICINITY OF 86TH STREET AND CLEAR.SHAUN BE SO FAST. AS FAST AS YOU GUYS WANT. GOOD MORNING.
SHAUN MCLAUGHLIN STICKING IT OUT. ATTORNEY. I GOT TWO SLIDES ON, LIKE, SCOTT'S 70 OR 80.
SO I WILL GO BRIEFLY THROUGH THE HISTORY, ALTHOUGH YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT, BUT JUST FOR OUR OWN POSTERITY PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY THE LARGER PARCEL IN TWO PHASES. THAT'S IN 1998, WE PURCHASED THE SOUTH 30 ACRES FOR APPROXIMATELY 636,333 AN ACRE.
AND THEN 2006, WE PURCHASED THE BALANCE OF 100 ACRES FOR FOR $44,000 AN ACRE.
BETWEEN THAT 2014 AND 16 PERIOD WE BUILT THE EXISTING STORMWATER FACILITIES AND PIVOTED OFF THAT REGIONAL LAKE PLAN THAT WAS INITIALLY PART OF THE PROPERTY. ALSO DURING THAT TIME, WE ALSO MADE THE PUBLICATION.
THERE WAS NOT A BUYER IN MIND AT THAT TIME, BUT IT WAS DONE TO PROVIDE US THE FLEXIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKED BEST FOR THIS PIECE OF LAND AND WHAT WORKED BEST AS A DEVELOPMENT AND A PARK AS WELL. 18 WE ISSUED THE RFP THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED DURING THAT TIME AFTER THAT, WE RECEIVED INQUIRIES. NOTHING MEANINGFUL OCCURRED.
AND AS WE'VE ALSO STATED AFTER THAT RFP EXPIRED, WE'VE HAD INQUIRIES TRICKLE IN OVER THE YEARS.
AGAIN, NOTHING MEANINGFUL. SO ON TO THE SALE ITSELF AND THE PRECISE DETAILS.
IT HAS BEEN ASKED ABOUT APPRAISALS. WE'VE DONE APPRAISALS OF THIS PROPERTY SINCE 2014, THE 14 ONE BEING IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 2015 DECISION TO NOTICE FOR SALE OF THE PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE THE PRICE THERE AT 30 APPROXIMATELY 35,000 ACRE.
AGAIN IN 18 ALONGSIDE THAT RFP, WE DID ANOTHER APPRAISAL AT 38,000.
AND AGAIN LAST YEAR IN AUGUST, WE DID AN APPRAISAL AND ROSE UP TO JUST UNDER $43,000.
I WILL NOTE, BECAUSE APPRAISALS HAVE BECOME AN ISSUE FOR MANY PEOPLE, TWO SEPARATE FIRMS DID THESE APPRAISALS, SO THERE WAS NOT THE SAME PERSON APPRAISING IT OVER A 7 OR 8 YEAR PERIOD.
A LOT OF BIDS. THERE IS A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD.
WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 120 DAY DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD CLOSING TO FOLLOW SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS FOR SHAUN. BILL SHAUN WHAT TRIGGERED THE EXPIRATION OF THE RFP? THE TERMS OF THE RFP SAID IT EXPIRED AT A CERTAIN POINT.
THEY HAD TO SUBMIT BY, I DON'T KNOW, 4 OR 5 WEEKS AFTER IT WAS IT WAS A DATE IN THERE, SIMILAR TO ANY BID DOCUMENT OR ANY RFP DOCUMENT THEY HAD TO HAVE SUBMITTED BY A CERTAIN POINT. SO IT WAS MONTHS, PROBABLY SIX WEEKS, GIVE OR TAKE.
WEEKS. OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. AVERY WAS THIS WERE THE APPRAISALS SPECIFIC TO JUST THIS POD, OR DID THE APPRAISALS ALSO LOOK AT THE ACREAGE VALUE ON THE OTHER TWO.
[06:25:02]
THEY WERE NOT. THEY WERE ACTUALLY DIFFERENT IN EACH ONE OF THEM.I CAN SAY THE FIRST ONE PROBABLY WAS AT LEAST 100 ACRES.
SO WE PARED BACK AS WE HAD FORMALIZED MORE OF THE POD POD CONCEPT, IF YOU WILL, TO TO DO THAT RATHER THAN TO APPRAISE ALL, ALL OF THE PROPERTY AT THE SAME TIME. OTHER QUESTIONS.
BILL. SO IT'S ON THE WHOLE 54 THE APPRAISAL. YES.
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE HIGHER IF WE JUST APPRAISED THE 17? NO, BUT I DON'T I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THAT. I YOU KNOW, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE SLOW TRICKLE UP SUGGESTS WHERE I THINK IT WOULD BE.
THIS IS UNIMPROVED PROPERTY THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF COSTS TO PUT INTO IT.
THEY'RE BUYING A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO PUT IN ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THE UTILITIES. THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY US $7,000, I THINK, AN ACRE FOR STORM WATER. SO EVEN IF IT'S AT 44, 49,000, IF YOU WERE TO SELL IT ON THE OPEN MARKET IMPROVED, THAT WOULD MAYBE DOUBLE THE COST. BUT FROM ANECDOTALLY, WE PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS.
THIS SEEMS IN LINE WITH OTHER SALE PRICES I'VE SEEN IN THE AREA OF RAW LAND.
AND SO THE VALUATION OF IT, I THINK, COULD BE A LOT MORE SIGNIFICANT A PRICE THAN THE OTHER B AND C, I THINK ARE THE OTHER TWO, TWO AREAS. YEAH. IF I COULD ADDRESS THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE NEGOTIATED A ASKING PRICE $6,000 AN ACRE ABOVE THE APPRAISED VALUE AT 49. OKAY, OKAY. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JOHN? MICHAEL.
MAYBE MORE SO A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT. AND I'M SORRY TO BRING YOU UP AGAIN. WILL 120 DAYS GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME TO GET THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES? YOU NEED TO TO FEEL CONFIDENT TO GO THROUGH WITH THE CLOSING.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD TO DO AN ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG.
SO SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS CAN TRIGGER IT TO GO A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
HOW WAS THAT HANDLED ON YOUR END? I GUESS WERE YOU IN A SIMILAR, PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH A MUNICIPALITY, OR WAS THAT A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED? SO THAT WAS WITH A CHURCH WHO OWNED THE LAND.
OKAY. AND FIGURATIVELY, YOU WOULD BE IN SORT OF A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD WHERE IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED, YOU COULD FILE FOR AN EXTENSION, CORRECT? OKAY.
YES, YES. THE CONTRACT CONTEMPLATES A POTENTIAL MUTUAL EXTENSION.
SHOULD SHOULD THEY NEED MORE TIME? AND THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT IF NECESSARY.
PERFECT. YEP. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. THANKS, BILL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A MOTION TO SELL THIS LAND.
AND I GUESS I'LL FIND OUT IF EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE UP HERE AS THE OWNERS THAT WE WANT TO SELL JUST 17 ACRES AND ARE ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THE OTHER TWO PODS? OR EVEN IF IN THE FUTURE WE REALLY DO WANT TO SELL THOSE OTHER TWO PODS.
SO I JUST I THINK IS EVERYBODY JUST COMFORTABLE WITH SELLING? I MEAN, I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MOTION.
THAT'S PART OF MY POINT. THAT'S PART OF MY POINT IS THAT PERHAPS IT WOULD NOT HAVE SURPRISED ME.
IT WOULD NOT HAVE SURPRISED ME THAT WHEN THIS PROPOSAL CAME IN THAT STAFF WOULD HAVE SAID JUST THAT QUESTION I ASKED, ARE YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE SELLING JUST 17 ACRES? AND THEN ONCE WE ALL NOD YES, WE'RE COMFORTABLE SELLING 17, THEN GET A CONTRACT CONTINGENT UPON
[06:30:06]
GETTING THE REZONING AND A PLAN APPROVED. BUT NOW, MAYOR, YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH. WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED IT.IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO IT. IT'S FLIPPED.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN I. I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE APPLICANT COME IN WITH A CONTRACT. WITH A CONTRACT THAT THAT. IS CONTINGENT UPON THE PLAN AND THE REZONING. CAN I JUMP IN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? I AND THIS ISN'T. I WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN. IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF USE THAT I DEVELOP, BUT I AM A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, AND IN MY VIEW, CERTAINLY THE NORTHEAST POD.
ALL THREE VERSES. ONE, I THINK THE NORTHEAST POD IS GOING TO BE THE MOST CHALLENGED ONE.
IN GENERAL, YOUR ONLY ACCESS IS REALLY OFF OF RESERVE.
AND SO I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THIS IS A DETRIMENT TO THE REST OF IT, ESPECIALLY IF WE REOPEN THE CONVERSATION OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE IS A DEVELOPER WHO'S INTERESTED IN PODS B AND C, MAYBE THERE IS AN INTEREST IN REVISITING THE CONVERSATION OF DO WE KEEP PODS B AND C? BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POD A. AND I THINK TO TO THAT END, I'M NOT I DON'T ENVISION. POD A NOT BEING A PART OF A FUTURE POTENTIAL TRANSACTION AS BEING THE MAKE OR BREAK TO PODS B OR C. BUT IT'S NOT MY USE CASE. LIKE TRULY.
AND I AM NOT A DEVELOPER, SO I COULD BE WAY OFF, BUT THAT'S JUST LOOKING AT IT.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE ONE STUB IN FROM THE RESERVE.
THAT NORTHEAST CORNER IS GOING TO BE HARD. IN GENERAL, I'M A SIMPLETON.
ALL THE ACREAGE YOU'RE LIKE. I'M A SIMPLETON.
ALL THE ACREAGE IS GOING TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT OF 91ST.
AND IF WE SOLD IT ALL IN ONE, ONE, ONE, ONE FELL SWOOP.
SO THIS DOES AFFECT IT DOES AFFECT IT. AND WE WEREN'T WE WEREN'T.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS WE WEREN'T ASKED UNTIL TONIGHT.
WE WERE NEVER ASKED TO TO TO SIGN A CONTRACT.
AND AND YOU TONIGHT THE ACTION BEFORE YOU IS THIS 17 ACRES.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO IN YOUR DECISION MAKING TO GO A DIFFERENT PROCESS, YOU CERTAINLY CAN.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT IFS, BUT WE HAVE ONE ACTION BEFORE US.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WHO APPROVED THE PROJECT OPPOSE SELLING THE LAND? AND IF NOT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE KANSAS REAL ESTATE CONTRACT WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR THE SALE OF 16.8 ACRES AT THE PROJECT AT THE VICINITY OF 86TH AND CLARE.
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION BY AVERY. SECOND BY CHELSEA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED AGAIN.
MARK AND BILL. MOTION PASSES. COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS.
ANY STAFF REPORTS? WE'LL HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK.
[STAFF REPORTS]
OR ACTUALLY, THERE'LL BE A FOUNDATION MEETING NEXT WEEK. OKAY. THIS DOES END THE RECORDED PORTION OF THE MEETING.DOES ANY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.