Legislative matters and digital billboards are among the topics that may be discussed at the Dec. 18 meeting of the Unified Government Commission.
The meeting starts with a special session at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, in the 5th floor conference room, Suite 515, of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan., with a legislative update.
Then the regular meeting follows at 7 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall.
A resolution on the distribution of District 3 sales tax funds is one of the agenda items. The resolution would add to allowed uses for funds that have been allotted to the Argentine Betterment Corp. The sales tax funds in the past have gone toward a revolving loan fund for loans to businesses for exterior building improvements, for neighborhood groups and new housing initiatives.
Also, a resolution to update the precincts making up each UG Commission district will be considered. The Wyandotte County election commissioner establishes precincts, and in 2013 previously certain boundaries of precincts were changed and merged, reducing ballot styles. Before the reprecincting there were 122 different ballots and now there are 113, according to UG information. The boundaries of the commission districts are not changed; the proposed changes are in districts 5, 6, 7 and 8, according to UG information. The UG resolution updates UG records to reflect the changes. The map of the commission districts is online at http://www2.wycokck.org/gisdata/maps/PDF_Maps/M027Comm_Dist_8_5x11clip.pdf.
Three ordinances on digital outdoor advertising also are on the agenda. The effort to amend the sign code to allow for digital billboards was led by Commissioner Hal Walker.
The digital billboard ordinance was sent back to the Planning Commissioner during a recent UG Commission meeting for more work on amendments that would require removal of twice the square footage of the new digital sign being placed, and to amend the nonconformity section. For each new digital sign, the sign company would have to take down old billboards of twice the amount of space, under that proposal.
The proposed amendments allow billboards to convert to digital with the administrative approve of the planning director and not a special use permit before the UG Commission; limit each billboard company to five digital outdoor advertising signs within the city limits; require them to remove twice the square footage of existing signs for every square foot of digital signs; and establishes various standards for the signs.
Another proposed ordinance would set an occupation tax for all persons engaged in digital outdoor advertising services. Those who work with digital outdoor advertising sign faces would pay an annual fee.
The agenda also includes:
– An ordinance authorizing the UG attorney to start proceedings to acquire land for the Leavenworth Road improvement project at 55th and 72nd Street intersections.
– Distribution of 2015 Special Drug and Alcohol Tax Funds, proposed at $51,048 for Mirror Inc.; $127,536 for Associated Youth Services; and $70,916 for Friends of Yates.
– Financing for some CMIP projects, including six projects that are major arterial reconstruction projects; five projects requiring an increase in budget authority and additional financing; and two projects through the CMIP budget.
– A resolution authorizing improvement projects approved in the Commission Neighborhood Infrastructure Program.
– A resolution authorizing the sale of temporary notes and bonds, including temporary notes of $73.4 million and $7 million; and general obligation bonds of $25.6 million, $1.7 million, and $5.1 million.
– Four ordinances terminating redevelopment districts and TIF financing for them, for Freeway Corp Center Redevelopment District, Tremont Redevelopment District, Turner Hills Redevelopment District and Wolcott Redevelopment District. The action is expected to generate $900,000 in tax revenue.
– A resolution for a lease-purchase agreement with Hewlett-Packard Services Co. for a storage area network, at an annual cost of $76,386.36. It will store data.
– Plat submitted for Legends Auto Plaza at 98th and Parallel Parkway.
– Plat submitted of KU Medical Plaza, first plat, 39th and State Line Road.
– Several Land Bank items.
– A transfer of 610 and 620 Minnesota Ave. from UG ownership into the Land Bank. The Land Bank will maintain ownership. Negotiations are underway for a user agreement to grant the owner of 626 Minnesota Ave. the exclusive use of the parking lot. The user would make improvements to the lot.
The meeting is open to the public. It also is scheduled for broadcast on the UGTV channel. The agenda is at www.wycokck.org.
