Month: March 2022

Public hearing on UG budget scheduled Thursday

A public hearing on the Unified Government 2023 budget is scheduled at the 7 p.m. Thursday, March 31, UG Commission meeting.

The UG will receive public comments on budget priorities for the 2023 budget and the Community Development 2022-2026 consolidated plan.

Also, there will be a public hearing and a resolution presented on the Community Development 2021 amended annual action plan.

In addition, the agenda for the March 31 meeting includes a presentation about the creation of a residential classification for the Board of Public Utilities PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) fee. Currently, there is one PILOT fee for all BPU customers at 11.9 percent, and this proposal would place residents in a separate class from other customers, in order that a lower fee could be considered.

Also on the agenda is an extension for the state of local health emergency for Wyandotte County through July 1. This would match the extension of the federal emergency, according to UG officials, and it does not include any mandates.

There are a number of other items on the Thursday night agenda, including planning and zoning items:

• 1313 Quindaro Blvd., change of zone from limited business district to planned general business district to add fuel pumps at an existing gas station.

• 426 N. 5th St., change of zone from single-family district to two-family district to bring existing duplex into compliance.

• 8535 Riverview Ave., renewal of a special use permit for two concrete pits, sampling of a variety of pipes for training, Kansas Gas Service.

• 901 Minnesota Ave., special use permit for a liquor store – convenience store.

• 403 N. 5th St., special use permit for sports bar – drinking establishment, Hillsiders.

• 1215 Merriam Lane, renewal of special use permit for a dirt fill, Jahan Enterprises.

• 4309 Rainbow Blvd., special use permit for a short-term rental, Cactus Bed Properties.

• 3535 Wood Ave., renewal of a special use permit for transitional housing for youth age 16 and up and young adults age 18 to 24, Avenue of Life.

• 1501 N. 90th St., special use permit for privately owned athletic fields, Homefield Perfect Game.

• 9020 State Ave., special use permit for privately owned athletic fields.

• 3030 S. 63rd St., special use permit to keep 25 fowl on the property.

• 4011 Independence Ave., home occupation special use permit to operate an apparel printing business.

• 700 Kindelberger Road, special use permit for truck maintenance facility.

• 428 N. 5th St., renewal of a special use permit to operate a security company office.

• 731 Tenny Ave., vacation of an alley to add residential parking.

• 1818 S. 59th St., preliminary and final plan review for Pierson Park Fire Station No. 16.

• 1501 N. 90th St., preliminary plan review for Homefield Perfect Game Fields.

• 9020 State Ave., preliminary plan review for Homefield Training Center.

• 700 Kindelberger Road, preliminary plan review for truck maintenance facility.

• 449 N. 86th St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to agriculture district.

• 9300 Leavenworth Road, an ordinance rezoning property from planned general industrial district to single-family district.

• 1342 N. 126th St., an ordinance rezoning property from county agriculture and planned general business district to planned commercial district.

• 4600 Parkview Ave., an ordinance vacating right-of-way.

• 1037 S. 26th St., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit to allow for auto storage and auto maintenance.

• 1315 N. 86th St., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit to keep two horses.

• 4100 and 4315 Ann Ave., 949 N. 41st St. and 3801 R State Ave., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for on-site grading.

• 3327 N. 7th St. Trafficway, an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for continuation of a private indoor firearm shooting range.

• 2822 W. 43rd St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family district to two-family district.

• 6550 Kaw Drive, an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for continuation of live entertainment at an existing drinking establishment and restaurant.

• 1501 N. 90th St., Master Plan Amendment from low density residential to planned entertainment.

• 9020 State Ave., Master Plan Amendment from low-density residential to planned entertainment.

• 10 S. Hallock, 525 Central Ave. and 529 Central Ave, change of zone from single-family and non-retail business districts to planned high-rise apartment district for a 148-unit apartment complex.

• 14140 State Ave., change of zone from planned commercial district to planned general industrial district for a contractor staging area and heavy equipment storage for Remco Demolition.

• 10 S. Hallock and 525 Central Ave., vacation of right-of-way.

• 10 S. Hallock, 525 Central and 529 Central Ave., Master Plan Amendment from urban density to high density residential.

• 14140 State Ave., Master Plan Amendment from planned commercial to industrial, Remco Demolition.

• Proclamation of a Bi-State City Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Kansas City, Missouri.

• Proclamation of March 8 as International Women’s Day.

• Ordinance amending two sections of the Ethics Code to clarify that the incumbent maor and commissioners may run for re-election without resigning their current office.

• Resolution to approve the purchase of 21 defibrillators, 21 reusable sensors and 33 case review subscriptions over four years for a total $651,289.44.

• Nomination of Linda Brown to the Wyandotte-Leavenworth Area Wide Advisory Council on Aging, submitted by Commissioner Melissa Bynum.

• Nomination of Andrea Behrman to the UG Park Board, submitted by Commissioner Mike Kane.

• Nomination of Stefanie Caruthers to the Advisory Committee on Human Relations and Disability Issues, submitted by Commissioner Kane.

• Nomination of Scott Mackey to the Law Enforcement Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Kane.

• Nomination of James Wing to the Golf Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Chuck Stites.

• Nomination of Chancellor Adams to the Golf Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Andrew Davis.

• Nomination of Dominick Love to the Advisory Committee on Human Relations and Disability Issues, submitted by Commissioner Davis.

• Nomination of T.J. Roberts to the Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Davis.

• Second plat of Bohrer Enclave, 3801 N. 55th St., developer Angie Bohrer.

• Presentation on increase in KDADS ARPA grant match awarded to area Agency on Aging.

• REACH Foundation board of directors nominations for Deryl Wynn and Dr. Octavio Estrella.

• Livable Neighborhoods update.

• Solid waste program update.

• Grants and grant process update.

Land Bank option applications:
New construction, single-family homes, nine homes:
• Kip Myers, five single-family homes, 2903 Farrow Ave., 2907 Farrow Ave., 2935 Farrow Ave., 3001 Farrow Ave. and 3109 Farrow Ave.
• Richard Dumas, one single-family home, 618 N. 11th St.
• Flora Nyakatura, one single-family home, 3649 N. 55th St., 3639 N. 55th St., 3625 N. 55th St.
• Jonathan Hopman, one single-famil home, 802 Tauromee Ave.
• Jonathan Pitallo, one single-family home, 805 N. 12th St.
New construction, multi family
• Martinez Porfirio, two duplexes, 2510 N. 10th St., 2506 N. 10th St., 2500 N. 10th St.

Land Bank property transfers
Yard extension
• Bill Mosburg, 730 R. Northrup Ave.
• Frank Piper, 3915 Ford Ave.
Property transfer
• Brien Darby, garden, 311 Franklin Ave.

The 7 p.m. UG Commission meeting will be on Zoom, and also is expected to be on UGTV cable television and YouTube.
The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88620237838?pwd=NWdhRy90MVk2cC9ycXFMMW5IRkJqUT09.

The toll-free telephone number is 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499.
The webinar ID is 886 2023 7838.

The public also may go to the lobby of City Hall, 701 N. 7th.

The UG also has scheduled a meeting at 5 p.m. March 31, to be conducted virtually. The 5 p.m. meeting will be an executive, or closed, session on labor.

Kansas Senate quickly endorses legislation banning ‘sanctuary cities’

Senators fast-tracked bill, which now goes to Gov. Laura Kelly, without reading it or allowing opponents to testify

by Noah Taborda, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Kansas senators Wednesday backed a measure prohibiting municipal governments from creating “sanctuary cities,” rejecting concerns about the speed the measure was moving through the Legislature.

House Bill 2717 is a response to action taken by the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas – Wyandotte County to authorize municipal identification cards for undocumented people. The community’s Safe and Welcoming Act is intended to improve access to public services and allow undocumented immigrants to report crimes without the risk of deportation for them or their families.

But bill-backers, like Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who initiated the effort, and Secretary of State Scott Schwab, said the act has the potential to interfere with elections and other rights exclusive to Kansas citizens.

“We know that people out there’s confidence in the elections has fallen,” said Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha. “We have a job to do and that is to restore that confidence in our rule of law.”

Sen. Jeff Pittman, D-Leavenworth, found the concern for rule of law interesting given the fact the Senate was taking the unusual step of sending a bill approved by a committee straight to final action instead of general orders.

“I just want to make sure we all understand when talk about the rule of law that sometimes we even here seem to bend them a little bit,” Sen. Pittman said.

Senators approved the bill 29 to 10, just over 24 hours after hearing the bill and a week after it cleared the House 84 to 38. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for consideration.

As of 2021, 12 states have enacted state-level laws prohibiting or restricting “sanctuary” jurisdictions. The Kansas Legislature has considered legislation to prohibit sanctuary cities across the state on several occasions, but none has passed.

Law enforcement officials in Wyandotte County have told legislators they have not joined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on immigration raids in years.

Sen. John Doll, R-Garden City, compared the Legislature approving bills that break down local control to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars.

“I think we just do so many things to curb the power of the municipal,” he said.

After passage of the bill, Schmidt commended the Legislature for backing his proposal.

“Neither our nation’s broken immigration system nor the Biden administration’s ongoing failure to secure our national borders justifies a patchwork of local rules that prevent law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal officials,” Schmidt said. “Nor does it justify local governments issuing identification cards that can be used statewide but lack basic anti-fraud protections. This commonsense legislation should become law.”

On Tuesday, a Kansas Senate committee took immediate action to advance the controversial bill, despite an issue with testimony and some concerns about a lack of deliberation.

During the hearing on the bill, only two members of the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee confirmed they had read the Wyandotte ordinance carefully, with others saying they had glanced at it. Sen. Cindy Holscher asked to table the bill until there was time to assess the ordinance and the impact this action would have.

“I appreciate the fact that Wyandotte County has spent five years developing the Safe and Welcoming plan to address some of the issues in their community,” the Overland Park Democrat said. “We’ve spent roughly an hour on this situation, which really doesn’t seem just.”

Holscher’s efforts were quickly glossed over by Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican and chairman of the panel, who pivoted to a successful motion by Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, R-Baxter Springs, to approve the bill.

The hearing took place with less than a day’s notice, opponents of the bill told senators on the committee. Some, like Loud Light advocacy director Melissa Stiehler, were told the committee forgot to add several pieces of opponent testimony and, due to the error, they would not be allowed to testify.

In a tweet shortly after the committee voted to send the measure to the full Senate, Stiehler bashed the committee for passing the ordinance without reading the ordinance in detail or considering the testimony that was not added to the agenda.

“Ironically, my testimony was about how this bill is fundamentally anti-democratic,” Stiehler said. “I hate to be right.”

On the Senate floor Wednesday, Hilderbrand defended the committee and staff for working as hard as they can to get all relevant materials prepared by the time of the hearing.

“You attack the process when you cannot attack the integrity of what’s in the bill,” Hilderbrand said.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/30/kansas-senate-quickly-endorses-legislation-banning-sanctuary-cities/.

Chiefs reportedly consider new stadium in Kansas

A remark attributed to the Kansas City Chiefs president about considering options for a new stadium in Kansas has been creating a stir lately in Wyandotte County.

The Chiefs president, Mark Donovan, was quoted as saying Kansas developers have approached him about building a stadium in Wyandotte County. The Chiefs have played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, for decades.

They are located next to Kauffman Stadium, where the Kansas City Royals play. The Royals have indicated they are interested in moving their stadium to downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Tweets from Kevin Clark of the Ringer NFL Show attributed remarks about moving the stadium to the Chiefs president recently.

The topic was a surprise to many here, and resulted in questions wondering whether the franchise was fielding several stadium options in order to negotiate on its lease.

Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, stated he could not comment specifically on the possibility of the Chiefs relocating to Wyandotte County.

“But we will talk to any development who sees value in what Wyandotte County has to offer and wants to be a contributor to our community,” Kindle stated.