Category: Unified Government Commission

UG Commission to meet Thursday

The Unified Government Commission will meet on Thursday, June 9, in a hybrid meeting at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Meetings will begin at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The 7 p.m. Commission meeting will include a presentation on the county administrator’s search process.

In addition, budget revisions of over $50,000 for the new Turner fire station will be on the agenda.

Also on the agenda will be an ordinance to adopt a revised building and safety code; an ordinance to adopt the 2018 life safety code and international fire code; and an ordinance to adopt the 2018 international residential code.

Amendments to the Safe and Welcoming Act, to comply with a new state law, also are on the agenda.

The UG Commission also is slated to hear a presentation on Fire Station 15, which is in the Fairfax area, and an update on the status of grants and the grant process.

On the consent agenda at the 7 p.m. meeting are approval for the KCK Police Department to apply for and accept a law enforcement crime gun intelligence center grant award; approval for the KCK Police Department to apply for and accept funding for 12 patrol officer positions through the COPS Hiring Program; approval for a remote worker policy at the UG; and plats of the Pierson Park Fire Station, Parallel Apartments at 112th and Parallel, Homefield Perfect Game at 90th and Walker and the Homefield Sports Training facility at 94th and State.

Also there will be a time for community members to speak about topics that are under the control of the UG. There is a 2-minute limit on each comment, and a total 45-minute time limit on this segment.

A special session will begin at 4 p.m. in the Commission Chambers to discuss revitalization efforts in the eastern part of Kansas City, Kansas, east of 55th Street.

The public may go to the lobby of City Hall to listen to the meetings.

The meetings also are on Zoom. The Zoom link is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81349626118?pwd=TlRlRFRFSnU4ZE80d3lab2F0SDIwdz09.
The passcode is 041732

The public also may connect through the telephone, toll-free, 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499. The webinar ID is 813 4962 6118.

For more information, see https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/Full-Commission-Meeting.

Foodie park development at Indian Springs formally comes to end

Tonight’s Unified Government committee meeting saw a formal end to a project to redevelop the former Indian Springs shopping mall site at 47th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.

Without very much explanation of what went wrong, UG Economic Development and Finance Committee members voted to terminate a development agreement with Scavuzzo’s Foodie Park. It next goes to the full commission for approval.

Commissioners also voted to repeal the 2019 Midtown Redevelopment Plan, which addressed redevelopment plans for Indian Springs.

Katherine Carttar, UG director of economic development, said this is the first time she knew of that the UG had to use a reversionary clause in a development agreement. The development agreement contained timelines for various parts of the project to be completed.

“Everyone is disappointed,” Carttar said.

Carttar said the UG and the developer of the project came to an agreement without having to go to court.

She said the developer was current on their taxes through 2021. The UG, which sold them part of the land at 47th and State, will get the property back, she said, while the developer will pay prorated taxes on the property through the closing date. The issue will go to the full UG Commission on June 30, and if it is approved, Carttar expected the land to be transferred back to UG ownership by July 19.

Commissioner Andrew Davis acknowledged the community nostalgia and expectation that the UG do something with this particular property, given its history. He said he was hoping for good news and the opportunity for engagements and partnerships in the future. He said he recognized this as a tough loss but hoped they will be able to bounce back.

While no reasons were given for why the foodie park project was not going forward, developers who were involved in several unrelated projects told the committee Monday night that some of them had been affected by the pandemic, and prices on construction materials had increased greatly in the past few years.

Another development project had been planned around 2009 for the Indian Springs property, but that project was stopped by a recession and also by the developer’s death. The last big anchor for the Indian Springs mall left in 2001. The last regular tenant there, Italian Delight, a restaurant, left in 2010 and relocated to 82nd and State. The Indian Springs shopping mall was demolished in 2016.

Two UG committees to meet tonight

The Unified Government Economic Development and Finance Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, June 6, followed by the UG Neighborhood and Community Development Committee meeting.

The meetings will be in the fifth floor conference room, Suite 512, at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas. They also will be on Zoom.

On the agenda for the EDF meeting:

• A presentation about the $5 county facility fee charged by the UG Treasury Department for in-person renewal of vehicle tags.

• A presentation of budget revisions of more than $50,000 for radio replacement for Wyandotte County area fire services.

• A presentation about a budget revision of more than $50,000 for construction of a new Turner fire station.

• A resolution of intent to issue industrial revenue bonds not to exceed $13 million to finance the costs of acquiring, constructing, improving and equipping a multi-purpose commercial project at the Rock Island Bridge for the benefit of Flying Truss LLC.

• A resolution to terminate the Scavuzzo Foodie Park development agreement and subsequent amendments, for the property at the former Indian Springs mall.

• An ordinance to repeal the 2019 Midtown Redevelopment Plan.

• A resolution to approve a special project application for a rebate on incremental property taxes according to the Neighborhood Revitalization Act Plan for the redevelopment of the Brotherhood Bank Building, 753 State Ave., into residential apartment units and upgraded office space.

• A resolution of intent to issue bonds not to exceed $12 million to finance the costs of acquiring, constructing, improving and equipping a multi-=purpose commercial project for the benefit of KDG LLC, concerning the Brotherhood Bank Building.

• An option contract for the real estate pubchase agreement between KDG LLC and the UG for the real estate at 742 Minnesota Ave.

• A resolution of intent to issue industrial revenue bonds not to exceed $62 million to finance the costs of acquiring, constructing, improving and equipping a commercial multifamily facility for the benefit of Criterion Development Partners LLC.

On the agenda for the NCD meeting:

• A resolution to support the Mid-America Regional Council’s KC regional Climate Action Plan, and for the UG staff to conduct a citywide risk and vulnerability assessment to encourage greater community resiliency.

• Presentation on a proposed regional approach to Micro Mobility Management.

• Land Bank property transfers, including:
Yard extensions
4967 Oak Ave., Kendall Blakeney.
1522 S. 8th St., Diana S. Davila.

The Zoom link for the meetings:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89813720632?pwd=RjJWK1V4TzF1bGR5NVEwQkRVYnU2Zz09
The passcode: 104882

The toll-free phone numbers for the meetings are 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499.

The webinar ID number is 898 1372 0632.

For more information about the meetings and how to access them, visit
https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/Standing-Committee-Meeting-EDF-and-NCD.