The downtown grocery store and a new ordinance on small box variety stores are on the agenda for the Thursday, March 28, meeting of the Unified Government Commission.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. March 28 in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.
A special session will be held at 5 p.m. March 28 in the fifth-floor meeting room at City Hall for a presentation on small box variety stores, followed by a discussion about the 2020 Census.
The commission is scheduled to vote on the preliminary plan review for the downtown grocery store at 501 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
The planning staff reported in agenda information that there was overwhelming positive comments about the design of the building, although there was some opposition to the more modern design of the building. Public comments at earlier meetings were very much in support of the grocery store.
Four community meetings were held previously, with more than 200 persons participating, according to the agenda.
The 14,000-square-foot building will be owned by the Unified Government and operated by The merc Co-op. Current plans calls for indoor and outdoor seating, a deli, possibly a salad bar and coffee bar, in addition to a typical grocery store.
About 100 parking spaces will be added along Minnesota Avenue and the surrounding area to compensate for the elimination of parking to build the facility, according to the agenda. The front door of the grocery will be on Minnesota Avenue, across from the entrance to the Reardon Center.
The UG previously used this model of constructing the building, then selling it in future years, when the Legends 14 Theater and the Hilton Garden Inn were constructed.
Another item on the agenda Thursday is an ordinance that would require a special use permit for small box variety stores. The item was at a previous meeting and was sent back for more work.
The UG Commission previously passed a similar ordinance, but because it had been deleted by a subsequent ordinance, it was brought back, with some changes on potential legal issues, according to the agenda.
The information cited a UG study from October 2017 that states a health need for community action concerning a community-based food system. There is also information from a study in New Orleans that says small box variety stores, sometimes called dollar stores, could impede the entry of full-line grocery stores.
The ordinance would require small box grocery stores that want to open here to get a special use permit, or to dedicate a certain amount of space to food.
At a previous UG meeting, officials said there has been opposition from a company that says the UG’s ordinance favors in-state companies over out-of-state companies.
The proposed ordinance to require a special use permit would apply only to new small box stores that would move in, and would set a certain percentage requirement of the shelf space for fresh and frozen food, that would exempt the stores from this regulation, according to officials. The ordinance states that if the store sets aside at least 15 percent of its shelf space to fresh or frozen food that is unprocessed it would be exempt from the special use permit. Also, if it has less than 2 percent of shelf space for food of any kind, contains a prescription pharmacy or offers gasoline or diesel fuel for sale, it also would be exempt from this ordinance.
According to agenda information, there are more than 30 small box variety stores here, with many located near each other. There is a separation requirement of 10,000 feet for new small box stores in the ordinance. To see an earlier story on this topic, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/convenience-store-project-at-38th-and-leavenworth-road-approved-by-ug-commission/.
Also on Thursday’s UG agenda are several planning and zoning items and other items:
• 9731 Leavenworth Road, change of zoning from agriculture district to single-famkily district for second home, Tim Magill.
• 3640 N. 83rd St., change of zoning from single-family to agriculture for an additional accessory structure, Jeffrey J. Gardner.
• 732 N. 57th St., change of zoning from single-family to agriculture to allow production and sale of agricultural products, Jason T. Hussey.
• 4401 N. 115th St., change of zoning from planned single-family to single family for continuation of residential development, Matt Schlicht.
• 3030 S. 24th St., Suite B, renewal of special use permit for a car dealer’s license, Jason Myers with Coach Automotive Restylers.
• 222 N. 6th St. renewal of special use permit for a drinking establishment, Ryan Cash with Witch’s Brew.
• 4620 Mission Road, renewal of special use permit for a parking lot, Jeff Stehney with Joe’s Kansas City BBQ.
• 2005 N. 5th St., special use permit for live entertainment in conjunction with coffee shop, retail sales and barbershop, Jeffrey Hollinshed.
• 1127 Southwest Blvd., special use permit for a short-term rental – AirBNB, (bread and breakfast), James P. Donovan with the Showroom Floor.
• 1625 S. 86th St., renewal of a special use permit for dirt removal, Ryan Denk with McAnany, Van Cleave and Phillips, attorneys.
• 204 Orchard St., renewal and expansion of a special use permit for a drinking establishment with live entertainment, Daniel Castillo with Mockingbird Lounge.
• 32 N. 74th St., renewal of a special use permit for the temporary use of land for a storage container, Julie A. Ramirez.
• 4141 Joyce Drive, renewal of a special use permit for the temporary use of land for a “you-pick” berries, small vegetable farm, pick-up produce stand and small classes, Regina E. Compernolle.
• 2914 W. 44th Ave., renewal of a home occupation special use permit for a short-term rental – AirBNB, Taryn Glidewell.
• 501 Minnesota Ave., preliminary plan review for a grocery store, Majid Amirahmadi.
• Ordinance amendment, special use permit for small box variety stores.
• 1301 N. 98th St., an ordinance rezoning property from agriculture district to planned general business district.
• 2205 W. 36th Ave., an ordinance rezoning property from planned apartment district to planned nonretail business district.
• 800-830 Washington Blvd., 1304-1312 N. 8th St., 813-851 Everett Ave. and 1315 N. 9th St., an ordinance rezoning property from limited business and planned apartment districts to planned apartment district.
• 3201 Pomeroy Drive, change of zoning from single family to agriculture for an accessory building, Christopher T. Phillips.
• 3131 Merriam Lane, special use permit for automotive sales, Blakelund Moroney with Moroney Motors, recommended for denial.
• Resolution to amend the 2019 UG Commission meeting schedule and committee schedule.
• Resolution to amend the Master Equipment Lease PUrchaes Agreement with Banc of America Public Capital Corp., proceeds used to pay the costs of acquiring and installing equipment, with a maximum amount not to exceed $11.5 million.
• Ordinance to amend the administrative penalty process allowing enforcement through additional chapters and increasing the range of possible penalties.
• Resolution adopting debt policy revisions.
• Resolution authorizing the UG to enter into inmate housing agreements with Miami, Jackson, Andrew, Leavenworth and Butler counties.
• Resolution approving an agreement between the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department and the Bonner Springs Police Department for traffic enforcement and limited law enforcement surrounding events at the Renaissance Festival and the Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs.
• Approval of the Adopt-a-Spot program in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.
• Ordinance to terminate the Nebraska Furniture Mart – Cabela’s Transportation Development District and stop collecting the one-tenth of one percent TDD sales tax there. According to the proposed ordinance, the transportation projects to be funded within the TDD have been completed.
• Land Bank applications at 1227 Ann Ave. and 1233 Ann Ave. for yard extensions and property acquisition; at 748 Seminary St. to transfer from the Land Bank to the Rosedale Development Association; and 186 properties to transfer from the tax sale of Dec. 13, 2018.
For more information, see the March 28 agenda posted at www.wycokck.org.