Kansas City Council Meeting - March 6, 2025: Zoning, Animal Control, Parade Park Homes & Prenatal Leave
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Kansas City Council Meeting - March 6, 2025
The Kansas City, Missouri City Council met on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 2:00 PM in Council Chambers at 414 E. 12th Street. Thirteen council members were present. The meeting began with an invocation by Councilmember Nathan Willett and included a chaplain recognition for Pastor Dr. Serita Wright. The agenda covered zoning amendments, infrastructure contracts, a resolution to expedite hiring of federal employees, a prenatal leave ordinance, a major affordable housing development (Parade Park Homes), and a debated transition of animal control services from KC Pet Project to the city. A floor-introduced resolution regarding IRIS drivers was also adopted.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution 250162: Approved an amendment to the KCI Area Plan on 16.8 acres at the southeast corner of N. Congress Avenue and N.W. Cookingham Drive, changing land use from mixed-use community to commercial/industrial. Passed 12-0 (Mayor Lucas out).
- Resolution 250200: Approved an amendment to the Line Creek Valley Area Plan on 2.84 acres near N.W. 64th Street and N. Chatham Avenue, changing land use from mixed-use community to commercial. Passed 12-0.
- Resolution 250210: Directed the City Manager to expedite hiring of qualified federal employees for vacant city positions and implement streamlining procedures. Passed 12-0.
- Ordinance 250151: Authorized a Water Supply and Sewer Services Agreement with Shalerock, LLC for an industrial facility near N.E. 48th Street and N. Arlington Avenue. Passed 12-0.
- Ordinance 250195 (Consent Docket): Approved the plat of Davidson Farms 4th Plat on 13 acres for 27 single-unit residential lots and one tract. Passed 12-0.
- Ordinance 250203 (Debate Docket): Rezoned 2.84 acres near N.W. 64th Street and N. Chatham Avenue from B3-2 to B4-3 for a self-storage warehouse (114,000 sq ft, 865 units). Passed 13-0.
- Various infrastructure and aviation ordinances (250193, 250194, 250196, 250197, 250198, 250201) were passed unanimously (13-0 or 12-1 with Councilmember Willett voting 'nay' on 250198).
Discussion Items
- Parade Park Homes Phase 1 (Ordinance 250208): Fully capitalizes the first phase of Parade Park Homes, a historic African American housing cooperative. The ordinance authorizes a loan from the Housing Trust Fund to FC Parade Park LLC for affordable housing development (240 units at or below 60% AMI, 240 units at or below 80% AMI). Councilmember Robinson highlighted the cultural significance, noting it was the first African American-owned co-op in U.S. history and the largest project east of Troost in a generation. Councilmember Willett expressed excitement but also called for strong compliance monitoring. Councilmember Bough emphasized its importance for the east side. Passed 12-0.
- Prenatal Leave (Ordinance 250167): Amends the city's classification and compensation plan to add prenatal leave (up to 40 hours) for all regular and appointed employees expecting a child. Councilmember Rhea introduced an amendment to extend the leave to any parent expecting a child, not just the pregnant employee, consistent with committee discussion. The amendment and the ordinance as amended passed unanimously (12-0 on amendment, 13-0 on final passage). Multiple council members added their names as co-sponsors.
- Animal Control Transition (Ordinance 250188): Directs the City Manager to transition animal control operations from KC Pet Project to the Neighborhood Services Department by December 31, 2025, with at least 90 days' notice and a six-month transition period. Councilmember Duncan moved to hold the item for one week to further investigate differences between animal control, animal neglect, and animal cruelty. The motion to hold was debated at length. Councilmember Willett supported the hold, expressing lack of confidence in the city's current plan. Councilmember Patterson Hazley opposed, arguing the council had already spent six months deliberating and that ordinance changes could have been brought earlier. Councilmember Curls noted a fatal dog attack in his district and said the time for action was now. The motion to hold failed 4-8-1 (with Mayor Lucas abstaining). The ordinance then passed 13-0.
- Chronic Nuisance Board (Ordinance 250205): Amends Chapter 48 to replace the appointed citizen board with a board comprised of city employees and Kansas City Police Department personnel to determine chronic nuisance properties. Passed 12-0.
- Zoning 50 acres (Ordinance 250161): Rezones about 50 acres at the southeast corner of N. Congress Avenue and N.W. Cookingham Drive from AG-R to M2-1, B3-2, and R-5, with a development plan for industrial, commercial, and residential uses. Councilmember Willett introduced an amendment to prohibit distribution centers generating truck traffic of 16+ wheels, agreed to by the developer in response to community advocacy. The amendment and ordinance as amended passed 12-0.
- Floor Introduction – IRIS Drivers (Resolution 250234): Councilmember Robinson introduced a resolution directing the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to report within 10 days on the employment status of IRIS drivers, including classification, wages, average hours, benefits, and out-of-pocket expenses. Councilmember Patterson Hazley raised a question about potential closed records issues; the City Attorney advised that the information is public-facing and the council can request it. The resolution was adopted immediately on a unanimous 13-0 vote.
- Westport Special Business District (Ordinance 250190): Authorized collection of annual special assessments for FY 24-25 and FY 25-26, appropriating $90,000 for pedestrian lighting. Passed 12-0.
- Water Revenue Bonds (Ordinance 250199): Authorized issuance of up to $156,250,000 in Water Revenue Bonds Series 2025A for water system improvements, as authorized by voters in 2014. Passed 12-0.
Key Outcomes
- All docketed ordinances and resolutions were passed, most with near-unanimous support.
- The motion to hold the animal control ordinance for one week was defeated (4 ayes, 8 nays, 1 abstention).
- The Parade Park Homes ordinance was approved, unlocking funding for a major affordable housing project.
- The prenatal leave ordinance was amended and adopted, creating a new benefit for city employees expecting a child.
- The resolution on IRIS drivers was adopted, requiring KCATA to report on driver working conditions.
- The council waived charter requirements for multiple ordinance readings and advanced consent docket items.
- The meeting included a closed session for legal, real estate, personnel, and other confidential matters.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. Our guest chaplain is Councilman Nathan Willett. Will all who are able please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. All right. Dear Lord, uh, thank you for uh bringing us together on this day. Um I ask for protection for all our first responders throughout our city, all our city over 4,000 city employees who work hard every day on behalf of the citizens of Kansas City ask for your hands of protection and all the work that they do. Um I ask for great wisdom on decisions that we have to make before us and I pray for protection for all in our city. This name, amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. The clerk will call the roll Patterson Hasley. Present Robinson here, Ray. Here's Parkshaw, present. Boo here Duncan O'Neill. Aye here. Will it present French present Rogers Lucas? Eleven members present. All right, the clerk will call the uh first ordinance. Yes, ma'am. 250162, approving an amendment to the KCI area plan on about 16.8 acres, generally located at the southeast corner of North Congress Avenue and Northwest Cookingheim Drive. By change the recommended land use for mixed use to communities of commercial and industrial neighborhood committees do pass. All right, colleagues. This ordinate or this resolution approves an amendment to the KCI area plan for rezoning, and uh the applicant is proposing to rezone about five acres uh to B3 commercial. There are prospective tenants for the two lots that will be zoned in two. The commercial and residential development is still speculated speculative at this time. Uh however, the B3 and R 5 zoning districts are generally in alignment with mixed use community future land use designation. Uh the neighborhood planning development committee reviewed and recommended due pass. Uh go ahead, Councilman Willett. Yeah, thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Um I appreciate my colleagues on the neighborhood planning development committee to allow um discussions with community groups up there. This first originally was proposed to be heavy industrial for the area. We actually got worked with the developer to rezone most of the property is going to be R5. Um, there will be an amendment to another um uh partner um ordinance that goes with this that restricts the manufacturing zoning for no um uh distribution centers as agreed to by the uh developer and in response to the community's um advocacy. So thank you. If there's no further discussion, the clerk will call the roll. Patterson Hasley, aye, Robinson, aye, Raya, aye, Bunch, aye, Earls, aye, Park Shaw, aye, Boo, aye, Duncan, O'Neill, Willett, French, aye, Rogers, aye, Lucas. Ordinance passes. 250200. Approving at amendment to the Line Creek Valley Plant, area plan on about 2.84 acres, Jenny, located at 600 feet north of the intersection of Northwest 64th Street and North Chatham Avenue. I change the recommended land use from mixed use community to commercial. Neighborhood committees do pass. Resolution accompanied uh by an ordinance for rezoning and development plan for self-storage facility off of North Chatham Avenue proposed uh self-storage building is 114,000 square feet. Uh the Line Creek Valley Area Plan currently recommends use mixed use community, and the applicant is requesting to amend the designation for mixed mixed use community to commercial and the neighborhood planning development committee review recommended do pass. If there's no further discussion, the clerk will call the roll. Patterson Hasley. Aye, Robinson, aye, Bunch, aye, Parkshaw, aye, boo, aye, Duncan, O'Neal, aye, Willett. Aye. Rogers. Aye.
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