OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Kansas City Council Meeting - May 1, 2025: Recognitions, Zoning Approvals, and Towing Ordinance

City Council Legislative Session — Thursday, May 1, 2025
BodyKansas City, Missouri
SessionCity Council Legislative Session
DateThursday, May 1, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:40:18

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

The meeting will come to order.

0:04

Our guest chaplain is Pastor John Sean of the Northland Cathedral.

0:09

Would all who are able please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:15

Pastor.

0:20

Good afternoon.

0:22

My prayer today is inspired by Romans 13 1.

0:27

The last sentence of which is authorities that exist have been established by God.

0:36

Would you pray with me?

0:38

Dear Lord God, you've established this council to rule over the affairs of Kansas City, Missouri.

0:45

You have ordained each and every member of the council to represent the people of this city and to make decisions on their behalf.

0:55

Before the foundation of the world, you knew each and every council member, and you created each of them in your image and likeness.

1:04

You breathed the breath of life into them, gave them an intellect to ponder the world and its issues, and inspired them to run for office.

1:15

Dear Heavenly Father, please give the mayor and each council member the heart of a servant, the strength of a warrior, and the wisdom of Solomon.

1:26

May they carry out their duties, realizing that their authority ultimately comes from you.

1:32

Oh God in heaven, please protect our mayor, our council members, the council staff, and all city employees and their families.

1:42

Be with us today in this meeting.

1:44

May we bring glory and honor to you.

1:47

Amen.

1:49

Thank you.

1:51

To the flag of the United States, America, and to the Republic for which it stands.

1:58

One nation under God.

2:04

Thank you.

2:05

I think the mic's all right to go around.

2:09

Clerk will call the roll.

2:11

Yes, sir.

2:11

Patterson Hasley.

2:13

Robinson.

2:14

Present.

2:15

Raya.

2:16

President.

2:18

Carls.

2:19

Present.

2:20

Parkshaw.

2:21

Present.

2:21

Boo.

2:22

Here.

2:23

Duncan.

2:24

Here.

2:24

O'Neal.

2:26

Will it?

2:27

President.

2:30

Present.

2:31

Rogers.

2:33

Lucas.

2:34

Here.

2:34

Eleven members present.

2:38

Our first recognition today is not a special action, although we have quite a few to celebrate today.

2:46

But we had a fairly long city council meeting this morning and afternoon at which we have the opportunity to review candidates for the city manager position.

2:55

That was a wonderful opportunity to see some of the best of our city staff who have served us for some time, and we appreciate them for that.

3:02

What that meant, however, was we were not able to attend a special recognition with the Kansas City Police Department.

3:09

We have spoken for some time about the need to enhance and to hire more staff in the communications unit of KCPD.

3:17

As part of that, our KCPD staff have worked hard to recruit talented people who have agreed to work in communications for the people of Kansas City.

3:26

These women and men will work in trying situations to ensure that all of us can be safe, and when we call 911 that there is an answer, that there is somebody to work them through a time in need, and more than anything that we can deliver great outstanding service to the people of this community.

3:52

Come on up, and uh we hope you're joined.

4:22

Thank you so much.

4:30

Oh, cool.

4:33

Yeah, make sure you all are in the middle.

4:36

Gather around.

4:37

And uh I I wanted to create an opportunity and space uh to also certainly let council recognize you.

4:44

We do have members of command staff here.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████21%
Procedural███████████████15%
Land Use Planning█████████9%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Public Transportation███████7%
Traffic Management███████7%
Community Engagement██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Youth Programs█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Kansas City Council Meeting - May 1, 2025: Recognitions, Zoning Approvals, and Towing Ordinance

The Kansas City Council met on May 1, 2025, to recognize several individuals and groups, approve multiple zoning and development plans, and pass a towing ordinance with graduated penalties. The meeting began with an invocation and roll call (11 members present), followed by special recognitions and legislative actions. Key actions included honoring new 911 call takers, celebrating community cleanup efforts, and adopting a resolution to address predatory towing.

Special Recognitions

  • KCPD 911 Call Takers: Six new call takers (Valerie Hughes, Danielle Meyer, Michelle Negus, Elizabeth Roberts, Catalina Tinoco, Shelia Witt) and their trainer Kelly Sandusky were recognized. Council noted a salary increase from $46,000 to $53,000, making them the highest-paid 911 call takers in the region. Multiple council members expressed gratitude and highlighted the importance of the role.
  • Greater Kansas City Cleanup: Volunteers and organizers (including Annalisa Taylor, Kelly Turner, Robert Woods, Sarah Becker) were recognized for their efforts in beautifying the city. The program has been running for five years with weekly cleanups by groups like the Truce Lake Collective.
  • Law Day: May 1, 2025, was declared Law Day in Kansas City. Councilman Raya read the resolution, emphasizing constitutional principles and the role of law. Several council members praised the city's law department.
  • Historic West Bottoms Association: Recognized for 11 years of activities promoting the West Bottoms area. Association President Tom Esselman noted the group's history dating back to 1924.
  • Landon Robinson: An 11-year-old from Kansas City, Landon was recognized for his bravery and role in the movie Unstoppable. He was born with tibial hemimelia and had his right leg amputated at age one.
  • Raymond Malone Sr.: Honored for 26 years of service as chair of the Fairness Construction Board. Malone, a former ironworker and business owner, advocated for continued support of CREO and the board.
  • Firefighter Paramedic Graham Hoffman: The council observed a moment of silence for Hoffman, who died on April 27 while on duty. A resolution honoring his life was adopted.

Consent Calendar

The following ordinances were passed unanimously with little or no debate:

  • 250347: Acceptance of a $10,685 grant extension for the Victims of Crime Act program.
  • 250325: Rezoning of 1.9 acres at 9200 NW 119 Terrace from AG-R to B3-3.
  • 250343: Rezoning of ~77 acres at NW Platte Purchase Drive and NW 108th Street from R-7.5 to R-6, with a development plan for 295 residential lots.
  • 250344: Approval of a development plan for ~278 units (with 296 parking spaces) on a 1.98-acre block near Broadway Boulevard and 45th/46th Streets.
  • 250345: Revision of affordability levels for the Prospect Summit Town Homes project from 30% to 50% of Area Median Income, aligning with other funding sources.
  • 250346: Authorization of contracts with six health centers for primary care services, funded by the Key Health Levy.
  • 250361: Development plan approval for ~86 acres at Stadium Drive and Raytown Road for warehousing, manufacturing, and industrial uses (former Leeds plant site).
  • 250365: Rezoning of ~20 acres at NW 68th Street and N. Madison Avenue from R-8.0 to R-6, with a development plan for 57 lots.
  • 250295: Amendment to a contract with Burns & McDonnell for a walkability study and high-injury network countermeasures ($508,064).
  • 250353: Contract with Last Parking Midwest for curbside traffic control at Kansas City International Airport ($1,864,876, renewable through 2031).
  • 250354: Construction contract with Hayes & Associates for emergency water valve replacements ($1.5 million, with renewal options).
  • 250355: Construction contract with Hayes & Associates for fire hydrant replacements ($1.5 million, with renewal options).

Discussion Items

  • Towing Ordinance (250367): Councilman Curls introduced a committee substitute to address predatory towing practices. The ordinance directs the city manager to create a towed vehicle owner bill of rights, establish a public education campaign, coordinate with county partners, and report back within 30 days. Penalties were amended to a graduated scale: first violation – fine of $250-$500 and/or up to 30 days in jail; second – $500-$750 and/or up to 90 days; third – $750-$1,000 and/or up to 180 days. Councilwoman Robinson raised questions about judicial discretion and enforcement, and requested a report on court system feedback. The ordinance passed 12-0.
  • Hold on 250369 (Iris/ATA Funding): Councilwoman Robinson requested a one-week hold, noting that the mayor had introduced an alternative appropriation bill to maintain service levels. No objection, and the item was held for one week.

Key Outcomes

  • All special recognitions were adopted unanimously.
  • All consent calendar ordinances passed with 12-0 or 13-0 votes (as noted).
  • The towing ordinance (250367) passed 12-0 after amendment.
  • Ordinance 250369 was held for one week.
  • The meeting adjourned after the first readings were introduced and referred to committees.

Meeting Transcript

The meeting will come to order. Our guest chaplain is Pastor John Sean of the Northland Cathedral. Would all who are able please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor. Good afternoon. My prayer today is inspired by Romans 13 1. The last sentence of which is authorities that exist have been established by God. Would you pray with me? Dear Lord God, you've established this council to rule over the affairs of Kansas City, Missouri. You have ordained each and every member of the council to represent the people of this city and to make decisions on their behalf. Before the foundation of the world, you knew each and every council member, and you created each of them in your image and likeness. You breathed the breath of life into them, gave them an intellect to ponder the world and its issues, and inspired them to run for office. Dear Heavenly Father, please give the mayor and each council member the heart of a servant, the strength of a warrior, and the wisdom of Solomon. May they carry out their duties, realizing that their authority ultimately comes from you. Oh God in heaven, please protect our mayor, our council members, the council staff, and all city employees and their families. Be with us today in this meeting. May we bring glory and honor to you. Amen. Thank you. To the flag of the United States, America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Thank you. I think the mic's all right to go around. Clerk will call the roll. Yes, sir. Patterson Hasley. Robinson. Present. Raya. President. Carls. Present. Parkshaw. Present. Boo. Here. Duncan. Here. O'Neal. Will it? President. Present. Rogers. Lucas. Here. Eleven members present. Our first recognition today is not a special action, although we have quite a few to celebrate today. But we had a fairly long city council meeting this morning and afternoon at which we have the opportunity to review candidates for the city manager position. That was a wonderful opportunity to see some of the best of our city staff who have served us for some time, and we appreciate them for that. What that meant, however, was we were not able to attend a special recognition with the Kansas City Police Department.

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