Kansas City Council Meeting: January 15, 2026
Kansas City Council Meeting: January 15, 2026
The Kansas City Council met on January 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM in Council Chambers, 414 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO. Mayor Quinton Lucas and all 12 councilmembers were present. The meeting opened with an invocation by Bishop Steve Houpe of Harvest Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. The council adopted several special actions, passed numerous consent and debate docket items, introduced new ordinances, and held a closed session.
Special Actions (Consent Calendar)
- Resolution 260033 (Councilmember French): Honoring Tracy White on her retirement after more than 36 1/2 years of city service, including managing over 3 million paper records. Adopted unanimously (13 ayes).
- Resolution 260034 (Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw): Celebrating 60 years of community service for Christian Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, founded by Bishop Emmanuel Newton. Adopted with 10 ayes; Councilmembers Willett, French, and Robinson were out.
- Resolution 260035 (Councilmember Rea): Honoring La Fonda El Taquito Restaurant for nearly 50 years of service, culture, and community on Kansas City's Westside. Adopted with 12 ayes; Councilmember Robinson was out.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comment period was listed on the agenda or transcribed. The minutes include written public comments opposing Ordinance 250382 (transit funding), with over 90 individuals submitting opposition. This item was released from the semi-annual docket and deemed lost.
Discussion Items
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Detention Facility Location Change (Floor Introductions)
- Ordinance 260061 (Mayor Lucas and Councilmember O'Neill): Directed the City Manager to expand the Front Street Detention Facility into a permanent detention facility, allowing a land purchase option to lapse and reallocating funding. Passed 10 ayes (Lucas, O'Neill, Willett, French, Rogers, Patterson Hazley, Curls, Parks-Shaw, Bough, Duncan), 1 nay (Robinson), 2 abstentions (Rea, Bunch). Debate included cost comparisons: Front Street estimated at under $60 million for 270 beds vs. $200+ million at I-70/40 Highway. Councilmembers Rea and Bunch expressed concerns about lack of community engagement and transparency, noting that the I-70/40 Highway site had six community sessions and was presented to voters during the public safety sales tax campaign.
- Ordinance 260074 (Mayor Lucas): Declaring a moratorium until January 15, 2031, on all approvals for non-municipal detention facilities (e.g., ICE facilities). Passed 12 ayes, 1 nay (Willett). Councilmember Willett questioned state jurisdictional issues, leading to a closed session for legal advice.
- Resolution 260077 (Councilmember Patterson Hazley): Directing the City Manager to engage community engagement regarding the detention center at 7750 E. Front Street. Adopted 12 ayes. Councilmember Patterson Hazley stated: "We should let people weigh in … This is also near school." Councilmember Rea noted a high school is 3,000 feet from the site.
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Data Center and Large Format Use Regulations (Ordinance 251031)
- Amended Chapter 88 (Zoning Code) to define "large format uses" (500,000+ sq ft) and "data centers," establish development standards, and define green roofs. Passed 12 ayes (Councilmember Robinson out). Councilmember Willett called it "a step in the right direction" but expressed concern about school district abatements. Councilmember Bunch said it "addresses some of the zoning issues" but not environmental or economic development impacts. Councilmember Duncan noted the need for a decommissioning provision. Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw thanked staff. The City Manager stated the ordinance puts Kansas City at the "cutting edge" of data center regulation.
- Resolution 260075 (Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw, Councilmembers Patterson Hazley, Willett): Directed the City Manager to review Chapters 17 and 78 and economic incentive policies regarding data center impact on environmental quality, consumer water/electricity rates, and local economic growth. Referred to Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee.
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Budget and Water Bonds
- Resolution 260028 (Councilmember Bough): Adopting the FY 2026-2027 budget development schedule, including public hearings on February 23, March 2, and March 7, 2026, and adoption by March 26, 2026. Passed unanimously (13 ayes).
- Ordinance 251027 (Mayor Lucas): A $750 million waterworks revenue bond authorization for the April 7, 2026 ballot. Held off docket to evaluate election dates (options: June, August, or November) and threshold requirements.
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Museum of Kansas City Carriage House (Ordinance 260003)
- Authorized the City Manager to assist the Museum of Kansas City in applying for up to $1 million in state tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board. Councilmember Bough noted these credits would leverage up to $2 million in contributions. Passed unanimously.
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EMS Medical Director Contract (Ordinance 260017)
- Waived fund balance policy to authorize a $468,000 sole source contract renewal with Emergency Medicine Services of MO, LLC for EMS Medical Director services, with five one-year renewal options. Passed unanimously.
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Vehicle Operation as Pretrial Condition (Ordinance 260030)
- Amended a prior ordinance to direct the City Manager to seek, as a condition of pretrial release for any Code violation, that the defendant be prohibited from operating vehicles unlawful to operate on streets/highways. Councilmember Rea explained the intent is to address street racing and ATV issues. Passed unanimously (13 ayes).
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Brownfields Cleanup Grant (Resolution 260054)
- Approved an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant application for up to $4 million for 184 additional vacant lots in the Washington Wheatley neighborhood. Councilmember Patterson Hazley noted the grant requires no local match. Passed unanimously (13 ayes).
Key Outcomes
- Detention Facility Shift: The council voted to pursue a permanent detention facility at Front Street (estimated at under $60 million) instead of the I-70/40 Highway site (estimated at over $200 million), despite concerns over community engagement. The option on the I-70/40 Highway land expires January 26, 2026. A separate resolution mandates community engagement within 60 days.
- Non-Municipal Detention Moratorium: Approved a five-year moratorium on private detention facilities, requiring council approval for any such projects.
- Data Center Zoning Standards: Enacted new zoning rules for large format uses and data centers; further policy review directed.
- Budget Timeline Set: FY 2026-2027 budget process formalized with key dates through March 26, 2026.
- New Department Proposed: Ordinance 260076 introduced to create a Department of Justice and Community Intervention (incorporating the Aim for Peace program), referred to a joint committee of Finance and Neighborhood Planning.
- Closed Session: Held under RSMo 610.021 (legal advice) to discuss jurisdiction issues related to the detention facility moratorium.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. Our guest chaplain is Bishop Steve Haup of the Harvest Church. Would all who are able please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. And we bow our heads more importantly about our hearts. Father, we do thank you for another precious day to be in this place, and we pray that, as we said before, that your wisdom, that your direction would guard and direct our city. I pray today, Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would protect all of our council people, give them strength, protect their families. And then God, we're so privileged of you to have this young man who could be in any city, but you saw fit to have him in our city, the great mayor, uh Mayor Lucas. And we're so grateful for him that you would keep him and that you would guide him. I pray God, as the words are on the wall behind me that justice, that truth, that honor and righteousness would prevail in this room. I pray God over every person in this room that you would keep us and keep our city safe from all danger, seen or unseen. So I pray God that your will will be done today and every day as they gather to make decisions that affect every person of Kansas City, Missouri. For that, we are so grateful, and we're so thankful that your will will be done in Kansas City, Missouri, in Jesus Christ's name. Can we all say amen? Amen. Pledge allegiance to the announcement of America to the Republic for nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And First Lady Haup. I didn't see you before trying to sneak in. I want I'm sorry. Yeah, I wanted to make sure we said hello to her. Thank you for being here, and thank you for joining us at City Council today as well. So honored to be here, Mayor. Greetings to allow you. Thank you so much. God bless you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. The clerk will call the roll. Ray. Earls. Present sheet. Parkshaw. Present. Boom. Here. Don't present. French. You must have picked up these two nice to see you. French. Yeah. It's Rogers. Robinson. Here. Lucas. Here. Our team members present. Thank you. So all over the place. Bless you, please. Thank you. You know, if he's a young man, and I'm a young man.
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