Olathe City Council Meeting Summary - November 18, 2025

The Olathe City Council convened on November 18, 2025, to address executive sessions, approve routine and special business items, and discuss major city infrastructure projects. The meeting included a unanimous approval of a proclamation for Native American Heritage Month and a proclamation recognizing Small Business Saturday for the local business Pizza 51. Significant deliberations focused on the Santa Fe Ridge View to Merlin Improvements project, outlining a tentative multi-year construction schedule that will close Santa Fe Boulevard while maintaining access to local businesses. Additionally, the Council reviewed the 2026 State Legislative Program, emphasizing the preservation of local control and exploring opportunities to expand the local tax base.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the Consent Agenda with the exception of Item N.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Angela Chinoot (Citizen of the Pottawatomi Nation): Delivered a testimony honoring Native American Heritage Month. She recalled the systematic removal of the Pottawatomi people from Indiana to Kansas territory in 1838, noting her great-grandfathers traveled the "Trail of Death." She emphasized that the goal was to keep stories alive and highlighted the educational value of the Fire Keeper's Circle Monument at Heritage Park in fostering kindness and remembrance.
• Susan Carson (Vice President of Membership, Olathe Chamber of Commerce): Introduced the Small Business Saturday proclamation on behalf of the business community. She stated that small businesses are the backbone of the economy, creating two-thirds of net new jobs and contributing nearly 40% of national economic output. She specifically highlighted Pizza 51 as a prime example of a small business revitalizing downtown Olathe by transforming a historic gas station into a community gathering space.
• Jason (Owner/Representative, Pizza 51): Expressed gratitude to the Council and Mayor for welcoming the business into Olathe. He noted the continuous learning process regarding the city's neighborhoods, schools, and history, and thanked the Council for recognizing the "pioneer spirit" of his business in downtown revitalization.

Discussion Items

• City Hall Parking Garage (Item N): Deputy Director Zach Hardy presented the project status, confirming design services have been awarded to NAB Holtz Construction. He stated that security, aesthetics, and maximizing parking spaces are top priorities. He confirmed the project aims to open before Old Settlers of '87 (2027) and noted that the final parking count is anticipated to be at least 379 spaces, serving both city and county needs.
• Infrastructure Projects (Santa Fe & I-35): City Engineer Nate Baldwin presented a tentative schedule for the joint "I-35 Santa Fe Ford" project, noting the receipt of $98 million in federal funding.
  • Schedule: Property demolition and clearance began in late 2025. Utility relocations are projected for Summer 2026. Olatha-managed construction for the Santa Fe corridor is anticipated to start in Q4 2027, with completion by Summer 2030. KDOT-led I-35 work is expected to start in Q4 2026 and conclude by the end of 2028.
  • Phasing: Baldwin outlined four phases, prioritizing stormwater work and outer street connections (Winchester, Spruce, Lindenwood) before the mainline interchange closure.
  • Bridge Impact: The new bridge will be 1-2 feet taller, requiring the complete reconstruction of Santa Fe Boulevard across I-35. This will temporarily close Santa Fe to cross-traffic while maintaining access to I-35 ramps as long as possible.
  • Detours: Tentative detour routes were discussed, routing cross-traffic via Ridgeview, 127th, or Merlin. Council members expressed concern regarding access for specific dealerships (e.g., Brogdon's, Volkswagen) and questioned if infrastructure improvements are needed on detour routes three years prior. Baldwin promised to email specific detour maps to the Council.
• State Legislative Program (2026): Director Tim Danenberg presented the legislative agenda, emphasizing "local control" as the primary theme due to the anticipated short (75-90 day) session.
  • School Buildings: Councilmember Felter raised a flag regarding a state statute that may allow the state to claim priority on purchasing closed school buildings. He positioned the City of Olathe to advocate for purchasing these buildings for affordable housing or an animal shelter to combat declining enrollment.
  • Sales Tax & Liquor Laws: Councilmembers Schoonover and Gilmore discussed the potential influence of state liquor laws on the development of large retail stores (e.g., Costco, Sam's Club) in Olathe. They directed staff to investigate if liquor laws are a barrier to sales tax expansion and to pursue opportunities to engage state legislators on this matter, though Danenberg noted the current agenda is reactive.
  • EV Licensing: Councilmember Schoonover asked about potential state registration/licensing for electric vehicles. Danenberg confirmed the League of Municipalities is forming a research group to investigate this statewide.
• Golf Cart Code Clarification: Councilmember Schoonover raised a concern regarding code discrepancies between "golf carts" and "work site utility vehicles." He noted that a new retailer is selling vehicles that could be classified as either, creating confusion for customers. Staff indicated the code provision needs harmonization and promised to bring a proposal to the next few meetings to clarify the distinctions.

Key Outcomes

• Executive Sessions: Passed a motion to approve staff strategies for the City Manager search (7-0). Passed a motion to recess for an additional executive session regarding financial affairs/trade secrets (7-0).
• Proclamations:
  • Adopted a proclamation recognizing November as Native American Heritage Month (7-0).
  • Adopted a proclamation recognizing November 29, 2025, as Small Business Saturday (7-0).
• Infrastructure Agreements: Approved the agreement with NAB Holtz Construction for design services for the City Hall Parking Garage (Project PN6-C-003-24) (7-0).
• Bonds & Ordinance Approvals:
  • Approved Ordinance 25-47 authorizing up to $1,085,000 in taxable industrial revenue bonds for Pizza 51 South (7-0).
  • Approved Ordinance 25-48 authorizing up to $23 million for LECC Building 5, LLC (7-0).
  • Approved Ordinance 25-49 (RZ25-0012) rezoning Lakeview Ridge to R1 (7-0).
  • Approved Ordinance 25-50 amending Title 12 regarding utility facility location timing (7-0).
• Legislative Strategy: Council directed staff to actively investigate and pursue the potential for changing state liquor laws to attract large retailers and to monitor and advocate for the City of Olathe's priority interest in purchasing closed school buildings.
• Administrative: Noted the December 16th meeting will focus on the 2040 Strategic Plan and will likely be held off-site. Announced a reception for new Councilmembers Creighton and Denelt on December 2nd.