City Council Meeting: Proclamations, Comprehensive Plan Adoption, and County Report - April 21, 2026

This was a lengthy meeting of the Olathe City Council, starting at 6:45 PM with an executive session and reconvening publicly at 7:00 PM. The main items of business included the adoption of a new comprehensive plan ("Elevate Olathe"), recognition of Arbor Week and graduating Teen Council seniors, a presentation from Johnson County commissioners, and several ordinance readings. The meeting concluded with a second executive session and adjournment at 9:21 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the April 7, 2026 meeting.
• Approved new licenses as recommended by the City Clerk.
• Accepted two final plats (Heather Ridge Estates, 3rd Plat, 24 lots on ~8.78 acres; and Her Shepherd's Estate, 1 lot on ~3.4 acres), each with associated street and easement dedications.
• Approved Resolution No. 26-1034 consenting to enlargement of the Consolidated Main Sewer District for Woodland Hills, 8th Plat.
• Approved Resolution No. 26-1035 and No. 26-1036, authorizing Water & Sewer and Stormwater improvements and intent to issue revenue bonds.
• Awarded the Arrowhead Truss Mains Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation contract to SAK Construction, LLC.
• Approved various other contracts, renewals, and purchases (including a Telemax EVO HYBRID V2 UGV for the Fire Department and a citywide printer solution).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No general citizen comments were heard.

Discussion Items

• Proclamation (Arbor Week): Mayor Bacon read a proclamation recognizing April 19–25, 2026 as Arbor Week. City Arborist Mike Katzer accepted, noting Olathe's 43rd year as a Tree City USA and 33rd Growth Award. He highlighted a planting event at Lakeside Hills Disc Golf Course with 59 students from Olathe West's Green Tech Academy, planting 30 trees.
• Recognition of Teen Council Seniors: Assistant to the Mayor Liz Ruback introduced and honored four graduating seniors (Hope Kelly, Riley Forcey—absent, Ana, and Ethan Smith) who completed a major inclusivity project and provided youth input on city processes, including e-bike rules. Each senior spoke briefly about their experience.
• Adoption of Elevate Olathe Comprehensive Plan (Ordinance No. 26-14): Planning and Development Manager Kim Hollingsworth presented a detailed overview of the two-year planning process, which involved over 4,000 participants, a 14-member steering committee, 65 city staff volunteers, and translated materials. Key themes from public feedback included diversified housing, an active downtown, memory-making destinations, and multimodal transportation. The plan includes a new development matrix and annual reviews. Councilmembers Felter, Creighton, and Vakas praised the document. Mayor Bacon asked about handling deviations from the plan and the review cadence. The ordinance passed 7–0.
• Recognition of Elevate Olathe Steering Committee: The mayor and staff thanked the 14 committee members, presenting them with certificates.
• Johnson County Commissioners' Annual Report: Commissioners Michael Ashcraft (5th District) and Shirley Allenbrand (6th District) provided an update covering:
  • New health services building in Olathe (opening 2027) co-locating mental health, aging, and public health.
  • New MED-ACT Station 1156 in Olathe with solar panels providing 70% of its electricity.
  • Road projects through the CARS program (Quiver, Black Bob, and work on 159th–167th).
  • Downtown parking garage partnership ($22.5M total, $11M county commitment for 379 spaces).
  • CarNAP planning process and K-10 corridor improvements (widening to six lanes, new Lone Elm interchange; construction target 2030).
  • New Century Airport updates: new air traffic control tower (2027, $15M), new runway 18/36 (2027, $30M, 90% federal), and a Vision 2.0 roundtable on airport self-sustainability.
  • Housing ad hoc committee (Chair Kelly).
  • FIFA World Cup transit: free bus service from KC Airport to Lenexa City Center/Overland Park Convention Center (25-min headways); paid circulator routes including Olathe stops. Concerns about number of Olathe stops and pricing were raised by councilmembers. Commissioners noted data collection efforts.
• New Business – Traffic Ordinance Amendments:
  • Ordinance No. 26-15: Amending Main Trafficways and connections. Passed 7–0.
  • Ordinance No. 26-16: Amending Title 10 (Traffic Ordinance) regarding e-bikes and e-scooters. Passed 7–0. Councilmember Schoonover emphasized public education before enforcement.
• Planning Session – Drone Ordinance Report: Deputy Police Chief Dave Schroeder presented a proposed ordinance limiting drone takeoff/landing near special events (over 100 people) and city infrastructure. Councilmembers discussed:
  • Impact on commercial drone deliveries (e.g., Amazon) – Deputy Chief clarified the city controls land, not airspace.
  • State-level regulations – Councilmember Felter noted Kansas has few drone laws and supports local action as a stopgap.
  • First responder drone program – Deputy Chief described use of three schools as launch sites covering 80% of the city, emphasizing that cameras are focused only on dispatch locations, not playgrounds. He cited successful responses, including locating a missing three-year-old.
  • Insurance/roof inspections – Mayor Bacon confirmed the ordinance would not affect such uses.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance No. 26-14 (Elevate Olathe Comprehensive Plan) adopted by a vote of 7–0. The plan will guide development for the next 15 years, with annual reviews and a potential five-year checkpoint.
• Ordinance No. 26-15 (Main Trafficways) adopted by a vote of 7–0.
• Ordinance No. 26-16 (E-bike/E-scooter safety) adopted by a vote of 7–0. Public education efforts will precede enforcement.
• Consent Agenda approved by a vote of 7–0, including all 14 routine items (plat approvals, bond resolutions, contracts, and purchases).
• Two executive sessions were held: the first (10 minutes) regarding municipal judges, and the second (20 minutes plus 4-minute extension) for City Auditor evaluation. Staff were directed to proceed with strategies discussed.
• Next steps: The drone ordinance will return for a future vote. Staff will research potential restrictions on vape shops near schools. City Manager Sherman will provide information on establishing a school zone at Heritage Christian Academy. The city will host a Summer Kickoff at Lake Olathe on May 29th.