City Plan Commission - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon. We will call the Neighborhood Planning Development Committee meeting to order. Chair, Mayor Pro Tem, Raina Park Shaw, my colleagues will introduce themselves.

Andrea Busick, 6th District at Large.

Nathan Willett, 1st District.

And staff.

Jeff Martin, City Manager's Office.

Elwood Allegra, Law Department. Travis Keefer, Casey Water.

Nicholas Boston-Edelson, engineer. Kyle O'Leary, Kansas City Planning.

Valley West City Clerk's Office.

All right. Thank you for that. We have several holds. So there's been a request to hold. Okay. 2, 6, 0, 6, 9, 4, which I actually have a script that I need to read. So let me come back to that one. There's a request to hold 2, 6, 0, 6, 3, 8 to hold. Then 2, 6, 0, 5, 6, 3 to hold until September 22nd. Is that correct? Anybody have any?

Okay.

All right. So, and that is actually on the agenda as well. I just want to make sure. All right. So, to go back to 260-694, this item is the... public hearing for proposed Tiffany Springs.

Madam Chair, before you get there, I have to recuse on this one, which I think I would have to do it on the script to hold it. And then therefore, I don't think we have a quorum yet.

Can we come back to it?

Yeah, can we come back? Sure.

Okay.

Will we have a quorum later in the meeting?

Maybe. I think Councilwoman Patterson-Hasley is planning to come or join. I don't know about Councilman Bunch.

The only thing is if we don't have a motion to hold it, it's going to need to be re-advertised because we technically are required to hold it to the next meeting and give the public notice here. So that's the only hiccup if we don't get a quorum later to come back to this item.

Okay. Well, let me see if we can just, we'll hold it a little bit until, see if either, when I'll ask them to make sure they attend. Okay. All right. So then, Madam Clerk, then if we will read 260695.

Ordinance 260695, accepting and approving a grant award in the amount of $589,768 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for continuum of care, shelter plus care appropriating and estimating the sum of $589,768 in the health grants fund and recognizing this ordinance as having an accelerated effective date.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Antle. I'm the housing manager for our HIV housing programs at the health department. And I'm here to provide a small overview of our Shelter Plus Care program. The purpose of the Shelter Plus Care program, first it is a grant award that is funded through HUD, through the Continuum of Care program, and our local Continuum of Care covering Jackson and Wyandotte counties. Our Shelter Plus Care program specifically provides housing for people with HIV and their families in our community. Housing is health care for people with HIV. It leads to increased engagement in HIV medical care and treatment. It also helps improve viral suppression of HIV, which in turn prevents HIV transmission in the community. And finally, it improves long-term health outcomes and quality of life for people with HIV. Shelter Bliss Care was originally funded in 2004, and we have annually applied and received renewal funding each year. Save Inc. is the project sponsor who helps provide the direct services for the program, which includes housing vouchers, and with whom the funding application was collaboratively written. The Shelter Plus Care program addresses homelessness by providing housing vouchers through the coordinated entry system of the local COC wherein participants 30% of their income and the housing voucher covers the rest. The program also provides supportive services in the form of housing case management and housing navigation to help clients find and maintain their housing. The HUD funds, as mentioned, were awarded $589,768. There is also a match component, and from the health levy, we provide $105,528 in that match. The majority of funds go to Save Inc. to provide those services mentioned, and then KCHD, or the health department rather, maintains some of that funding to provide the administrative oversight. Our anticipated outcomes for the program are that 38 households will be housed, where at least one member of the family is living with HIV, with a total of 47 individuals housed, counting their family members. And those 38 households will also receive the support of housing case management and housing navigation. I welcome any questions that you have, and am happy to respond.

with the presentation. You all have any questions?

Is there any public testimony? There's no written testimony submitted to the city clerk's office ordinance number 260695. No one appears by Zoom with the raised hand or in person to testify.

All right, I'll bring it back to committee. I'll entertain a motion.

Madam Mayor, I move that ordinance number 260695 be reported out of committee with recommendation and advance to be passed.

Second. It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. Thank you. All right. So now we will go back to 260694 and let the record reflect that Councilwoman Boo is using herself. The next item is the public hearing for the proposed Tiffany Springs Logistics Community Improvement District number one. The applicant has requested the hearing be continued. Staff is seeking to continue this hearing to September 1st, 2026. Is there a motion to that effect?

Yes, Madam Mayor. For Tim, I move that the hearing on the Tiffany Springs Logistic Community Improvement District Number 1 be continued to the September 1st, 2026 Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee meeting at 1.30 p.m. on the 26th floor conference room of City Hall, 414 East 12th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Second.

It has been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion? If there's no discussion, will the clerk call the roll? Park Shaw? Aye. Bunch? Aye. Willett? Aye. Patterson-Hasley? Boo? Okay, the motion passes. The hearing will be continued to 1.30 on September 1st, 2026 on the 26th floor conference room of City Hall, 414 East 12th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Thank you. Next item.

Yes.

672.

Okay. Ordinance number 260672, approving a development plan on about 2.6 acres to allow for multiple commercial buildings on one lot in District B2-2, generally located 9840 North Cedar Avenue.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tem, committee members, Genevieve Kahn-Smith, City Planning and Development. And before you, we have Ordinance 260672 for a development plan at 9840 North Cedar Avenue. site is located in the northern portion of the city just close to liberty. And here we have the subject site highlighted in yellow it's part of the Highland Plaza West commercial development which has largely been built out I believe actually this is the last remaining undeveloped parcel the parcels of the North here has been recently developed with a child care facility the kitty Academy. So we're looking at this last site and the site plan submitted by the applicant. It includes three buildings on one lot, which is why it requires a development plan. The buildings are intended to be used for medical office and they will be located right along the street, Cedar Avenue, with all parking to the rear. Here we have some parking information related to our new parking ordinance, just to make sure they're between the minimum and the maximum, which they are at 109 spaces. The three buildings will total just under 18,000 square feet, and in the case that these buildings do not end up being medical office or you know change over time as we often see there are a few additional uses allowed including retail sales and other administrative or general office. And then we have the landscape plan in compliance with all zoning and development code requirements for street trees and internal landscaping within the parking lot area. And then some building elevations utilizing high-quality materials and consistent with other buildings in the area. And then just some views of the subject site. And like I mentioned, there has been a development to the north at the corner of Cedar and 96, 98, just north of the subject site. But as you can see, it's... ready for the development. And this case was heard by the City Planning Commission, and they recommended approval subject to conditions, and I can take any questions.

All right, is there any questions, comments? Did you have a comment?

Mayor Pro Tem and members of the committee, my request is simply that you advance and pass this ordinance. We are available to answer questions. Matt Iway is with Star Development Corporation.

That's it. Thank you. All right. Is there any public testimony?

Testimony submitted to the City Clerk's Office, Warden's Number 260672. No one appears by Zoom with their raised hand or in person to testify.

Okay, I'll entertain a motion.

Madam Mayor Pro Tem, I move that order number 260672 be reported out of committee with the recommendation of advance to be passed. Second.

It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right, and our last item, we have an additional business item on the Westside Tax Relief Program.

Westside Tax Relief Program Annual Report Presentation.

Good afternoon. Should we just get started? Great. Let's see. Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tem, Park Shaw, and members of the council and guests. My name is Carmen Lopez-Murguia, Executive Director of Westside Housing. I am joined here today with Joe Hood, Director of Strategic Partnerships, and behind me, Erica Galeas, Director of Compliance, and Michael Duffy, a retired legal aid attorney and volunteer, longtime volunteer, who has been very instrumental in helping us through this tax relief program. Before Joe walks through our impact numbers and where we are today, I wanted to give a very brief background for those that may be new to this program and or may just need details of the program, but very quick. The Westside Property Tax Relief Program came out that was identified with residents and community in 2019 when property taxes increased by 128% in Jackson County, which is with the comparison of 18% across the rest of the county. For many long-time residents and homeowners, specifically seniors and low-income families, this increase created a real concern whether they could afford to remain in their homes, like many other parts of our city. The community came together around a solution, and thank you to City Council on September of 2022, the Council approved our Westside Property Tax Relief Program. So, the Westside Housing serves as the administrator, but our real goal is beyond processing applications. We work directly with homeowners on eligibility, annual requirements, delinquent taxes, home repairs, and other issues that could jeopardize their participation and, quite frankly, their ability to remain in their homes. Over the past few years, what we've learned is that the tax relief is important, but the ongoing relationship with our homeowners is just as important. And consistent outreach, education, planning, one-on-one support are really what helps this program really truly work. And with that brief summary, I promised I'm going to turn it over to Joe just to give some impact, which is really the highlight of the day.

Thank you. I mean, before we get too far into the results, I do want to address one thing that's on the financials report. The report reflects a $29,274 neighborhood support fee that we collected in 2025. The county did change the due date for property tax to January of 2026. So a lot of the revenue that was collected for the program was not done until 2026. So that's why there's a glitch, if you will, in the amounts that's coming in. Typically, though, the program brings in anywhere from $325,000 to $345,000 on average per year into the program. I'm proud this morning, or this afternoon, to share with everybody the Westside property tax relief program results, and more importantly, the impact that it's had on the individual residents in our community. What began as a response to a drastic property tax increase that threatened to displace long-time homeowners has become a powerful housing stabilized tool for community preservation and economic security. In 2025, the program reached an important milestone. We were able to enroll 322 people, homeowners, that represents over 60% of the eligible households that are eligible for the program. But more importantly than that, 73% of the participants are in our low to moderate income households. This is exactly the demographic and population that the program was designed to serve. Behind these numbers are real people and real families. Seniors on fixed income, single parents, widows, working families who struggled to overcome tax burdens are now able to remain in their homes. Some participants have seen their annual tax obligation reduced from thousands of dollars to hundreds of dollars per year. This has allowed them to afford basic necessities, maintain their homes, and stay in the neighborhood that they have called home for decades. The impact extends far beyond financial relief. One of the most significant outcomes we have witnessed is the dramatic reduction in stress and uncertainty amongst participating residents. For years, many homeowners have lived with the constant fear of losing their home due to rising property tax. Today, families tell us that they are breathing again. They are sleeping better, planning for the future, and feeling a sense of security of knowing that they could remain in their home and the community. In fact, to our knowledge, no household participating in the property tax program has been forced to sell their home due to unaffordable property tax since the program began in 2022. Prior to the program, this was a regular common occurrence in the neighborhood. This is one of the clearest indicators of this program's success and its ability to protect residents and prevent displacement. In many ways, this phase of the program has been the most challenging. Households that remain unenrolled are often the most vulnerable and the most disconnected from traditional systems of service. Many are facing multiple barriers including financial hardship, health issues, language barriers, title complexities, and other challenges that prevent enrollment. Reaching and assisting these residents require additional time, resources, and individual support. yet they are also the most, they are the people that stand most to gain from this program. This is why continued support is so critical. There are residents still in need. There are still families whose household stability depends on the protection that this program can provide. We continue to invest in the community, in our partnerships, and by doing so, we can ensure long-term homeowners remain in their home, preserve the cultural fabric of the West Side, and continue to build a community where future generations can thrive. Thank you for your partnership, your support, and your commitment to protecting the residents and the character of the Westside community. Thank you.

All right, thank you. I do want to acknowledge that I emailed you all the report. So have it in your email and also to the clerk if you can make sure it gets uploaded.

And if you have any questions even after, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you. And just, you know, the... This program really was the inspiration behind our anti-displacement program that we have implemented now citywide to make sure that we do our best not to displace any residents or businesses as we try to grow our city and have economic development throughout our city. And so I'm always excited to have this report come forward because it shows the success of great work that And when great work occurs, we can truly make a positive impact on people's lives. And so I'm just excited for the work that you all continue to do and thank you for that.

Thank you.

I just want to say thank you. I just newly added back to this committee so I haven't been a part of these reports but was very much involved in the original inception of this program and it is really good to hear the updates and hear that the program is progressing like you said it would. When we first sat down and talked about this, I was like, oh, I don't know if a chapter 353 could work this way. But it was from some very learned counsel told me that it could. And I soon became very supportive of this and just want to commend you for continuing the work. And as Mayor Pro Tem said, you know, we we had to act because of the impact that it was having. And it has changed. had a ripple effect on what the city's done so i just commend you for the work that you thank you are doing now and and dead then and have done in the past so thank you thank you

Go ahead, Councilman Blanche.

Likewise, you know, the west side, of course, faces pretty unique challenges. It's unique to the region in that the development pressure is very high and property values are increasing because it's such a desirable neighborhood. The challenge with creating such a desirable neighborhood, of course, is that more people want to live there. And with this accomplished, which, you know, I was in the same boat as 353 can be used this way and we can do a... essentially a retroactive property tax redirection. It's pretty amazing the success that it's had. And I, of course, got on board and along with some of my colleagues here, Thinking that maybe a handful of people will jump on board and take part to make it worthwhile and to the success that you all have exhibited is just incredible in getting so many people registered for the program. It says a lot about the effort of Westside Housing and others in the community. I want to commend you for bringing this really novel approach, because this is a tool that's useful in certain circumstances, not all. And the West Side, of course, is one that is ideal for this approach. And so I know a lot of folks were behind this. to make this happen. So thanks for continuing to push it through and all credit goes to those folks in the community who made this happen. So thanks for coming back and presenting to us and showing the success and as other neighborhoods face similar challenges and those pressures grow, this may be something that we could expand elsewhere. Another note I think is important is that it's very rare that you get, you know, tax and jurisdictions who benefit or rely on property taxes to be okay or at least, you know, quiet. They're great partners. But the recognition of how important it is to stabilize neighborhoods, especially low and moderate income families, is so critical for things like the libraries and the school districts and everything. So that also just goes to show how important this is and how good of a tool it was that you all created. So thank you. Thanks for coming back. We'll look forward to seeing you the next time.

Appreciate it. Thank you all. And thank you for your partnership as well, because this is truly a team effort from county, city, our team. This is how we're going to make things make a difference. So thank you all as well.

Thank you. All right, is there any additional business to come before the committee? If not, we'll adjourn.