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In an effort to maintain transparency in your government, I will post my summary of council meetings, complete with my rationale for my votes. The press does not always have space or resources for thorough analysis. It is my hope that this page can fill in the blanks.
Council Meeting – May 17, 2007
Development Agreement for Coronado Plaza
I voted against the development agreement for many reasons. As a City Council it is our job to look out for our residents and their best interests.
We had a development agreement before us Monday night that was asking for $358,500 of the public’s money - albeit in an extra sales tax to help offset the cost of the developer’s infrastructure. It seems a bit premature to be including this project in a global TDD when we still are looking for the approval of Walmart and Home Depot to participate. I have concerns with giving the developer $358,500 of the publics tax dollars for on site improvements such as concrete, interior street curbs and interior storm sewer. These are costs that developers incur when building a project. None of the $358,500 dollars will go for much needed off site improvements on Adams Dairy Parkway. Why should our residents have to pay an extra sales tax for the developer’s infrastructure?
In return for this investment, we have a 9.2-acre project that can include four fast food restaurants and we know the largest tenant will be National Tire and Battery. The agreement also gave the developer complete and exclusive control over tenants. We were also being asked to approve a project that did not meet our minimum standards for development on the Parkway.
The development was required to have 40% open space. This project contained 12%. The applicant claimed 26%, but we were being asked to include parking lot landscaping and dedicated right of ways to their open space requirements. Parking lot landscaping is used in meeting landscaping requirements not open space. Right of way is dedicated to the city and not part of the developer’s property so it cannot be included.
The developer wanted a 10% reduction in open space for donating $21,500 for artwork. At the going rate of $7 a square foot it would cost the developer at least $270,000 (total development is 9.2 acres) to provide the required open space. Not a very good bargain for our residents, but a great deal for the developer.
We paid for a consultant to tell us what traffic improvements were necessary for the Parkway if we brought retail projects forward. They made the recommendation that a 100 foot driveway ingress/egress at each Coronado Drive connection. The developer wants this reduced to 80 feet and 85 feet. Why are we not following what was recommended to us in the traffic study?
We are reducing our required set backs on Coronado Drive from 25 feet to 10 feet and along Interstate 70 from 15 feet to 10 feet. We need to uphold our minimum setback requirements on the Parkway for continuity and appearance.
The public has invested 70 million dollars on the Adams Dairy Parkway. We need to be good stewards of the public’s investment and insure we develop quality projects on the Parkway.
“Click It or Ticket Overtime”
Approved a grant for $2,000 to participate in “Click It or Ticket” for our police department. Chief McCoy assured us that all of the cost involved to participate would be covered by the grant with the exception of $640. I also asked for an explanation of just how the Click it or Ticket Enforcement Campaign works. I read in the KC Star on Sunday that one of the measures that failed with the Missouri Legislation was Bill HB 744 that would have allowed police to pull over motorists for not wearing seat belts. Our current law requires police to observe another violation first. Chief McCoy said people would not be pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt.
Purchase of Public Art
I just wanted some clarification that the entire cost of $15,000 for the public art entitled “Sundance” that will be permanently placed at Rotary Park would be paid for by Wal-Mart. I was told the public would not be paying for the artwork and that the entire cost would be made from a fund set up by Walmart.
Consultant for Centennial Pool
After much discussion it was unanimously decided by the council to approve $33,000 for a study to determine options for the pool’s future. Within the next 5 years we will need to spend over 1 million dollars on our current facility or build a new pool. This is a wise investment to help us determine the best course of action to take for our residents.
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