City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF MISSION HILLS, KANSAS June 10, 2024 The City Council of the City of Mission Hills, Kansas held a meeting on June 10, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. PRESIDING: Mayor David W. Dickey PRESENT: Councilpersons Bill Bruning, Gregg Davidson, Barbara Nelson, Eden Thorne, and Andy Weed ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Jennifer Lee, City Administrator; Meghan Woolbright, Assistant to the City Administrator; Jill Clifton, City Planner; Jason Nickles, City Clerk; Cole Carmack, City Arborist & Parks Coordinator; Anna Krstulic, City Attorney; Chief Byron Roberson, Prairie Village Police Department (PVPD), Major Eric McCullough, PVPD; Captain Adam Taylor, PVPD; and Chief Steve Chick, Consolidated Fire District No. 2 (CFD2) VISITORS: Jenny Chapin and Walker Woods, Mission Hills; Tim McQuaid, Mission Hills, KS; and Mike McQuaid, Fairway CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dickey called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and the pledge of allegiance was recited. GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS Mayor Dickey greeted visitors and noted that the order of the agenda would be adjusted to accommodate the interests of the visitors. Mayor Dickey noted that the meeting would be recorded for the purpose of meeting minutes. ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION Mayor Dickey, Council Members, Staff, and all guests were invited to gather outside City Hall for the annual Arbor Aay celebration, commending Mission Hills recognition as a Tree City USA. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING – May 13, 2024 Councilperson Nelson moved to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2024 meeting. Councilperson Weed seconded. Approved 5-0. PUBLIC SAFETY A. Police Report Chief Roberson referred to the May narrative report and noted May was a light month. Chief Roberson noted the rarity of the first incident where significant damage was done in an attempted theft of a vehicle. Chief Roberson noted that the department was able to collect DNA 1 evidence and reminded the council that attempts to collect DNA are done in a timely matter and samples are sent to a lab but are generally not tested unless there is a suspect. Chief Roberson encouraged making police reports and stated the importance of prosecution as it could allow them to connect suspects to previous crimes later. Mayor Dickey asked Chief Roberson if the department knew the make of the vehicle to which Chief Roberson noted it was a 2004 Chevy Tahoe. Chief Roberson added that this is an extremely difficult vehicle to steal, which points to the thief’s presumed inexperience. Chief Roberson noted a theft of a garage door opener from a vehicle on Indian Lane and stated residents were informed to reprogram their garage door opener and recommended this be done periodically. Chief Roberson noted a package theft in the 1900 block of 63rd Street and added that he sees one or two of these incidents every so often but does not believe there has a been a recent spike in these incidents. Chief Roberson noted a theft of a vehicle in the 1900 block of 61st Terrace and stated that the keys were left inside the vehicle and minimal valuables were taken. He added that the vehicle was found and recovered in Independence, MO. Chief Roberson referred to the year-to-date crimes and noted lower numbers for key metrics such as burglaries. He clarified that aggravated burglaries are classified when the theft occurs within an occupied dwelling, such as a garage connected to the home entrance. He also noted that three burglaries have taken place this year, compared to nine at this time last year. Chief Roberson reported that thefts are down a little bit. He also mentioned that the only metric to significantly increase is DUIs leading to arrest, which can sometimes be attributed to the experience level of the officers. He added that new officers are still learning the job and how to detect drivers under the influence, while experienced officers are good at detecting and arresting these drivers. Chief Roberson noted that these incidents are also dependent on the time of year. A visitor asked if those arrest events and DUIs are residents and Chief Roberson stated that the department has not investigated that statistic but typically the vast majority were from outside Mission Hills. Councilperson Nelson asked Chief Roberson for more enlightenment on animal bites and referenced a recent national newspaper article highlighting last year’s almost 100 fatal dog attacks. Councileperson Nelson referenced the article stating that there are millions of dog bites every year and these stories likely get overlooked due to our emotional attachment to animals. Councilperson Nelson noted that dog attacks are more likely to happen to a resident walking in our City than them being hit by a car or bus and stated the importance of knowing the severity of each incident and would like to keep track of this. Councilperson Nelson asked Chief Roberson if he could elaborate on the dog bites. Chief Roberson stated he can only speak about events in Mission Hills, noting that there have been two incidents this year to date. He believes that Mission Hills experiences fewer incidents compared to many surrounding areas, attributing this to the City’s effective animal ordinances and work of the animal control offices. Chief Roberson praised the animal control officers for their vigilance in addressing issues such as dogs running at large and enforcing leash laws. He added that residents call about these types of incidents more than any other crime. He added that PVPD encourages residents to call and stated that the City has done a good job at making sure ordinances are up to date and fair. Councilperson Nelson 2 asked Chief Roberson if an ambulance was called for the two bite incidents that have occurred over the past month. Ms. Lee stated her knowledge of one of the two incidents. She explained that two dogs got out through a broken fence gate while someone was walking their dog on the street, leading to an attack. The owner was also bitten while trying to break up the fighting dogs. Captain Taylor noted that Ms. Lee’s account of the incident was correct and added that the second incident occurred between a dog and a cat. Councilperson Nelson stated that the City needs to know if an animal is a dangerous animal. Councilperson Weed asked Chief Roberson if the City and Prairie Village share an animal control officer to which Chief Roberson replied yes and noted there are two very good Community Service Officers (CSO) that are compassionate and bound to enforcing the ordinances in the City. He reiterated that residents should call the non-emergency number to report loose animals. He added that if a CSO is not on duty a police officer will step in. Councilperson Nelson stated that residents are reluctant to call and by the time a call to PVPD arrives the dogs are already gone. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion on Scooters, Bikes, Skateboards (and Electric Versions) Mayor Dickey stated that this topic was brought to his attention by six to eight residents during the Street Fair. Their concerns centered around the proliferation of e-bikes and e-scooters, particularly on sidewalks and streets. He noted that issues brought to his attention include the ignoring of stop signs, riding on the wrong side of the street, and lack of helmet use. Mayor Dickey added that he wants to have a conversation about the issue and discuss if the City should act or send it to the Crime Prevention and Safety Committee (CPSC) for study. Mayor Dickey noted that he has not received this much feedback about a single issue since the coyote issues. Councilperson Bruning added that technology has evolved, and he sees children as young as 10 years old riding on the street and sidewalks, which he believes is too young. Mr. T. McQuaid added that the severity of and what to do about this issue was discussed at the CPSC this month and public awareness could be added to the next letter from the Mayor. He added that the CPSC noted parents are letting their children go unattended and it could lead to something catastrophic. Mayor Dickey agreed that is the concern from feedback from residents. Councilperson Thorne added that she believes the top speed on an electric scooter is 15 mph and asked what the City can do to regulate their usage. Chief Roberson replied that some electric scooters can reach 45 mph and are currently classified in the same category as bicycles and skateboards. He added there is no ordinance against them in the City, which is the same as Prairie Village and most other cities in Johnson County, and there are no regulations prohibiting their use on the street or sidewalk. Councilperson Weed asked Chief Roberson if there is an age limit or if they would require a license in which Chief Roberson replied there is no license or helmet requirement. Councilperson Thorne asked Chief Roberson if there are rules for double riders to which Chief Roberson replied that there are no regulations on how many passengers can be on board. Councilperson Weed asked Chief Roberson if there is any guidance from the State of Kansas and KDOT to which Chief Roberson stated that most of the current regulations come from the State and cities can make their ordinances more restrictive, but currently the State has no regulations. Councilperson Bruning asked Chief Roberson how the City can enforce this issue to which Chief Roberson replied that it is a challenge, but he believes the first step would be education, but 3 actual enforcement would be difficult but not impossible. Mayor Dickey asked Chief Roberson if the department still has bicycle officers. Chief Roberson replied that when the department is fully staffed there are officers trained for bicycles. He noted that currently they do not have bicycle officers. Mr. T. McQuaid added that during his childhood in Prairie Village, he attended a bike class at Shawnee Mission East parking lot and received a certification and sticker for basic safety. He added the department kept records of his completion and while he does not recommend this specific example, he offered it as an idea of what the City can do to provide guidance to residents. Councilperson Bruning added that while he is not inclined to delay a decision, he would like the City Attorney to review model ordinances. Ms. Krstulic referenced an ordinance from the City of Topeka that requires operators to be 16 years old, any riders under 18 are required to wear a helmet, a 15-mph speed limit on electric scooters and bikes, a requirement for certain lamps, and a usage ban on streets with 35 mph or higher speed limits with exceptions of streets with a designated bike lane. She added that she could contact the City Attorney of Topeka and ask enforcement questions. Mr. Woods added that the City must do something, despite enforcement difficulty, and noted more responsibility and accountability needs to be placed on the parents. Mayor Dickey agreed and noted that enforcement of one or two infractions by riders could go a long way because education alone might not be enough to solve the issue but he is not interested in citing people. Councilperson Bruning added that he is not comfortable with passing an ordinance that cannot be enforced. Councilperson Weed opined that the City currently struggles with enforcing a 25-mph speed limit and action on this issue is necessary before something tragic happens. Mayor Dickey and Councilperson Nelson agreed that action is needed and noted that these vehicles are getting bigger and increasing in frequency. Ms. Chapin noted that she and Mr. Woods frequently walk, and they are being run off the sidewalk by electric bikes and scooters. She recommended both education and parental involvement. She added that she knows where these children live and has been tempted to inform the parents of their kids’ behavior. Councilperson Nelson recommended a two-pronged approach; enforcement, which cannot be easily addressed in conjunction with education. She added she loves the certificate idea, wants this issue prioritized, education in the newsletter, and parental consequences. Mayor Dickey noted that he had hoped to see Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson last week to discuss if Prairie Village schools could take some of the education responsibility and for the two cities to create similar rules. Mayor Dickey noted that everyone, both residents and non-residents, is welcome to be in the City but being unsafe on a vehicle is not welcome. Mayor Dickey instructed the City Attorney to research model ordinances, with some choices pertaining to restricting use on a sidewalk, helmet requirements, age requirements, and limiting number of passengers. Mr. Woods noted the advances in electric vehicle technology and the difficulty of legislation. Councilperson Weed added that there are “No Skateboarding” signs in the Prairie Village shopping center. Councilperson Bruning asked what exactly the City is legislating and how do we define it. Mayor Dickey noted the City Attorney could focus on devices that are electrically powered. Councilperson Weed added that Bird scooters came to the City for a permit and he was the sole person to vote against it. He added this agreement should be reviewed, permits revoked, and strongly believes the City should make noise on this issue. Ms. Krstulic added that some cities have adopted ordinances specifically for e-scooter and e- bikes companies but the issue the City is dealing with currently are privately owned ones. 4 Councilperson Thorne added that when she acquired a moped, she was required to get a permit. Chief Roberson noted that the State does not have permits for scooters, but cities could require licenses for city streets. Mayor Dickey asked Chief Roberson if 14 is still the age limit for mopeds in which Captain Taylor stated that he believes you could drive one at 14. Mayor Dickey noted that rationally the State will catch up on this and regulations on internal combustion and electric vehicles will be treated the same. Mayor Dickey asked the City Attorney to review this matter and return it to the Council in July for discussion. He thanked Mr. Woods and Ms. Chapin for their attention to this matter. Councilperson Weed asked Mr. Woods and Ms. Chapin if they are satisfied with the discussion in which they stated yes. CONSENT AGENDA A. Claims Ordinance No. 1657 Councilperson Nelson moved to approve Claims Ordinance No. 1657. Councilperson Weed seconded. Approved 5-0. FINANCIAL REPORT A. May Financial Report Ms. Lee provided the May financial report to Council and offered to answer any questions. She highlighted that sales tax has increased a little bit with the April disbursements late and May disbursements slightly early. Councilperson Nelson noted that the last storm made a mess of Indian Lane and 63rd Street to which Ms. Lee agreed. Ms. Nelson added that she was surprised at the volume of debris at the low water crossing. Councilperson Bruning asked Ms. Lee if these new storms and power outages are the new normal to which Ms. Lee replied that the City has made strides to create dialogue between Evergy’s contractors and the City’s residents to help educate on the importance of letting Evergy maintain and prune trees along the power lines. Councilperson Weed added that he discussed this with a trimming crew and they stated that the power line which caused the power outage had an unusual amount of trees along it. Mayor Dickey noted the City’s advantage of having an arborist on staff and noted the large amount of 80 to 120+ year old trees, some approaching the end of their life. Mayor Dickey noted the City maintains reserves and cited the recent tornado that ended at the country club with damage to homes in Fairway. He asked if anyone else had questions about the financial report. Councilperson Bruning asked Ms. Lee how are increases to the sales tax approved. Ms. Lee replied by referencing the recent renewal of a quarter cent sales tax dedicated to capital improvements which was voted on by the residents. Ms. Lee added in reference to the 1% tax, she was unclear if a 1% for general purposes needed a vote. Mayor Dickey noted that when the City first passed the incremental sales tax for capital improvements, the Council included a sunset to force City to look at it again as well as have voters have a say for transparency and ease. OLD BUSINESS A. Repeat Nuisance Properties Ms. Woolbright noted there are two properties on the repeat nuisance list, 6510 Indian Lane and 2517 W. 68th Street. Councilperson Bruning noted that the City has no plans to address cosmetic 5 issues, wood rotting, and guttering and suggested the City could get into a slippery slope with this property anticipating its demolition. Mr. Bruning added that he is concerned that the City is presuming what is going to happen. Ms. Woolbright stated that generally unless the Council has directed us to do so, those cosmetics issues are not addressed, unless the wood rot got into a condition where an animal could get into it, then the City will close it. Councilperson Bruning asked if there is an ordinance for this and what is the metric. Ms. Lee noted the minimum standards for structures ordinance, which is separate from the nuisance ordinance. Mr. Bruning asked Ms. Lee if that would apply to a structure when it is torn down by the City, to which Ms. Lee stated yes. Mayor Dickey noted that the property at 68th St was issued citations with fines through the abatement clause. Ms. Lee confirmed. Councilperson Weed asked if those fines are collected on the next tax bill or when the property is sold. Ms. Lee stated the resident would go to Municipal Court for the citation and the City will share abatement costs with the Court, who would determine the penalties. She noted the City may recoup those costs by placing those fees as a special assessment on property taxes, if they are not collected in Municipal Court. Councilman Davidson asked if the City does not have to wait for sale of the property to collect fines on the title but can collect on next year’s property tax. Ms. Lee confirmed that yes, if they were not addressed in Municipal Court. B. Belinder Low Water Crossing Mayor Dickey added this agenda item to prepare for July’s discussion and noted that the Council has been discussing this issue for three years and a need for a decision is imminent. He added that Council will be reviewing all the different choices. NEW BUSINESS B. Resolution No. 2024 – K: Engineering Contract for Eisenhower Pond Project Ms. Lee noted that two of four of the proposals that were received were close in scope, timing, and cost and because they were so close, staff felt they should be brought to Council for review. Councilperson Nelson asked why there were significant differences in the two sets of proposals, including a 7-month difference in the timeline. Ms. Lee noted that during the interview process, she believes the difference was in the grasp of the scope. She added two firms thought it would take a year, while two others thought it would take 5-months. She noted the proposals with longer timelines built in more time for working with the Ad Hoc Committee and Council. Councilperson Nelson asked for clarity that this proposal is only for engineering and not the work to which Ms. Lee replied yes. Councilperson Nelson noted that she is concerned that the City is spending too much time and money on a small pond. Ms. Lee noted that she believes this project would seek holistic solutions and look for opportunities to improve the watershed upstream of the pond. She added the City does not want to dredge the pond again in a short amount of time, the plan includes watershed analysis, and the pond is a small part of the equation. Ms. Lee added that the pond depth is an immediate issue and concern, and the Park Board has long term goals, but she is concerned that beautification alone will result in the City being back in this position in a decade. Ms. Lee noted the scope of the request for proposals was to address what is happening outside of the pond and contributing to the problems that we are 6 having. Councilperson Nelson noted she has not seen the proposal but wanted to understand the vision. She noted that at Sunken Garden, the City found there was a spring which improved the solutions. Ms. Lee stated she wants to get the pond to a state where it can be sustained, and the Park Board is able to make beautification improvements. She added updated stormwater management improvements could prevent erosion and sediment entering the creek and pond. Councilperson Nelson asked if we have all agreed to keep the pond to which Ms. Lee replied that could be a part of the discussion. Councilperson Bruning noted that there are deed restrictions to which Ms. Lee stated that if the City does not use it as a pond, the City would have to return it to the original property owner. Councilperson Nelson asked who the property owner is to which Ms. Lee stated the house next to the pond on Ensley and Tomahawk. Councilperson Bruning shared Councilperson Nelson’s concerns and referenced the sediment issues but stated that this is a once in a lifetime decision and supported fresh eyes for the project with GBA. Councilperson Bruning moved to approve Resolution No. 2024- K for an engineering contract with GBA for the Eisenhower Pond Project. Councilperson Thorne asked Ms. Lee if Water Resources Solutions (WRS) had looked at it in the past to which Ms. Lee stated that Don Baker, owner of WRS, who was originally with Black and Veach, was part of the wetland bench construction in 2009-2010 and helped repair the bench that was failing on the east side a few years ago. Ms. Lee added that more recently, he completed a watershed study in the Belinder Heights neighborhood that was built without a significant stormwater infrastructure. Mayor Dickey added that having different sets of eyes look at a project can be beneficial and both GBA and WRS have done engineering for the City. Councilperson Weed referenced the poor condition of the pond at Antioch Park and questioned if the research and findings from this study could be a part of a partnership, to which Ms. Lee stated absolutely and that is something that has been done in the past. Ms. Lee added that one of the things that rated GBA high is that they are already working with Johnson County at Heritage Park, as well as other communities. She noted the City is successfully managing the algae and duckweed. Mayor Dickey added that any solution could be shared with the County. Councilperson Nelson referenced the past Canadian geese solution, adding that the City was on the cutting edge and Leawood came to Mission Hills for a solution. Ms. Lee noted the vegetative bench for the pond was part of the solution for the geese problem because they do not like walking through tall grass because they do not know what is on the other side. Mr. T. McQuaid added that ponds are complex, and no solution is permanent. Councilperson Bruning stated that we need to look at the bigger picture. Mayor Dickey asked if there is a second of the motion. Councilperson Nelson seconded. Approved 5-0. C. Resolution No. 2024 – L: Contract with Kissick Construction for Lining Stormwater Pipe at 67th and State Line Road Councilperson Weed asked Ms. Lee if this project, since it is on State Line Road, would be completely underground and Ms. Lee replied yes. Councilperson Nelson moved to approve Resolution No. 2024 L for a contract with Kissick Construction for lining the stormwater pipe at 67th Street and State Line Road. Councilperson Weed seconded. Approved 5-0. 7 MAYORS COMMENTS Mayor Dickey noted the City calendar and added that there have been three community events so far with many more planned. He thanked the staff for the success of the Kiem Annual Street Fair and 75th anniversary celebration and suggested some of the additional activities and changes may want to be retained by the Community Engagement Committee in future years. REPORTS OF CITY STAFF B. City Administrator Ms. Lee noted the City received an estimate for repairing the pedestrian bridge to the Village Presbyterian church for $500,00-600,000. She added Prairie Village asked if the bridge was necessary and asked the Council their thoughts. The Council stated that the bridge is used and the Mayor stated that children use the bridge often to access the schools. Ms. Lee stated that she will share this with Prairie Village. Councilperson Weed asked Ms. Lee if a bridge replacement would be more economical than repairs, to which Ms. Lee replied that a new bridge is estimated to cost $250,000- $300,000. Ms. Lee also noted topics for future meetings including the renderings of sidewalks connections. Ms. Lee noted there was an opportunity to apply for federal funds for a trail from 63rd Street to Mission Road on Indian Lane and the City’s project was selected to receive partial funding. She noted the narrowness of the space between the creek and the roadway on Indian Lane – some sections of the trail might require a split rail fence to protect from falls. Ms. Lee reported that the Community Engagement Committee current co-chair Megan Winter has stepped away and co-chair Caroline Moran will be looking at formalizing the committee structure and will be returning to the Council. Ms. Lee introduced the new City Arborist Cole Carmack. C. City Planner Ms. Clifton noted that at the request of the Council, she has added information about substantial construction projects and asked the Council if there are any questions. Councilperson Nelson noted that she would like to know what the square footage of a torn down house is as well as the pervious surface compared to impervious surface of a new house. She noted that no one is building smaller houses and that water flow from the new houses is important. She stated that this is important information that the City previously collected at the tail end of projects but now the City is requiring this information up front. Councilperson Bruning added that the City should be tracking how these things evolve, and the City should manage the rising elevations and ought to be managing the size of properties. Mayor Dickey noted the relevant information is the impervious surface and square footage of the house. Ms. Clifton noted that the city is collecting this information before the tear down of a house, but the city does not require the greenspace calculated from the house before it is torn down. Mayor Dickey asked Ms. Clifton if the city is collecting footprint information to which Ms. Clifton responded yes but the City does not collect footprints from patios and other accessory structures. Ms. Clifton stated that this could be added as a requirement. Councilperson Nelson noted that it is important to get an idea of how much land a house is covering, and that the City needs to know where the water is going. Ms. Lee added that the city knows whether a new house is in compliance with the City’s greenspace 8 requirement and whether it requires a drainage study. Ms. Lee added that the ARB receives a summary of the project that is available to neighbors and includes proposed greenspace. Councilperson Thorne added that the greenspace is what the ARB is currently focused on due to water issues. Councilperson Weed stated that the county collects data on impervious surface to which Ms. Clifton replied that it is a rough estimate based on LIDAR. Ms. Lee added that the city could use this information and that it is not perfect, but they could also require applicants to provide it. Mayor Dickey added that Councilperson Nelson is not looking for perfection but wants a rough estimate. Ms. Clifton stated that the rough estimates are collected in the drainage study, and they must know the original condition of the property compared to the new with any increase in impervious surface accounted for. Mayor Dickey recommended starting with this existing for the summary. Councilperson Bruning asked if the Council should have more say upfront on the issues that go before the Planning Commission. Councilperson Bruning stated that the council sent the commission proposal back which has triggered a series of steps. Ms. Clifton stated that there are four properties, including two in Prairie Village, that have the Tesla solar roof and the Planning Commission has those addresses and will go look at them and at the next meeting a representative will bring a sample of the product. She stated the Planning Commission is working though some of the issues that Council had with the proposal. Councilperson Bruning asked if the Council should be more careful or specific about what the Council asks the Planning Commission to do. Ms. Clifton stated that the commission’s Council liaison has been the person to refer to for this type of explanation in the past. Councilperson Bruning asked to see the request for proposals for the comprehensive plan to which Ms. Clifton stated that will be shared soon. Councilperson Bruning, in reference to corner lot guidelines noted that the original intent of the guidelines has been lost. Ms. Clifton stated the change in setbacks, done in 2020, was changed for corner lots. She added that it is confusing because the setbacks have changed but the guidelines have not been changed to match. Councilperson Bruning noted that the house at the corner at 63rd and Verona, someone put in a square house, and he pushed for the concept of original design intent and ask if the city has lost that idea of a house angled with an open front yard. Ms. Clifton added that the corner lot guidelines are about how far from the street homes can go, a house facing an intersection has certain guidelines about how and whether it should extend out toward the street farther than the house next to it. Councilperson Bruning adds that there is a house that this has happened to which Ms. Clifton added that it is confusing because the guidelines do not match the setbacks, so anytime the architect needs to do something with a corner lot, it must be interpreted. Councilperson Bruning asked if the phrase original design concept has been lost to which Ms. Clifton stated that they are not changing the language just where the lines are drawn. Councilperson Bruning stated he would like to make sure of that and that this is one way to get a significantly larger greenspace. Councilperson Bruning asks about concrete strip driveways. Ms. Clifton stated that it was brought up by the Council a year ago and the Council directed the Planning Commission to look at it. Councilperson Bruning added he does not think the city wants strip driveways. 9 Councilperson Thorne added this is in reference to greenspace calculations and referred to an example on High Drive. Mayor Dickey asked for clarification if Councilperson Bruning does not like them in their entirety or for their use to help meet greenspace requirements in which Councilperson Bruning replied yes. Mr. Bruning added that this may work in other areas but not in Mission Hills. Ms. Clifton noted that this was changed because in Fairway there was a rush of people adding this to circumvent the rules. Mayor Dickey stated that everyone is in agreement that the City does not like strip driveways. Councilperson Nelson then noted item D, regarding garages not being street facing and asked why the ARB always approves these. Ms. Clifton stated that because there are already so many properties with front facing garages. The concern is if you require the side facing garages, it requires driveways to be wider and longer, it encourages more hardscape. Councilperson Bruning added that he believes the guidelines are wrong and they need to distinguish between north of 63rd and south of 63rd. He adds that half the houses south of 63rd have front facing garages and the guidelines do not reflect the difference between north and south of 63rd. MAYOR’S COMMENTS A. Council Liaison Councilperson Weed noted that the Community Engagement Committee will meet in the next week and thanked Councilperson Thorne for her contributions to this committee. Councilperson Weed noted the crime and safety committee discussed the 63rd crosswalk at Belinder. Ms. Lee stated that a transportation engineer was hired to look at connecting sidewalks and provide recommendations for beefed up signage and painting of the crosswalk after hearing from residents a push button activated crosswalk would obstruct the view. Ms. Lee noted that the Carraige Club reached out to the Mayor about installing the push button activated crosswalk equipment on State Line, noting the difficulty crossing from their lot in Mission Hills to the club in Kansas City. She added that the city talked to KCMO and if the city provided a transportation engineer drawn plan, KCMO would sign it therefore, the beacon in storage slated for 63rd Street could be put on State Line if everyone approves of the installation. The Mayor added that this is a no brainer. Councilperson Weed reported that the ARB had a discussion about the impervious surface at Mission Hills Country Club related to their project aimed at adding about 40 parking spaces. There were two Mission Woods residents there that were quite agitated with the club’s racquet courts. Ms. Lee added that this triggered a drainage study be done for the project. She added there was discussion about having a third party certify the accuracy of the drainage study, which was completed. Ms. Lee noted that stormwater and how it is handled because of proposed projects is a discussion point at the ARB. Councilperson Nelson asked if the Mission Road improvements have prevented water from overflowing to the road to which Ms. Lee stated she was not aware of the road being overtopped since the project was completed. 10 Councilperson Davidson reported that the Planning Commission has not met since the last Council meeting and Ms. Clifton has already discussed much of what was covered. Mr. Davidson noted that solar will be discussed again since the Council sent it back with concerns about reflectivity, irregular shaped solar shingles, appearance, and loss of trees. He added that a solar representative that will be visiting. Councilperson Bruning reported that the Park Board met today, and 95 parkway trees have been planted to date. He added that the Park Board is replacing the liriope at Belinder Circle and Court. He added that Colonial Court will be receiving two large urns to be placed at the east end. Ms. Lee added that the board is considering the installation of illuminated bollards. Councilperson Bruning reported that the Park Board discussed dedications of donated things like benches and asked Ms. Lee if parks have been formally named after people to which Ms. Lee stated no. Recently a resident offered to donate a plaque on the large island to commemorate a family that used to live nearby. Ms. Lee stated that this was discussed at the Park Board and they are kindly turning this offer down. She stated that generally the City has accepted donated benches with a small plaque on the back. Mrs. Lee noted that this is a policy the City has but it could be changed. D. Executive Session – Attorney-Client Consultation for Notice of Claim Councilperson Weed moved to enter an executive session, stating “I move that the City Council recess into executive session. The executive session will include the City Attorney. The open meeting will resume in the Council chamber at 7:30 p.m.” Councilperson Nelson seconded. Approved 5-0. The Council reconvened in open session at 7:30 p.m. Councilperson Weed stated that no binding action was taken during the executive session. D. Executive Session – Attorney-Client Consultation for Ownership of Parklets and Traffic Islands Councilperson Weed moved to enter an executive session, stating “I move that the City Council recess into executive session. The executive session will include the City Attorney. The open meeting will resume in the Council chamber at 7:35 p.m.” Councilperson Nelson seconded. Approved 5-0. The Council reconvened in open session at 7:35 p.m. Councilperson Weed stated that no binding action was taken during the executive session. B. Annual Appointment – City Clerk Mr. Nickles was administered the Oath of Office by Mayor Dickey. 11 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m. /s/ Jason Nickles 12