District 4 Advisory Board

District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov The District IV Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the Alford Library at 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67217. There were nine (9) District Advisory Board members in attendance. DAB Member Alex Martinez officiated. There were eight (8) City Staff, and eleven (11) members of the public present. Members Present Guests Kit Corby Marilyn Bower Michael Gomm Terry Wiggers - SJCF Ray Hall Carl Amrine Stephanie Hartman Chloe Parisho David Kapaun Donna Wirth Alex Martinez Daniel Mealiff Don McManamey Christopher Parisho Jonathan McRoy John Parisho Rebecca Robertson Rhonda Cox Andrew Nguyen Members Absent (1 did not sign in) Matt Lashley Jason Platter Council Member (Absent) Staff Present Rebecca Fields – Community Services Dist. 4 Lt. Matt Schulte – WFD Officer Robert Kempf – Patrol South Office Alex Recio – Patrol South Officer David Perkins – Patrol West Brian Hill – Park & Recreation Scott Knebel - MAPD Tricia Thomas – WAMPO Communications Mgr. ORDER OF BUSINESS At 6:30 p.m. DAB Member Alex Martinez opened the DAB meeting and called the meeting to order. He then asked everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Martinez proceeded with the agenda and asked approval for the February 4, 2019 agenda. DAB Member Michael Gomm made a motion to approve and DAB Member Rebecca Robertson gave a 2nd. Motion was approved 9/0. The next item was approval for the January DAB Page 1 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov meeting’s minutes. DAB Member Stephanie Hartman motioned to approve and DAB Member Michael Gomm gave the 2nd. Motion was approved 9/0. STAFF REPORTS Mr. Martinez asked for the Fire Report to be given, and Lt. Matt Schulte began that January 2019 had five (5) fires in west Wichita: One was started by a 9 year old who set a chair on fire in the living room of an apartment; a fire was started by a discarded cigarette on a front porch that led to extensive fire damage to the front of a home; a fire was set to a vehicle parked in front of a house. The fire spread to the house causing damage; a generator on an enclosed porch caught the porch on fire; and the last fire was when an extension cord overheated in a basement closet and started a fire. He then reminded everyone to keep extension cords unplugged when not in use. He also reminded everyone to blow out candles before leaving the house or retiring for the night. Due to a grass fire that was in the Big Ditch two nights previous, he emphasized that this is prime weather for grass fires. The ground might be wet, but right now the grass was dormant and dry and could easily catch fire from sparks or lit cigarettes thrown out of vehicles. There were no questions from the Board or the guests, and so Mr. Martinez asked for the Police Reports. Community Police (CP) Officer Alex Recio, Patrol South – Beat 299, then reported the following that occurred in District 4 – south area: Aggravated Assaults – 11 Aggravated Robberies – 3, with 1 arrest Residential Burglaries – 9 Non-Residential Burglaries – 11 Auto Thefts – 11 Larceny to Autos – 19 “Civilians” have been hired to take over the Crime Analysis for the Wichita Police Department. This will free up officers from doing this task so that they can be on calls. Officer Recio further reported that compliance checks had been conducted on 81 liquor stores, with three (3) citations issued for selling to a minor. DAB Member David Kapaun asked Officer Recio about an inoperable vehicle that was at 3150 S All Hallows. Officer Recio said that he would check on this vehicle tomorrow (Tuesday, February 5). Officer David Perkins, Patrol West – 18 beat, then stepped up and reported that in District 4, 25 auto thefts had occurred, but 20 of them were east of I-235. Of these, 14 were recovered. Most of these vehicles were left unlocked while warming up, and once again Officer Perkins suggests Page 2 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov investing in a remote start system for your vehicle. Officer Perkins proceeded in the following statistics for larcenies to autos city-wide: 2016 – 5,280 larcenies to autos 2017 – 6,280 larcenies to autos 2018 – 6,256 larcenies to autos And so far in 2019 there have been 584 larcenies to autos. If this trend continues they will exceed 2017. Officer Perkins reminded everyone about two upcoming events, Snow Glow at the Indian Center on February 8 that was a night-time event, and Snow Day at the same location on Saturday, February 9. Officer Perkins stated that he took his kids to the last Snow Day and that it was really fun. And free! Officer Perkins then let everyone know that he had worked a speeding complaint that was supposedly taking place in the 300 – 500 block of south Woodchuck. The WPD Stealth Stat system was used, and it was found that 85% of the traffic was driving UNDER 30 mph. Running radar on this stretch of road produced only a few tickets. He then mentioned that the WPD Special Investigations Bureau (SIB) were still investigating businesses that had “gambling” machines and there would be more information coming from SIB on this matter. Officer Perkins moved on to a person on the west side, mostly in District 5, that is impersonating a police officer. He doesn’t have a visible weapon on him, but he is driving a black Crown Victoria with emergency lights. Another vehicle has been spotted doing the same, only it’s a white Crown Victoria. If anyone has doubts about the legitimacy of being stopped by one of these vehicles, keep your car locked, and call 911 and ask them if a Law Enforcement Officer is calling in a stop at the location where you were stopped. They will tell you if it is a legitimate stop. Citizens have the right to ask Law Enforcement Officers for an ID and badge number. Wichita Police Officers are now wearing new black uniforms and the photo on their ID badge is on a red background. Chris Parisho asked Officer Perkins about having the Stealth Stat operation for the 300 block of south Exposition (more specifically the intersection of Exposition and Burton) where Mr. Parisho has counted up to 30 cars running the 2-way stop sign at that intersection during a single day, but mostly during the drop-off and pick-up times at Allison and Franklin schools located nearby. (The stop sign faces Burton Ave. drivers). Mr. Parisho stated that the other residential streets near these schools are also bad, including Martinson. There were no further statements or questions for the WPD Officers, so Mr. Martinez next called for the Library Report that was read by DAB Member Stephanie Hartman. The Library Report for the Alford Branch Library is as follows: Alford’s Circulation count for January was 11,549 items. They have 2 exciting programs coming up over the next 2 weeks here at Alford: Page 3 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov Next Sunday, February 10, Humanities Kansas is sponsoring Children of the Promised Land, a pictorial history about Nicodemus, Kansas. Angela Bates, executive director and past president of the Nicodemus Historical Society will be here to present about the dynamics of child-rearing during and after slavery with stories of children conceived in slavery but born free. The program runs from 2pm to 3:30pm. The following Sunday, Feb 17, Alford will host a screening of the Academy Award Short Film nominees in the Animated and Live Action categories. The screening runs from 1:15-4:45pm. The films are all 40 minutes or less and may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Both events are free and do not require registration. All Wichita Public Library locations will be closed Monday, February 18th for President’s Day. PUBLIC AGENDA No one was scheduled and no guests had any comments at this time. NEW BUSINESS Wichita Ballpark/Multi-use Stadium Presentation: Mr. Terry Wiggers, Executive Vice President of the architect firm, Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, and Frey, was on hand to give the presentation of the new stadium design features. A PowerPoint had been prepared in advance and was ready for Mr. Wiggers to expound. The PowerPoint showed several Triple-A ballparks located in: Las Vegas, Birmingham, Nashville, St. Paul, Charlotte, etc. Almost all of these ballparks cost much more to build than what Wichita is spending for their ballpark, and yet they held the same amount of spectators or less. Mr. Wiggers then came to the slides showing the concepts for the Wichita multi-use stadium and pointed out the various entrances, and the perimeter of the ballpark/stadium property. Mr. Wiggers also mentioned the areas that were still being revised, such as the main entrance and the tower that would be similar in look to the existing clock tower at the Delano roundabout. Many of the concept slides had insets of actual activity slides that were taken from the gathering areas that are being mimicked from other stadiums, and also a slide that showed how the ballfield could be used for football as well. At the end of the presentation, Mr. Wiggers took the following questions: DAB Member Rebecca Robertson asked where the stage would be located. Mr. Wiggers replied that it will be a portable stage, and he added that there would be large ramp built for transport or freight trucks to enter the field in order to load and unload items. Page 4 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov DAB Member David Kapaun asked if the concourse will be elevated. Mr. Wiggers replied yes. And then Mr. Kapaun commented that he grew up in the Delano area and was quite familiar with this part of Wichita. He expressed concerns about an increase in traffic and how it will be handled. Mr. Wiggers had to keep reminding everyone that he was there only to present the design aspects of the stadium, and not the areas surrounding the stadium. DAB Member Robertson spoke up and stated that she serves on the Wichita Transit Advisory Board and the goal is to NOT park at the stadium, but to take shuttles or the Q-Line to and from the stadium. Mr. Wiggers added that he would be at a meeting the following week with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board regarding solutions. DAB Member Don McManamey stated that he was concerned about McLean Blvd being shut down on games days and how this would affect traffic and commute times. Donna Wirth, a guest, asked about handicapped parking, and Mr. Wiggers replied that there would be accommodations for this, but he was unsure as to the actual number of handicap stalls. Guest Andrew Nguyen (?) asked if the new stadium would affect pyrotechnical shows (fireworks). Mr. Wiggers said that yes it will, but they are not sure to what extent. He is aware that a 400 ft. fall-zone is needed in order for fallout not to drop on roofs, and that this issue will undoubtedly involve the Wichita Fire Department. Guest Chris Parisho who serves on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board stated that he is not happy about building along the west bank of the river, and is also concerned about the parking situation since he lives in Delano and knows that there will be parking in front of residences. Mr. Wiggers commented that this is a City of Wichita management issue. Mr. Parisho then commented that any video surveillance at the ballpark should be tied into the WPD system which is under 24-hour surveillance. Guest Marilyn Bower commented that she is concerned about the view of the river, and that after River Vista’s plans were changed they no longer trust the word of any City planners. There were no further questions or comments for Mr. Wiggers, so the Chair, Mr. Martinez, moved to the next item. Wichita Aquatics Master Plan Presentation: Brian Hill, Manager of O.J. Watson Park and Aquatics for the City of Wichita, presented a PowerPoint showing the new proposal for the remodel of 6 public pools and 6 new public splash pads in Wichita. Mr. Hill stated during the presentation that the number one complaint that they would receive were the hours of the pools, and were constantly requested that the pools remain open longer. Therefore the following has been proposed: • Operational Changes • Current open swim hours: • 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm, 6 days a week. • 30 open swim hours a week per pool. • New open swim hours: Page 5 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov • 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Monday – Friday • Noon – 6:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday. • 52 open swim hours a week per pool. • Current season: • Memorial Day – First weekend in August for most locations. • New season: • Memorial Day – Start of School, weekends only until Labor Day. Guest Chris Parisho asked if a public/private partnership had been considered between the City of Wichita and the YMCA. Mr. Hill responded yes, but that the Y was not interested. Guest Donna Wirth asked when this would be presented to the City Council, and Mr. Hill replied that it will hopefully be presented to the Council in March. Guest Marilyn Bower mentioned that she had heard the Mayor state the possibility of a splash pad at the stadium, and Mr. Hill stated that it would depend on the attendance at the ballgames. There was no further discussion regarding the Aquatics Master Plan, so Chair Martinez asked for the Planning case on the agenda. CON2018-00045: Mr. Scott Knebel, Planning Manager for the City of Wichita, presented the case for a City Conditional Use to permit a Transfer Station for medical waste on property zoned LI Limited Industrial and generally located on the north side of West Pawnee Avenue and approximately one-quarter mile west of South West Street (4210 W Pawnee). Mr. Knebel stated that this site would be for transfer only, and NO disposal of medical waste, and that MAPC has approved the request at their last meeting. DAB Member David Kapaun asked if the site was currently occupied by Shred-It. Mr. Knebel replied that he did not know the answer to this question. DAB Member Michael Gomm asked if anyone had protested or objected to this case at the MAPC hearing, and Mr. Knebel replied no. Chair Martinez asked for a motion, and DAB Member McManamey made a motion to approve the request, and DAB Member Ray Hall made a 2nd motion. The motion passed 9/0. The meeting was then moved to the last item under new business, What is the future of Transportation? – WAMPO Presentation Ms. Tricia Thomas, WAMPO Communications Manager, was on hand to present this short message and survey that WAMPO (Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) was requesting that everyone comment and partake of the survey regarding the Wichita area transportation system. Ms. Thomas said that they are updating the 20-year master plan and the on-line survey was crucial in determining what needed to be considered and what was currently working for transportation in the Wichita area. The top five things to consider are: Safety (fatalities have Page 6 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov increased, and fatal or serious accidents among bicyclists and pedestrian are also trending up); Funding (sources were uncertain and currently flat); KDOT (conditions are deteriorating); City of Wichita (infrastructure is in need of repair); Aging population; and Health for walkability and bike-ability. Currently $48 billion in freight traffic is flowing through our region each year, and other mobility services are trending such as Uber and Lyft. The survey will be available until the end of February. DAB Member Jonathan McCroy stated that he is concerned about losing millennials and he is glad to see these issues being addressed. Ms. Thomas confirmed that there is currently an urban renaissance taking place, and this became evident when reviewing exit interviews from interns/fellows that practiced in the Wichita area, but decided not to stay in the area. Guest Rhonda Cox asked if there are plans to expand the City’s transit hours and routes, and will they be going to a grid system. DAB Member Rebecca Robertson addressed this by stating that the new Director of Transit, Michael Tann, is looking into bringing in the surrounding areas/towns (such as Maize, Derby, Andover, etc.) so that the routes could be expanded. However, the routes will still need to produce revenue. Guest Marilyn Bower attended a Transit Advisory Board meeting and wanted to know if Transit is still working with USD259 in transporting students to school. Ms. Robertson replied that yes, they are still transporting USD259 high school students. There were no more questions or comments, but Ms. Thomas said that she would stay on hand in case someone wanted to speak with her after the meeting. Chair Martinez moved on to the Board Agenda. DAB Member Don McManamey stated that he was glad to see the house on south Meridian that had undergone two arson fires over the past several years was finally razed. Chair Martinez asked if there were any more issues or comments, and being that there were none, he asked for a motion to adjourn. DAB Member Kapaun gave a motion to adjourn, and DAB Member McRoy gave a 2nd motion. The DAB 4 meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm. Page 7 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov Rebecca Robertson asked if the old library building can be used for functions, and Mary Beth Jarvis replied that several organizations are interested in using the building, and it has been determined that the building could also be used for meeting spaces needed by conventions. The committee will get back with the DAB in about 4 weeks with the estimated renovation costs and new building costs that will also be discussed with City leaders and interested citizens. Planning was next on the agenda, and Matt Williams, Associate Planner with MABCD, presented. ZON2018-00047: The applicant requests the rezoning of the subject property, which is part of the vacant parcels of land on the east side of Sheridan Avenue north of the cul-de-sac dead end street north of Kellogg Street. The applicant owns the land and other parcels that are part of the overall ownership of the lands that extend to Custer Avenue to the east. There is an existing office building on Custer Avenue east of the subject property. The request is to bring all the land into the GO General Office (GO) zoning classification for potential future office development. Mr. Matt Williams, Associate Planner for MAPD, stated that the Planning Department had not received any phone calls on this case, and at the MAPC meeting there was no one there who objected to this. Councilman Blubaugh asked if the DAB or any guests had questions regarding this case. Being that there were none, DAB Member Michael Gomm then made a motion to approve, and DAB Member Jason Platter gave a 2nd motion. The motion passed 8/0. Page 8 of 9  District IV Advisory Board Minutes February 4, 2019 www.wichita.gov BOARD AGENDA The Future of Transportation – WAMPO Survey What are your thoughts about Wichita’s Transit system and how to improve it? Instead of a presentation, DAB Member Rebecca Robertson, who is on the Transit Advisory Board, stated that WAMPO was asking for the DAB Members to fill out the questions on the WAMPO survey (provided to all DAB members) and that there would be about a 20 minute presentation at the February DAB meeting. Updates, Issues, and Reports Councilman Blubaugh, who is the new elected Vice Mayor for 2019, mentioned that he is headed to Jacksonville, FL, along with Mayor Longwell and Council Member Bryan Frye, for the USS Wichita commissioning ceremony. Vincent Hancock, Vice President of Delano Neighborhood Association and Vice President of Delano United, stated that Paul Gunzelman will be giving a presentation of the new ballpark plans to Delano residents and businesses. Vice Mayor Blubaugh asked Becky about a survey of their concerns, and Becky replied that it was basically just whether McLean would be closed, as well as the parking situation as current parking for Delano businesses is already at a maximum and more parking is needed. Vincent Hancock and Christopher Parisho both stated that increased traffic, as well as obstructing views of the river from McLean were other areas of concern. DAB Member Matt Lashley gave a motion to adjourn at 7:41 pm, and DAB Member Jason Platter gave a 2nd motion. Motion passed 8/0. Page 9 of 9