Wingman research desk
Update Archive
Every development, council and planning update we track, current and past, in one searchable place. When a card on a city page gets updated or retired, the old version lands here with its dates and sources, so nothing we’ve reported disappears.
Archived cards are kept as they appeared on the date shown and may be out of date. Summaries are written by Wingman Real Estate – The Shopper Team; follow the source links for the original reporting. Wingman Real Estate – The Shopper Team is a team of licensed real estate agents brokered by REAL Broker, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Proposed 2027 fee schedule raises water rates
The Oct. 22 council agenda includes Resolution 1401, which would adopt the 2027 fee schedule effective Jan. 1, 2027. Staff describes the water changes as the final step in preparing for the new water treatment plant. For example, the residential meter fee would rise from $41.64 to $49.75 and the usage rate from $0.99 to $1.19 per 100 gallons. The vote result has not been published.
EPA says Chemical Commodities cleanup is not working as planned
A September 2026 EPA review found the cleanup at the former Chemical Commodities site, 320 S. Blake St., is not currently protective, with TCE in groundwater spreading under nearby homes and indoor-air ventilation systems needing repairs. The EPA will keep testing and plans to finish a study of other cleanup options by October 2028.
Lawrence adopts updated five-year bikes plan
On Oct. 6, 2026, the City Commission approved an update to the city’s 2019 bikes plan, setting bicycle safety and infrastructure priorities for the next five years. The plan does not commit to specific projects or spending; staff will now move into selecting bikeway projects. An adopted plan is required for the city and county to qualify for certain state and federal funding.
City approves $26.5 million in revenue bonds for water and sewer upgrades
On Oct. 6, 2026, the City Commission approved issuing about $26.5 million in revenue bonds for water and sewer work, including at the Kansas River and Wakarusa River wastewater treatment plants. The finance director said the bonds are repaid from utility fees, not property taxes. The bond sale is scheduled for Nov. 17, when commissioners are expected to name the purchaser.
Sustainability board sends food-waste composting, recycling goals toward Vision 2030 plan
On Oct. 29, Lawrence’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Board settled on priorities it wants written into the city’s Vision 2030 strategic plan, including food-waste composting, more recycling at businesses and apartment complexes, and tracking city spending on sustainability. The city’s solid waste master plan is already weighing whether to collect food waste. The goals will go to the City Commission after final edits; no adoption date for Vision 2030 has been set.
Curbside food-scrap composting launches in Lawrence Nov. 3
Compost Collective KC, a private company, begins curbside pickup of food scraps, including meat, bones and dairy, for Lawrence homes and businesses on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Pickup costs $20 a month every other week or $30 a month weekly, plus $10 for a bin if needed; the city’s own compost facility takes only yard waste. The company is also seeking a conditional use permit for a composting site at 1701 East 1500 Road, just north of city limits, which goes to the Planning Commission on Nov. 16.
Pho & Boil brings Vietnamese and Cajun seafood to Shawnee Mission Parkway
Pho & Boil soft opened in late October at 7702 Shawnee Mission Parkway, near Robinson Street, in the former Smoke Town BBQ space. The menu pairs pho and crab noodle soup with crawfish, shrimp and snow crab boils, plus boba tea made with an in-house sugarcane press. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday through Monday.
Council locks in $3.75 million inclusive playground at Two Trails Park
On Nov. 3, 2026, the Olathe City Council approved a funding agreement with VarietyKC and moved $750,000 from the park sales tax fund into the Two Trails Park improvements project. VarietyKC’s Ten Parks Project covers up to $3 million and the city pays the remaining 20%, for a $3.75 million total. The plans call for an accessible playground with rubberized surfacing, sensory play areas, restrooms, drinking water, lighting and parking upgrades, and the city expects it to open in spring 2028.
Angry Chickz hot chicken opens Nov. 13 at 119th and Black Bob
Los Angeles-based Angry Chickz is set to open Nov. 13 at 14995 W. 119th St. in the Olathe Pointe shopping center, in the space Orangetheory Fitness used to occupy. It will be the chain’s 50th location and its first in the Kansas City area.
Olathe Fire lands $662,625 federal grant for new breathing gear
On Nov. 3 the City Council voted 7-0 to accept a regional Assistance to Firefighters Grant that gives the Olathe Fire Department $662,625 to replace self-contained breathing apparatus that have reached the end of their service life. The department adds $73,625 of its own money, for a total of $736,250, and also distributes the grant’s shares to the Shawnee Fire Department and Johnson County Consolidated Fire District #1.
Hickman Mills parking lot, Linwood and Troost homes on Nov. 4 Plan Commission docket
The City Plan Commission’s Nov. 4 docket includes a special use permit for a temporary parking lot on about 11 acres south of Hickman Mills Drive and Marion Park Drive for the Pipefitters Local 533 training fund, and a Linwood and Troost residential development plan on the consent list. Staff recommend approval with conditions for both. Commission votes were not yet posted when this was written.
Source: City of Kansas City, MO (City Plan Commission docket) →
Committee backs revised $2.5 million cleanup loan for Parade Park rebuild
On Nov. 3, the Finance Committee recommended “Do Pass as a Committee Substitute” for amendments to the city’s environmental cleanup loan with the Port Authority of Kansas City for Parade Park (Ordinance 260951). The loan is up to $2,541,318, with up to $242,103 drawn from funds already set aside. The measure next goes to the full council.
Country Club Plaza TIF plan clears committee, heads to full council
On Nov. 3, the council’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee recommended “Advance and Do Pass as a Committee Substitute” for the 47th and Broadway Tax Increment Financing Plan (Ordinance 260924). The plan would add city economic activity taxes from the Plaza area and authorize agreements with the TIF Commission and CC Plaza Owner LLC. The companion ordinance that formally adopts TIF for the area (260925) had no committee recommendation listed, and the clerk’s minutes are still in draft.
Lease extension and rent waiver for 18th Street blues club held in committee
A proposed five-year lease extension for Kansas City Blues Juke House at the city-owned building at 1700 E. 18th St. in the 18th and Vine district, with up to $60,000 in waived rent, was held in the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee on Nov. 3. The ordinance (260903) stays in committee for now.
Source: City of Kansas City, MO (Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee agenda) →
About 10 acres on NW Jones-Myer Road rezoned for single-family homes
Bill No. 3386 rezones five parcels and one tract, about 10.28 acres located about 2,500 feet west of Highway N on NW Jones-Myer Road, from Platte County R-80 to Parkville R-1 Single-Family Residential (cases PZ 2026-13 and PZ 2026-16). It was on the Board of Aldermen’s Oct. 6 agenda for first and second readings; the vote result has not been posted.
Bids due Nov. 3 for Mack Porter Park connector path
The City of Kearney is taking sealed bids until 2 p.m. Nov. 3 at City Hall, 100 E. Washington, for the Mack Porter Park Connector Shared Use Path. The work includes sidewalk and trail, ADA ramps, a rectangular rapid flashing beacon crossing, storm sewer, a retaining wall and bridge drainage changes; Olsson is the engineer. The project cost and construction schedule have not been published.
State releases Chiefs STAR bond district map covering parts of KCK
The Kansas Department of Commerce on Oct. 15 published the boundaries of the Chiefs STAR bond district, which takes in portions of Kansas City, Kansas, along with Bonner Springs, Edwardsville, Shawnee, Lenexa and Olathe. New sales tax revenue collected inside the district will help pay for a planned $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County, the team’s Olathe headquarters and training facility, and parts of a surrounding $1 billion mixed-use development. The team is expected to begin playing in the new stadium by 2031.
City renews its share of the regional household hazardous waste program
The Nov. 2 consent agenda includes $138,709.50 for Independence’s share of the Mid-America Regional Council household hazardous waste agreement, with a 10% contingency. The program lets residents drop off paint, used oil, pesticides, batteries and similar items at mobile events and at regional facilities, including 4707 Deramus Street in Kansas City. The item is on the agenda; the vote result has not been published yet.
Planning Commission reviews E. 46th Street rezoning and a short-term rental request
The Oct. 27 Planning Commission agenda included a city-initiated corrective rezoning of 15010 E. 46th Street S. from R-12 (two-family) and R-30 (high-density residential) to R-12 only. Commissioners also had a request to operate a short-term rental at 16417 E. 28th Street S. Results have not been published yet. The next commission meeting is Nov. 17.
Source: City of Independence (Oct. 27 Planning Commission agenda) →
East Village second plat, 12 more lots near Costco, heads to council Nov. 3
The final plat for East Village, 2nd Plat (Lots 2-13 and Tracts A-B) covers about 48.8 acres at the southeast corner of SE Oldham Parkway and M-291, south of the Costco site, in the Planned Mixed Use district. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Oct. 22, and Bill 26-210 is on the Nov. 3 City Council agenda for first reading.
Daxon Farms developer to pitch Chapter 100 tax incentive to council Nov. 3
Sallee Development, Inc. will present a conceptual Chapter 100 economic development incentive request for the Daxon Farms project at 1215 NE Bowlin Road. The item is a presentation on the City Council’s Nov. 3 agenda, so no vote is scheduled.
306 build-to-rent townhomes proposed at Daxon Farms on NE Bowlin Road
Sallee Development is asking for feedback on Chapter 100 incentives for Daxon Farms, about 306 build-to-rent townhomes on roughly 34 acres at 1215 NE Bowlin Road, east of I-470 and north of the Montecello subdivision. The request covers a sales tax exemption on construction materials and a 10-year fixed payment-in-lieu-of-taxes schedule. It is a conceptual presentation on the Nov. 3 City Council agenda, and no vote is scheduled.
Plan Commission takes up Brookside shops sign plan and urban farm rules Nov. 4
The City Plan Commission’s Nov. 4, 2026, docket includes a council-approved signage plan for about 10 acres of the Brookside shops, generally north of W. 63rd Street and east of Wornall Road and Brookside Boulevard, plus the Trolley Trail from 63rd to 59th Street; staff recommend approval with conditions. Commissioners will also hear briefings on an urban agriculture text amendment to the zoning code and an update to the KC Spirit Playbook’s place types and neighborhoods section. The commission’s votes are advisory to the City Council.
Source: City of Kansas City, MO (City Plan Commission docket) →
Temporary storm debris drop-off at 800 Markey Road
After storms in August and September 2026, the city opened temporary drop-off sites for Belton residents to bring vegetative storm debris. The September site at 800 Markey Road was open September 9, 10 and 12 and took tree limbs, branches and brush. It did not accept construction materials, household trash or bagged yard waste.
Council moves toward a 1% citywide sales tax vote
The July 1, 2026 council agenda included a resolution calling an election on a proposed 1% citywide sales tax to pay for certain public infrastructure projects. The city held a town hall on the ballot question on October 14, 2026 in the Swan Room at the La Cygne Library.
Quiet zone fix: $99,650 median contract with a Nov. 23 finish date
The Oct. 22 packet asked the City Council to ratify an emergency contract with Kansas Heavy Construction, LLC for $99,650 to lengthen and raise the railroad medians at East Nelson Street and West 199th Street so they meet Federal Railroad Administration quiet zone rules. The work must wrap up within 30 days of notice to proceed and no later than Nov. 23, 2026, with a $200,000 project budget paid from the PIF maintenance fee. Results of the vote had not been posted as of Oct. 30.
Kansas City Road truck ban left off the Nov. 3 council agenda
City staff have proposed making about 1.7 miles of Kansas City Road between Santa Fe Street and Ridgeview Road a no-truck route after trucks used it as a cut-through and got stuck at the Nelson Road roundabout. The same ordinance would limit driving in middle turn lanes to 300 feet before a left turn. Staff said the ordinance would come back for a vote Nov. 3, 2026, but it is not on that meeting’s final agenda, and no new vote date has been posted.
Dobbs Tire & Auto proposed for vacant Highway 350 restaurant site
The Planning & Zoning Commission reviewed Case PZ-2026-07 on May 21, 2026, a request to demolish a vacant former restaurant at 10000 E. 350 Highway and build an eight-bay Dobbs Tire & Auto facility of about 7,945 square feet on the 1.2-acre lot. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including a five-foot accessible sidewalk subject to MoDOT approval and indoor-only storage of inoperable vehicles. The request was scheduled for the Board of Aldermen on June 16, 2026.
Source: City of Raytown – Planning & Zoning Commission Packet, May 21, 2026 →
Lenexa hotel tax collections climb 11% in the third quarter
Lenexa collected $581,443 in transient guest (hotel) tax in July through September 2026, up from $524,095 a year earlier, according to the Convention and Visitors Bureau report presented to the City Council on Nov. 3. Second-quarter collections dipped to $503,948 from $526,181 as corporate travel stayed away during the World Cup, and the city spent about $1.5 million from its Tourism Fund on World Cup activities.
Habitat for Humanity warehouse and training center pushed to Nov. 30
A preliminary plan for a Habitat for Humanity warehouse and workforce development center at 9605 Dice Lane (PL26-11P, BP-2 zoning) includes a new warehouse and a training room. The Planning Commission agenda lists it as continued to the Nov. 30, 2026 meeting.
City sales tax receipts up 6% through September
Lenexa collected $19.66 million in city sales tax through Sept. 30, 2026, up 6% from a year earlier, while current property tax collections rose 1.1% to $44.5 million, according to the quarterly financial report presented Nov. 3. Major revenues totaled $99.7 million, up 3%. The General Fund reserve stands at 38% of budgeted revenues, above the city’s 30% policy minimum.
Lenexa permits top $370 million in construction through September
Permitted construction in Lenexa passed $370 million through September 2026, up 15% from the same point last year, with more than $197 million commercial and more than $172 million residential, according to the Lenexa Economic Development Council report for the Nov. 3 City Council meeting. Projects underway include two buildings totaling about 600,000 square feet at Lenexa Logistics Centre North and a nearly 130,000-square-foot E3XPS office and warehouse on Renner Road. Another nearly $136 million in building permits is pending.
Merck Animal Health is expanding its De Soto plant: $895 million
Merck is expanding its existing plant at 35500 W. 91st St.: an $860 million, 200,000-square-foot manufacturing addition for animal vaccines and biologics, plus $35 million in lab upgrades. The plan calls for about 2,500 construction jobs and 200-plus permanent jobs on top of the roughly 300 people already working there, with production targeted for 2030. The City Council approved industrial revenue bonds carrying an 85%, 10-year property tax abatement for each of four phases. Planners tabled the site plan in November 2025 over parking, fire lanes and construction traffic.
Fairway explores improvement district to fund a 53rd Street sidewalk
The city’s Administration & Finance Committee is discussing an improvement district to pay for a sidewalk project along 53rd Street, according to the committee’s Sept. 30 report in the Oct. 12, 2026 council packet. City Administrator Nogelmeier was set to bring more information back in October. No blocks, cost or timeline have been published yet.
$121,000 Brookridge Drive flood study goes to council
A professional services agreement with Water Resource Solutions for a preliminary flooding study of Brookridge Drive, capped at $121,000, was on the October 12, 2026 council agenda with a staff recommendation to approve. Johnson County’s SMAC program would cover 75%, and the consultant notes 20 buildings in the 1-percent floodplain between Sheridan Street and Shawnee Mission Parkway. The study includes two public meetings and is due by December 31, 2027.
Tennessee Street repaving between 6th and 9th wraps up in early November
Milling on Tennessee Street from 6th to 9th Street began the week of Oct. 26 as part of the city’s Jayhawk Watershed Project, with new asphalt planned to start Nov. 2. One southbound lane stays open at all times, with short closures of 7th and 8th streets, and the city expects to finish by Nov. 8, weather permitting.
County drafting battery energy storage rules; drop-in session Nov. 6
Douglas County planners are writing regulations for battery energy storage systems, which store electricity in rechargeable batteries and range from garage-size units to multi-acre sites. A public drop-in session runs 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, at the Public Works building, 3755 E. 25th St., Lawrence, with input sought on locations, setbacks, notification areas and size limits. The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission is set to consider draft rules Dec. 16, 2026; no applications have been filed yet.
Lawrence sales tax collections slip after World Cup bump
Lawrence’s September sales tax report, covering mid-July to mid-August sales, came in 1.9% below the same period in 2025, after a 5.6% gain during the World Cup month. Year to date, city sales tax collections are down 0.7%, the weakest among Kansas’ major retail markets, while use tax is up 13.0%. The city budgeted a 1.6% increase in sales and use tax for 2026 and will miss that mark unless collections recover by year-end.
Eudora’s K-10 entertainment district deal falls through
The city is no longer under contract with the property owners for the entertainment district it had planned farther west along K-10, which was to be financed with STAR bonds. City leaders said the commission may discuss other commercial options for that land at a future work session. The update came at the Sept. 28 City Commission meeting, where commissioners also approved, 4-1, the plan for the first 36 commercial acres of GW Weld’s 132.5-acre project north of K-10.
Draft Wakarusa River Valley plan covers Eudora’s growth area
Douglas County released a draft Wakarusa River Valley Vision Plan covering the river corridor in the county, Lawrence and Eudora. It flags Eudora’s priority growth area along the river as likely to develop, proposes a paddling route from Eudora’s future public park to the Eudora boat ramp, and calls for shared land-use policy among the three governments. County commissioners reviewed it Oct. 7, 2026; no vote is set and a final draft will come later.
Comprehensive plan consultant briefs council and planners Nov. 5
The City Council and Planning Commission hold a joint work session from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Civic Center, 401 N. Madison St., where consultant Multistudio will present on the Comprehensive Plan Update. The city says the public is welcome to attend. The Planning Commission’s regular meeting follows at 7 p.m.; no agenda for either meeting had been posted as of Nov. 2.
Basehor moves to spell out a ban on shipping containers as storage
At its Oct. 13 work session, the Planning Commission reviewed a draft text amendment that would list outdoor storage units and shipping, railroad and storage containers as prohibited in every zoning district. The only exception would be temporary use on a construction site with a current building permit, with removal required within 30 days after the work ends. The draft also moves the existing ban on accessory buildings in the CP-1 and CP-2 commercial districts into the code’s prohibited-uses article; no vote was taken, and staff asked commissioners for feedback.
Residences on the Boulevard start date pushed to mid-2027
The City Council voted 5-0 on Aug. 26 to amend its February 2026 development agreement with Basehor Boulevard Holdings, LLC for the Residences on the Boulevard project. The change, requested by the developer, moves the start of Phase 1 rough grading and construction to June 30, 2027. All other terms and timelines stay the same.
35 acres on West 92 Highway rezoned for commercial and industrial use
The Board of Aldermen voted 4-0 on Oct. 5, 2026, to rezone about 35.087 acres on the north side of West 92 Highway at Bennett Boulevard to planned commercial (C-P) and planned industrial (M-P) for MPG Real Estate Holdings, LLC (Ordinance 1713-2026). The minutes do not list a project cost or tenant.
Source: City of Kearney (Oct. 5, 2026 Board of Aldermen minutes) →
Safe Streets and Sidewalks construction begins
The $32 million US-69 corridor project, backed by a $21.5 million federal RAISE grant, adds 5 miles of sidewalks, 2 miles of trail, a pedestrian bridge over US-69, two roundabouts and seven upgraded signals. Completion is required by 2032.
Fall citywide cleanup and brush drop-off dates set
The city announced a trash cleanup day on September 19 at the GFL facility, 22820 MO-291 Highway, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for residents with proof of residency. A brush drop-off followed October 23 and 24 at City Park (Bradley Avenue and Ash Street) for limbs under 10 inches in diameter, with free mulch available. GFL also picks up one bulky item per month at no cost.
Court judgment clears way for Mission Gateway foreclosure sale
On Oct. 2, 2026, a Johnson County judge ordered Gateway owner Aryeh Realty LLC to pay its lender more than 46 million dollars on a 24 million dollar loan, clearing the way for a public auction of the site. A judge must approve any sale to a new owner before the site changes hands.
City Council approves 646-unit Foxridge Apartments plan
The Mission City Council voted 6-1 to approve Block Real Estate’s preliminary development plan for 646 apartments at 5665 Foxridge Drive and 5700 Broadmoor Street, including a retrofitted 176-unit Broadmoor Tower. The Planning Commission recommended approval 4-3 on Sept. 28, and a final development plan still goes back to the Planning Commission, with construction expected to take five to seven years.
Updated 2024 building codes now in effect
Mission’s City Council adopted the 2024 International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Property Maintenance and Swimming Pool and Spa codes, plus the 2023 National Electrical Code, on July 15, 2026. The new codes took effect October 1, 2026, and apply to permits for home projects from that date on.
How Parkville plans to pay for the downtown Route 9 rebuild
The city plans $10.5 million in debt financing for the downtown Redefine Route 9 work, repaid from use tax revenue, with annual payments of about $815,000 starting in 2029 and $600,000 a year from use tax until then. Nearly $1 million has been spent so far, including a $500,000 Platte County grant. The plan closes 1st Street for a pedestrian promenade, replaces aging sewer lines and adds a new street off Route 9 at a new stoplight; some downtown business owners have gathered petition signatures opposing it.
Garland Park closes for landfill gas system repairs
Garland Park at 301 Roswell Ave. is closing starting in October 2026 so crews can repair underground pipes in the landfill gas system beneath the park, which sits on a former 1972-1974 landfill. Five underground spots need repair. The park is expected to reopen by spring 2027, though winter weather could delay the work.
Five Four and La Madeleine headed to Bluhawk
Two restaurants were announced in October for the Bluhawk district off US-69 and 159th Street: Five Four Restaurant & Drafthouse, a Kansas City-based local spot, and La Madeleine, a French bakery-cafe chain opening its first Johnson County location. No opening dates have been announced.
Joe’s Records to open a vinyl and CD shop at Oak Park Mall
Missouri-based Joe’s Records plans a store inside Oak Park Mall at 11149 W. 95th St., near 95th Street and Quivira Road. It will sell vinyl records and CDs across genres plus rock-themed apparel. The store is expected to open in spring 2027, pending renovations.
SE 6th Avenue rebuild from Golden to Rice nears the finish line
Kings Construction is paving the east end and placing curb and gutter on the west end of SE 6th Avenue between Golden Avenue and Rice Road, per the city’s Oct. 20 weekly report. The $5.3 million project covers concrete panel and curb replacement, a mill and overlay, bridge repair and stormwater work. The city lists December 2026 as the finish date.
$6.2 million rebuild of SW Topeka Boulevard from 29th to 37th is underway
Bettis Asphalt & Construction is rehabilitating SW Topeka Boulevard between 29th and 37th Streets, fully rebuilding the 29th and 37th intersections with new traffic signals and replacing water, storm and sanitary sewer lines. Work south of 32nd Street began Sept. 8, 2026, and the city’s Oct. 20 report says pipe is in at the Croix intersection with temporary pavement going down. The $6.2 million project is phased so north- and southbound traffic stays open, and work north of 32nd is slated for 2027.
City bids out sidewalk and ramp replacement on SW Knox and SW Elmwood
The City of Topeka took informal bids for sidewalk and curb ramp replacement on SW Knox Avenue and SW Elmwood Avenue between SW 1st and SW 2nd Streets. Bids closed Oct. 20, 2026, according to the city’s Oct. 20 weekly report. A contract award had not been published as of Nov. 1.
Heritage Farms subdivision approved; battery storage permit and fence code changes advance
On July 21, 2026 the Board of Aldermen approved the Heritage Farms rezoning, preliminary plat and development agreement on second reading, and gave first-reading approval to a conditional use permit for a NextEra Energy battery storage facility at 13213 North 169 Highway and to fence-related amendments to the Chapter 400 zoning code. The board also approved MoDOT agreements for the Second Creek sidewalk project and construction of the Bridge Street roundabout.
Source: City of Smithville Friday Newsflash, July 24, 2026 →
Park board starts review of the Master Parks Plan
The Park & Tree Board will begin reviewing Louisburg’s Master Parks Plan at its November meeting (set for Nov. 9). The review will shape park projects and budget priorities for a joint council and boards workshop in early 2027. The board is also preparing the city’s 2026 Tree City USA application, which is due in early 2027.
Planning Commission turns to commercial zoning uses on Nov. 18
On Oct. 28 the Planning Commission continued its review of the draft allowed-use tables for the agricultural and residential districts (A-L, R-1, R-3, R-4, R-5 and MP). The commercial districts’ zoning and allowed-use tables are up next, at the 6:30 p.m. meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at City Hall.
Draft zoning tables would keep ADUs out of every residential district
At its Oct. 28 meeting, the Planning Commission continued work on new allowed-use tables for the agricultural and residential districts (A-L, R-1, R-3, R-4, R-5 and MP). The staff draft lists accessory dwelling units as not permitted in any of those districts, allows side-by-side duplexes in R-1 through R-5, and would require a special use permit to rent out a private pool, hot tub or yard. The tables are still a draft; commercial uses are up next on Nov. 18.
Council approves up to $55 million in bonds for industrial building at Clare Road and 159th Street
On Oct. 20 the City Council voted 6-1 to authorize up to $55 million in industrial revenue bonds for Scannell Properties #798 to build an industrial facility at the northwest corner of Clare Road and 159th Street. This is a separate project from Scannell’s proposed warehouse at 169 Highway and 175th Street.
New MO 7 bridge over Big Creek on track to reopen in December
MoDOT is replacing the 78-year-old MO 7 truss bridge over Big Creek and the Rock Island Trail just south of Pleasant Hill with a girder-style bridge, an estimated $6-8 million project funded with state and federal dollars. MO 7 has been closed between MO 291 and MO 58 since Feb. 16, 2026, and MoDOT’s project page still lists completion and the end of the closure for December 2026. Until then, northbound drivers detour via Route P to MO 291 and MO 58.
Design board considers routine-approval track for some exterior work
The Architectural Review Board’s Oct. 20, 2026 agenda includes a resolution certifying certain exterior work for routine approval, alongside project changes on W. 70th Terrace, W. 64th Street, Belinder Avenue and W. 70th Street and a window-and-door replacement on W. 69th Terrace. The agenda does not list which types of work would qualify, and the board’s action had not been published as of Oct. 30.
Chieftain Park playground replacement begins
The city and the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission are replacing the Chieftain Park playground, which was built in 2003, with a new one of nearly double the size at a cost of just under $1 million. Plans include a Vista Tower over 20 feet tall, twice as many slides, a climbing mound, traditional and saucer swings, a ramped structure with transfer stations, and fencing to separate the play area from the parking lot. Game Time is supplying the equipment through Cunningham Recreation, RJR Construction is installing it, and completion is expected in February or March 2027.
Council chambers moving to former library at Third and Bury streets
The council canceled its Oct. 19 meeting and will next meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 2. Meetings are moving to the former public library at Third and Bury streets, with livestreams on a city YouTube channel possible starting with the Jan. 19 meeting.
City studies fixes for nine rail crossings west of downtown
Olathe is working with BNSF Railway and federal partners to study nine railroad crossings along a 2.5-mile stretch between Woodland and Dennis. The study will gather traffic data and public input and look at designs to cut train delays and improve safety. It began in early 2026 and is expected to take one to two years.
Olathe issues a record 2,000-plus home permits this year
Olathe has issued permits for more than 2,000 residential units so far in 2026, the most in the city’s history, and more than 400 of those are single-family homes. Mayor John Bacon shared the numbers in his State of the City address on Oct. 30, along with about $1 billion in residential and commercial development this year. The city now has about 150,000 residents.
Commissioners adopt citywide ADU ordinance; zoning rewrite pushed to Oct. 29
On Oct. 1, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance on its consent agenda that allows accessory dwelling units in any district that permits residential use, including interior, attached, detached and converted units. An ADU may be up to half the main home’s floor area or 1,000 square feet, whichever is greater, but never larger than the main home, and it needs only a building permit with no added parking. The board voted 9-0 to postpone the companion zoning code rewrite for the Kansas By-Right Housing Development Act to its Oct. 29 planning and zoning meeting.
K-33 widening means up to 9,000 feet of new city waterline
KDOT’s plan to improve K-33 from north of Wellsville to 56 Highway requires Edgerton to move roughly 7,500 to 9,000 feet of 8-inch waterline, under a proposed $4,005,500 project budget that KDOT would reimburse as work is paid. Relocation plans are due to KDOT by Jan. 4, 2027, and a reimbursement agreement by March 1, 2027. The project was on the Oct. 22 council agenda; the vote result had not been posted as of Oct. 30.
Five-year capital plan lists $4.1M West 8th Street and Dwyer Farms waterline
Edgerton’s proposed 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program includes $4.12 million for West 8th Street from West Braun Street to the south city limits plus Dwyer Farms waterline work (2027-2028), a $1.4 million 8th Street lift station rebuild (2027-2028), $1.73 million to rebuild 3rd Street from Edgewood to Heather Knoll (2030-2031) and $1.12 million for street preservation. Staff recommended adoption at the Oct. 22 council meeting; the vote result had not been posted as of Oct. 30.
Fire Station No. 1 design contract grows to $1.44 million as renovate-or-replace plan advances
The City Council’s Oct. 13 agenda included Modification No. 2 to the architectural agreement with WSKF for the Fire Station No. 1 renovation or replacement project. The change adds $1,296,500, bringing the design contract to $1,437,980. It came to the council from the Public Works Committee on Oct. 12.
Park Board takes up master plan for 49.5-acre Bailey Farm Park off Ranson Road
The Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation Board had the Bailey Farm Park Master Plan on its Oct. 28 agenda for a presentation and board approval; the vote result has not been published yet. The 49.5-acre site off Ranson Road, about a mile south of U.S. 50, is planned for a visitors center and event space, show barn, greenhouse, walking trails, a farm-themed playscape, festival grounds and demonstration gardens. The city’s project page listed the park as “In Design” as of Oct. 22.
Council gives final OK to NW Main / NE Douglas improvement district backing new Dillons
On Oct. 13, the City Council gave final approval, 6-1, to the NW Main / NE Douglas Community Improvement District. The district adds a 1% sales tax inside its boundaries to help pay for a new Dillons grocery store.
Plans filed for 315,000-square-foot federal records campus to replace underground site
The city received a preliminary development plan application on Oct. 9 for a new federal National Records Center of more than 315,000 square feet, which would replace the agency’s current underground records campus in Lee’s Summit. The project still has to go through staff review, Planning Commission and public hearings before any approval vote; no hearing dates have been set.
Council adopts 1,000-foot buffer and new rules for future data centers
On Oct. 5 the City Council voted 6-0 to adopt new rules for future data centers. Facilities drawing more than 2.5 megawatts now need council approval and must sit at least 1,000 feet, property line to property line, from homes and parks. The rules also limit generator testing, require lower-water cooling and set design standards. The existing Nebius project is not affected, and the six-month moratorium on new data center and battery storage applications stays in place through Jan. 2, 2027.
Christmas in the Park set for Dec. 5
The Lawson Park Board will host Christmas in the Park at Lawson City Park on Dec. 5, 2026, with a photo contest (entries due Dec. 1) that raises money for the park board.
Collins Ridge subdivision and Smithville Lake Cabins move forward
The board approved the rezoning and preliminary plat for the Collins Ridge subdivision on first reading and approved the site plan for the Smithville Lake Cabins project at 1503 East Main Street. It also approved the annexation of 18410 H and H Road on second reading.
New board slated for Grain Valley Marketplace CID
Resolution R26-44 on the October 26 aldermen agenda would appoint new directors to the Grain Valley Marketplace Community Improvement District board for terms running November 1, 2026 to October 31, 2030. The previous directors, who represented Star Acquisitions, Inc., resigned after the company no longer owned property in the district. The new board would include two Grain Valley School District representatives and three city representatives. The resolution was on the agenda, and the vote result has not been published yet.
Small Creekside Village tract up for residential rezoning
Bill B26-17 would rezone about 0.19 acres in the Creekside Village 4th Plat, north of McQuerry Road and west of Seymore Road, from M-1P light industrial to R-1P single-family residential so the approved home lots can be properly sized. Staff said the strip is needed so fire trucks can use the cul-de-sac, and Planning and Zoning unanimously recommended approval. Aldermen passed first reading 6-0 on October 12, and second reading was on the October 26 agenda; that result hasn’t been published.
252-unit Iconic Blue Springs approved on Adams Dairy Parkway
The City Council approved a concept plan and rezoning for Iconic Blue Springs, 252 apartments plus four retail sites at Adams Dairy Parkway and Napoleon Drive near Adams Pointe Golf Course. Planned amenities include a pool, clubhouse, dog park and pickleball courts, and construction is expected to start in 2027. It is the second apartment project the city approved in 2026, after MajorLux 2 near 7 Highway.
City seeks engineers for Sims Park neighborhood improvements
The City of Topeka has an open bid (Bid 134) for professional engineering services for the Sims Park neighborhood. Proposals close Nov. 5, 2026, at 2 p.m. through the city’s vendor bid portal.
Overland Park weighs alcohol fund money to replace federal nonprofit grants
The Community Development Committee voted 4-2 in October to advance an amended CDBG Citizen Participation Plan that would dissolve the CDBG Advisory Committee after the city stopped giving federal block grants directly to nonprofits. The city proposes using surplus Special Alcohol Control Fund money, which brings in about $2 million a year, for comparable community grants. A public hearing and full City Council consideration are set for Nov. 16, 2026, and the funding program’s terms are still being developed.
$199 million Santa Fe and I-35 rebuild gets more design work
A $567,375 design amendment with HNTB for the Santa Fe, Ridgeview to Mur-Len project, which includes a rebuilt I-35 interchange and new bridges, is on the City Council’s Nov. 3 consent agenda. The project budget is about $199.3 million, mostly state and federal money through KDOT plus $40 million in city bonds. The city’s tentative schedule has KDOT’s I-35 auxiliary lanes starting in late 2026 or early 2027 and Santa Fe corridor and interchange work in late 2027.
Acculevel picks Smithville for a regional headquarters
Foundation repair company Acculevel announced Smithville as one of three new regional headquarters, part of an 8.7 million dollar investment across three sites with 41 new jobs at each location. The Smithville facility is expected to finish shortly after the other two sites, which target the end of 2026.
Voter-approved sales tax funds police and animal control
Collections from a voter-approved sales tax for police and public services began in October 2025 and fund police pay increases (25 percent for officer starting salaries), added staff and equipment, and a planned full-time animal control program.
Commissioners weigh dropping conditions on KCK’s Chiefs stadium tax pledge
The Unified Government Commission’s Nov. 5, 2026 agenda included two ordinances tied to the planned $3 billion Chiefs stadium in western KCK. One would rescind the October vote to opt out of parts of the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority Act; the other would strip most conditions from the February pledge of up to $450 million in local sales tax from about 236 acres, including local say over the STAR bond district, a seat on the stadium development board and protection from paying for new roads. The stadium-site boundary and a Dec. 31, 2030 bond deadline would remain; the vote result had not been published as of Nov. 5.
Buckner Tarsney Road farmland rezoned for commercial use
The Board of Aldermen approved Ordinance #2492 on Sept. 28, 2026, 6-0, rezoning the parcel at 4726 NW Buckner Tarsney Road from Agricultural (A) to General Business (C-2). The parcel had been zoned agricultural since it was annexed in 1990. It sits next to the new Westlake development, and Planning and Zoning recommended approval on Aug. 12. City staff said any road widening there would need MoDOT approval of traffic reports and could happen alongside Westlake construction.
Planning commission works on a rewrite of the city sign code
Grain Valley’s Planning & Zoning Commission is reviewing an amendment to Section 400.300, the sign rules in the city’s land use code, with input from the city’s outside law firm. Commissioners asked for a clear definition of snipe signs and rules governing them. The item stayed under previous business on the Sept. 9 agenda, and no draft has gone to a vote yet.
2026 tax levy hearing
The Board of Aldermen held a September 21, 2026 hearing on a proposed 2026 city tax rate of 0.5466 per 100 dollars of assessed value, up slightly from 0.5455 in 2025. Total assessed valuation is listed at about 69.1 million dollars.
Factory-built infill homes debut in KCK
A ribbon cutting on Oct. 14 opened what builders call the nation’s first urban infill development using Clayton Homes’ single-section CrossMod design, placed on a formerly vacant lot in Kansas City, Kansas. The factory-built homes sit on permanent foundations with covered porches and garages and could sell for under $250,000. Fairlane Contractors is the builder contact.
Commissioners deny Holliday Drive mine recovery permit
On Oct. 1, commissioners voted 9-0 to deny a special use permit for Inland Bluffs to reclaim about 100 acres of former limestone mine land along Holliday Drive and Inland Drive near the Turner and Morris neighborhoods. The plan would have averaged 101 truck trips a day on Inland Drive, and the board cited street capacity and neighborhood character, overriding a 5-2 planning commission recommendation for approval.
Council takes up master agreement for 1,000-acre Arborside development east of I-470
The Nov. 3 City Council agenda includes Bill No. 26-213, a Master Development Agreement among Land Reserve, Inc., the Arborside Community Improvement District and the city for roughly 1,000 acres in north Lee’s Summit east of I-470. The agreement would carry out the Arborside redevelopment plan and CID approved in July 2026, which add a 1% sales tax inside the district and fund roads, sewer, water and stormwater work. The city has agreed to reimburse up to $24 million for Todd George Parkway, with construction to start by October 2027, and has secured $10.5 million for sewer pump stations.
Amazon distribution center opens in Olathe with 800 jobs
An Amazon distribution center opened in Olathe in October 2026, bringing about 800 jobs, according to the mayor’s State of the City address. Amazon announced the 1.1-million-square-foot logistics site in October 2025 at the northwest corner of 175th Street and Hedge Lane.
$55 million in bonds approved for 646,000-square-foot warehouse at Clare and 159th
The City Council approved Ordinance 26-51 on Oct. 20, authorizing up to $55 million in industrial revenue bonds for Scannell Properties #798 to build an industrial building of about 646,380 square feet at the northwest corner of Clare Road and 159th Street. The deal includes a 10-year, 80% tax phase-in, with the company making payments in lieu of taxes starting at $0.35 per square foot and rising 2% a year.
Council to authorize condemnation for $3.9 million 95th and Lackman upgrade
An ordinance on the Nov. 3 City Council consent agenda would let the city go to district court to acquire easements and right-of-way from five tracts for the 95th Street Improvements, Renner to Lackman, project. The $3,928,391 project adds a new signal at 95th Street and Lackman Road, realigns the intersection, adds turn lanes and improves sidewalks and trail connections, with a $2.4 million federal CMAQ grant covering part of the cost. Staff expects the proceedings to take about 90 days; the vote result is not yet published.
Lenexa moves to pull 353 acres out of its Mining TIF district
An ordinance on the Nov. 3 City Council agenda would remove 352.97 of the Mining Redevelopment TIF District’s 454.78 acres, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The finished Cottonwood Canyon, Renner 95 and Prairie Creek projects would leave the district, sending about $3.1 million a year in property tax back to the local taxing jurisdictions. Staff recommends passage; the vote result is not yet published.
Revised Oak Park Mall plan on the council agenda
A revised preliminary development plan for Oak Park Mall (case PDP2026-00016) is on the consent agenda for the City Council’s Nov. 2 meeting as a Planning Commission recommendation. The agenda listing doesn’t spell out what changed, so we’ll update this card once the plan details are posted.
Council to issue $56.5 million in general obligation bonds Nov. 2
The Nov. 2, 2026 City Council agenda includes ordinances and resolutions to issue $10,225,000 in taxable General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026D, and $46,285,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026E, for a combined $56.51 million. The agenda shows the amounts in brackets, which typically means final figures are set at the meeting. The items are on the agenda; the vote result has not been published yet.
Up to $34 million in bonds for Panattoni industrial building at 175th and Clare
An ordinance on the Nov. 2, 2026 council agenda would issue up to $34 million in industrial revenue bonds for Panattoni’s Lot 1, Building 1, an approximately 469,128-square-foot industrial/flex building at the northeast corner of 175th Street and South Clare Road. The packet calls for a 10-year property tax abatement with payments in lieu of taxes under Resolution No. 2192, and states the bonds are not general obligations of the city. The item is on the agenda; the vote result has not been published yet.
GFiber’s 20-year street license gets its final reading
Bill B26-15 would give Google Fiber Missouri (GFiber) a non-exclusive, 20-year license to put underground fiber lines in city right-of-way. GFiber would pay the city 1% of gross revenue each quarter and post a $5,000 performance bond. The bill passed first reading 6-0 on Oct. 12 and was on the Oct. 26, 2026 agenda for second reading; the final vote result has not been published yet.
Rezoning could happen at the same time as annexation
Bill B26-18 would update Section 400.350 of the zoning code, which dates to 1997, so land annexed into Grain Valley can be zoned in the same step instead of in a separate process afterward. Planning and Zoning recommended approval, the Board’s October 12 public hearing drew no comments, and first reading passed 6-0. Second reading was on the October 26 agenda; that result hasn’t been published.
MoDOT cost share would widen the Lefholz Road bridge
Bill B26-16 is a cost-share agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission under Project JST0019 that covers half the cost of widening the Lefholz Road bridge by 26 feet. Aldermen passed first reading 6-0 on October 12, and second reading was on the October 26 agenda. The vote result and a dollar amount haven’t been published.
City holds its 2026 property tax levy flat at $0.9605
Aldermen adopted the 2026 city tax levies (Ordinance #2493) on Sept. 28, 2026, 6-0, keeping the total at $0.9605 per $100 of assessed value, the same as last year. Staff shifted amounts among the general, debt service, parks and public health levies but did not raise the total, even though the state calculation would have allowed a higher rate.
Pioneer Plaza TIF change advances; council asked to study convention center upgrades
The Finance Committee recommended the first amendment to the Pioneer Plaza TIF Plan (Ordinance 260953) for passage on the council’s consent agenda on Nov. 3. The original plan was approved in 2020. The committee also recommended immediate adoption of Mayor Quinton Lucas’s resolution directing the city manager to study some or all of the July 2026 Vision Plan improvements for the Kansas City Convention Center and Municipal Auditorium (260960).
New water billing system contract moves to full council
The Finance Committee recommended “Advance and Do Pass” on Nov. 3 for a 10-year contract with SpryPoint Services Inc. to supply and implement a replacement customer information (billing) system for KC Water customers (Ordinance 260955). The agenda lists the contract at more than $1 million but gives no exact figure.
Northland Dillons grocery and fuel center goes before Plan Commission Nov. 4
Dillons Food Stores is asking the City Plan Commission on Nov. 4 to rezone about 7.43 acres at the southeast corner of NE Cookingham Drive and NE 104th Street from R-7.5 to B2-2 and to amend the area plan from Residential Low Density to Mixed Use Neighborhood. A related amendment to the roughly 23-acre development plan covers a grocery store, fuel center and pad lots. City staff recommend approval; the plan still needs City Council action.
Source: City of Kansas City, MO (City Plan Commission docket) →
Downtown car-dealer building and Midtown lots head to Plan Commission Nov. 4
The City Plan Commission’s Nov. 4 docket includes rezoning the roughly 0.71-acre Kelly-Reppert Motor Company Building at 422 Admiral Blvd. from UR to DC-15, and rezoning about 0.35 acre at 4300 and 4306 McGee St. from R-5 to R-1.5 with a Plaza/Midtown Area Plan change to Residential High Density. A 0.3-acre rezoning at Vine and E. 21st streets and a residential plan for Linwood and Troost are also on the docket. City staff recommend approval; the commission’s votes are advisory to the City Council.
Source: City of Kansas City, MO (City Plan Commission docket) →
Downtown plan goes to Planning Commission Nov. 4 and City Council Nov. 23
The Merriam Planning Commission is scheduled to review the draft Downtown Master Plan at its Nov. 4 meeting, and the City Council is scheduled to review it Nov. 23. The city is taking public comments on the draft through Sunday, Nov. 22, through an online form on its Downtown Master Plan page. The city says it has made no final decisions and is still waiting on cost estimates from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Work starts on Legacy Lake Dam improvements
The city’s October 8, 2026 bill list includes the first pay application, $22,094.10, to Griggs & Badger Construction for the Legacy Lake Dam improvements. The same list also includes $28,371.75 to HDR Engineering for the 223rd Street loop trail. The October 8 bill list totaled about $1.01 million.
Spring Hill publishes its 2027 Budget Book
On October 26, 2026, the city released its 2027 Budget Book, which explains capital improvement funding, revenue sources, debt and the cost of police, court, public works and administration services. A shorter Budget Snapshot and a video, “Where does your tax money go?”, are also posted. The Budget Book was also the featured presentation at the October 22 City Council meeting.
Flint Prominence townhome rezoning moved to Nov. 9
The proposal to rezone 25.92 acres on the north side of South Liberty Parkway, between Hughes Road and Plummer Road, from R-1A to a planned development for 206 townhomes (P&Z Case 26-27R&PDP) was listed on the Oct. 26 City Council agenda as set to be postponed to the Nov. 9 meeting. No council vote on the rezoning has been published yet.
Source: City of Liberty, Oct. 26, 2026 City Council agenda →
Battery storage vote pushed again, now set for Nov. 9
The 200-megawatt battery energy storage system proposed by Gridstor, with a substation on 8 acres at the northwest corner of Birmingham Road and Ruth Ewing Road (P&Z Case 26-09SUP), did not get a decision on Oct. 26. The City Council’s Oct. 26, 2026 agenda lists the special use permit as postponed again, to the Nov. 9, 2026 meeting. The Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff both recommended denial in August.
Liberty seeks up to $3 million for Bennett Park makeover
On Aug. 24, 2026, the council voted 7-0 (Resolution No. 3551) to apply for a Variety KC Ten Parks Project grant of up to $3 million to renovate Bennett Park, with a 20% city match of $600,000. Planned features include a playground, skate park and whiffle ball field, following the Bennett Park Master Plan the Park Board approved in April 2026. The grant award has not been announced.
37 more villa homes approved in Homestead Hills
The City Council approved Homestead Hills, 3rd Plat on Aug. 24, 2026 (Ordinance No. 12361, 7-0), adding 37 villa-style single-family homes on 11.75 acres at Homestead Hills Drive and Black Walnut Drive. The plan includes a bio-retention basin and a pedestrian easement linking to an 8-foot trail, and under a 2020 agreement the developer will build a trail from Buckingham Drive to the plat’s west edge.
Board raises residential sewer rates
The Board of Aldermen approved Ordinance 2025-004, raising residential sewer rates to $68.25 effective May 1, 2025, to offset higher costs from KC Water. Water rates were not changed.
Council to vote on new storm drainage standards for subdivisions and public improvements
An ordinance on the City Council’s Nov. 5, 2026, docket would accept the Public Works Standards Committee’s rewrite of Section 5600, the storm drainage section of the design standards used to build public improvements and develop land and subdivision plats. The committee held a public hearing July 13 and voted Sept. 21, and it also moved oversight of the section from Public Works to KC Water. The ordinance is on the agenda; a vote result had not been published as of early Nov. 5.
Three city questions on the ballot
Voters decide a quarter-cent city sales tax for recreation (a new rec facility near Jones Aquatic Center plus Lee Beran Rec Center upgrades, nearly $24 to $25 million in all), a 10-year ban on high-impact data centers and a ban on battery energy storage systems.
Data center proposal heads to voters and court
In July the commission approved zoning and water policies for a proposed 1,000-acre data center campus at G and 190 roads. A petition put a 10-year ban on the Nov. 3 ballot, and landowners have sued over the zoning. No end user or development agreement exists. See Data Center Watch.
Council takes up liquor code changes for restaurant and grocery licenses
Bill 26-205, on the City Council’s Nov. 3, 2026, agenda, would amend Chapter 4 of the city code so holders of certain C3, G3 and T liquor licenses could get up to 55% of gross sales from alcohol, up from 50%, while still averaging at least 45% from food or other merchandise. The Community and Economic Development Committee reviewed the changes Oct. 14; a Council vote result had not been posted in the city’s legislative records as of Nov. 5.
31 more home lots in Prairie Canyon head to the council
The final plat for Prairie Canyon, 3rd Plat, covers 31 single-family lots and three tracts on about 11.28 acres southwest of College Boulevard and K-7 Highway. Accepting its street right-of-way and easements is on the City Council’s Nov. 3 consent agenda.
Downtown restaurant project at Kansas Avenue and Loula Street up for $5 million in bonds
The City Council is set to consider Ordinance 26-57 on Nov. 3, 2026. It would authorize up to $5 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for TSSOL Real Estate, LLC. The project includes an 8,500-square-foot restaurant and about 3,000 square feet of other restaurant, retail or commercial space at the northwest corner of Kansas Avenue and Loula Street. The item is on the agenda, and the vote result is not yet published.
Three-building factory campus moves ahead at 167th and Lone Elm
On Oct. 20 the City Council voted 7-0 to accept street right-of-way and easements for the FTI Manufacturing plat, about 125 acres southwest of W. 167th Street and S. Lone Elm Road. Faith Technologies plans three single-story buildings totaling about 1.47 million square feet, backed by a $239.8 million industrial revenue bond package the council authorized Aug. 18, with about 1,150 jobs projected over 10 years. No construction start or completion date has been published.
Zoning board clears fencing for two battery storage sites
On Oct. 28 the Board of Zoning Adjustment granted 7-foot fences for two battery energy storage sites, one on about 4.7 acres on Grandview Road in the Hickman Mills area and one on about 9.7 acres on NE Barry Road in the Northland. Both sites are zoned residential (R-80 and R-6). The same day, the board denied 11 Main Street Overlay variances for a drive-through ATM at 3441 Main St.; the applicant’s attorney said it will appeal.
Council adds $500,000 to extend a sewer line near KCI
The council on Oct. 22 approved the 23rd amendment to the KCI Corridor TIF plan, adding $500,000 to extend a sewer line along NW Skyview Avenue and Ambassador Drive. The line will serve the corridor’s remaining undeveloped parcels near the airport. The TIF Commission, its advisory committee and city staff all recommended approval.
Country Club Plaza sidewalk vacation returns to council Nov. 5
An ordinance to vacate sidewalk right-of-way inside the Country Club Plaza’s proposed MPD zoning district (case CD-ROW-2025-00037) was held on the council docket until Nov. 5, 2026. The measure is tied to the Plaza redevelopment and appropriates $5,000 from the Development Services Fund. It is on the Nov. 5 agenda; no vote result yet.
Council weighs $29,363 public engagement contract for zoning on emerging industries
The Oct. 22 City Council agenda included a professional services agreement with The Nash Group to run community engagement on emerging industries as part of the Unified Development Code update. The not-to-exceed cost is $29,363 ($24,415 base fee plus optional items), paid from the $110,000 code update project, with a public briefing planned for late November 2026, a mailed survey in December and a final report by March 31, 2027. The vote result had not been published as of Oct. 28.
Council approves $33,539 replacement warning siren on West Braun Street
On Oct. 8, 2026, the City Council voted 4-0 to replace the roughly 32-year-old outdoor warning siren at 1100 W. Braun St., buying through the Mid-America Regional Council cooperative agreement from Blue Valley Public Safety at a quoted $33,539 (not to exceed $33,600) in the 2027 budget. The price includes a new pole, and the new siren is expected to reach about 5,500 more feet, including Dwyer Farms.
Use tax on the November 3 ballot
Proposition 1 asks voters whether to adopt a local use tax on out-of-state and online purchases at the same rate as the city’s 1% local sales tax. The city says revenue would be used the same way as sales tax revenue, for public safety, streets and city assets.
STAR bond district clears public hearing; final vote set for Oct. 27
After an Oct. 13 public hearing with no residents speaking, the City Commission agreed to move ahead with a STAR bond district of about 50 acres on 4th Street, covering the former Leavenworth Plaza Mall site at 4th and Idaho and Abeles Field at 4th and Poplar. A final vote was scheduled for Oct. 27; the result of that vote had not been published in sources we could reach as of Nov. 3. The developer, Leavenworth Destination Development LLC, still needs a full project plan approved by the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the plan must come back for another public hearing and vote.
City sets 2027 budget calendar, with a final vote planned for March 11
On Oct. 29, the council approved its 2027 meeting and budget schedule. The next budget is set to be introduced Feb. 11, 2027, with amendments due March 2 and adoption planned for March 11. The schedule calls for at least five public budget meetings.
Council adds $4.2 million for Northland water transmission and a Port KC main
On Oct. 29, the council approved a $2.78 million amendment with Burns & McDonnell for the Northland Water Transmission Project, bringing that contract to $13.29 million. It also approved $1.45 million for a 20-inch water main built with Port KC’s Phase 1 roadway work. Both ordinances passed with an accelerated effective date.
Kansas City hands Kentucky Road bridge land to Independence to speed a rebuild
On Oct. 29, the City Council passed Ordinance 260900, which detaches about 0.63 acres of Kentucky Road right-of-way, including part of the bridge, so Independence can annex it and replace the bridge. The bridge has been closed since 2019. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver II has secured $1.2 million in federal money for the replacement. Under the city’s conditions, Independence must annex the land within 60 days, and Kansas City Water Services keeps an easement for a water main.
Water supplier runs a temporary free chlorine burn
Miami County Rural Water District #2, which supplies Edgerton’s water, began a free chlorine burn on Oct. 1 to clear bacteria that routine sampling may not catch. The city said in an Oct. 12 notice that the chlorine takes about two weeks to reach Edgerton and may cause a stronger chlorine taste or smell or some discoloration. Residents with discolored water can flush their lines for a few minutes or call City Hall at 913-893-6231.
2025 street preservation program closes out with $123,678 carried to 2027
Final acceptance of the 2025 Street Preservation Program was on the Oct. 22 consent agenda at a total cost of $145,653.88, including Sunflower Paving’s final contract of $99,149.73. Staff recommended moving $123,678.65 in savings to the 2027 Street Preservation Project, and a KDOT grant reimbursed $30,474.98. The vote result had not been published as of Oct. 28.
SW 21st Street near Washburn partly reopens after seven-week closure
After a seven-week closure, one eastbound lane of SW 21st Street near Washburn Avenue has reopened to through traffic, the city reported Oct. 14. Westbound lanes stay closed for waterline work near SW 21st and Buchanan, with a detour via Topeka Boulevard, SW 29th Street and Washburn Avenue.
Phillips Edison to pitch ideas for 58 Highway and Foxridge
Representatives of Phillips Edison, a shopping-center real estate investment trust, are on the Nov. 2, 2026 City Council work session agenda to present development ideas for the property at 58 Highway and Foxridge. This is an introductory meeting; no application or vote is listed.
City’s General Fund runs $10.8 million short, dipping below its 25% reserve
First-quarter budget adjustments (Ordinance 260916) project the General Fund at $206 million, $10.8 million under budget and below the City’s 25% reserve requirement, which triggers a 12-month replenishment plan. Earnings tax receipts are running $9.4 million under and utility taxes $5 million under, and the ordinance allows up to $100 million in interfund borrowing. The council passed it the week of October 19-23, 2026.
Homesteading Authority could become the city’s housing developer; vote held to Nov. 10
A committee substitute for Ordinance 260860 would make the Homesteading Authority the city’s developer for City-owned land. It would work with the Land Bank and launch at least two demonstration projects. The committee added the EDC and the Housing Authority back into the plan and asked for a one-year update. On Oct. 29, the council held the ordinance to Nov. 10, 2026.
Lakewood Business Park Lot 47 plat at 2701 NE Hagan Road up for final vote
The final plat for Lakewood Business Park, Lot 47, at 2701 NE Hagan Road was on the Nov. 3, 2026 City Council agenda for second reading and a final vote (Bill 26-089). Ward Development is the applicant; the Planning Commission approved the plat April 9, and the council advanced it on first reading May 5. As of Nov. 4, the city’s records do not yet show the Nov. 3 result, and they do not name a tenant for the lot.
Updated citywide Emergency Operations Plan gets first reading Nov. 3
The Fire Department is asking the City Council to adopt a fully rewritten Emergency Operations Plan and update Section 10.7 of the city code to match (Bill 26-212). The plan, the framework for the city’s response to disasters, was reviewed in 2025-2026 by the city’s Emergency Management Committee and consultant EM Partners to improve coordination with regional, state and federal agencies. It is on the Nov. 3, 2026 council agenda for first reading.
Basehor’s capital plan lines up $5.7 million for two new trails
The five-year capital plan the council adopted 5-0 on Aug. 26 includes the Coralberry Trail, about 3,300 feet of 10-foot concrete trail from 166th Street to Garden Parkway ($2.53 million, scheduled 2025-2027), and a 1.3-mile multi-use path at Basehor Town Center near 155th Street and Basehor Boulevard ($3.14 million, through 2028). The plan lists about $4.2 million in MARC grants toward the two projects, which share one design contract.
Steering committee backs the largest downtown vision, priced at $196M-$299M
Merriam’s Downtown Master Plan steering committee recommended the most ambitious of the three visions: raise downtown out of the Turkey Creek floodplain and add housing and retail. The city estimates that option at $196 million to $299 million, compared with about $122 million and $20 million for the other two. City officials say no sales tax option would cover the full cost. A final draft of the plan is expected in November 2026, and it then goes to the Planning Commission and City Council.
R.H. Johnson Company exploring the former Mission Mall (Mission Gateway) site
On Oct. 7, 2026, the City of Mission announced that The R.H. Johnson Company has an agreement contemplating acquisition of the long-vacant former Mission Mall site once foreclosure proceedings conclude. On Oct. 2 a Johnson County judge entered a final judgment of more than $24 million against owner Aryeh Realty LLC, whose earlier redevelopment agreement the city terminated in July 2023. No plans have been submitted, and the city says any proposal will start a new public review.
City and Olathe schools set to swap land at Lone Elm and College for a new elementary
The city would trade about 10.57 undeveloped acres at the northwest corner of Lone Elm Road and College Boulevard to USD 233 for about 9.74 acres just west, the tracts where Meadow Lane Elementary was built. The district would build a new elementary school on the city land and build 110th Street between South Valley Road and South Noble Drive, with the cost of 110th Street split 50/50. Ratification of the contract is on the City Council’s Nov. 3 consent agenda, and the school board plans to ratify it Nov. 12.
Up to $55 million in bonds sought for industrial building at Clare Road and 159th
Ordinance 26-51, on the City Council’s Oct. 20 agenda, would authorize up to $55 million in industrial revenue bonds for Scannell Properties #798 to build an industrial facility at the northwest corner of Clare Road and 159th Street. The vote result has not yet been published.
80-acre Cooper Ridge neighborhood proposed near 143rd and Saint Andrews
Prime Land Development and the Olathe school district (USD 233) asked to rezone about 80 acres north of W. 143rd Street and S. Saint Andrews Avenue from county rural zoning to R-1 single-family, with a preliminary plat and site plan. The request was a public hearing on the Planning Commission’s Oct. 26 agenda; the vote result and lot count have not yet been published, and the City Council has the final say.
Ground broken on $16.5 million Fire Station No. 4 rebuild
The city broke ground Oct. 26 on a replacement Fire Station No. 4 at 13301 S. Mur-Len Road, near 133rd Street and Mur-Len. The old station on the site was torn down in September, and the new one is budgeted at $16.5 million. A completion date has not been announced.
Lenexa City Council meetings now livestreamed
The City Council voted 7-0 on Oct. 6 to change its rules of procedure so council meetings can be livestreamed, with a three-minute limit per speaker for public comment. Streaming was set to begin with the Oct. 20 meeting on the city website through Swagit, at no added cost; Planning Commission livestreams are planned for January 2027, while Committee of the Whole meetings will not be streamed.
21-acre Viracor lab and manufacturing lot moves ahead at 99th and Ridgeview
The Viracor Second Plat creates a single 21.23-acre lot for manufacturing and lab use at the northeast corner of 99th Street and Ridgeview Road. Acceptance of its utility and drainage easements was on the City Council’s Oct. 20, 2026 consent agenda.
$4.1 million Complete Streets phase adds sidewalks on Lackman, Pflumm and Monrovia
Phase III of Lenexa’s Complete Streets program would add sidewalk links on Lackman Road (107th Street to College Boulevard), Pflumm Road (96th Terrace to Marshall Drive) and Monrovia Street (95th Street to 96th Terrace). It also upgrades ADA ramps and crossing signals at four intersections along Lackman Road and 95th Street. A resolution to acquire easements from 23 properties is on the Nov. 3 consent agenda.
2026 concrete program closes out at $173,865
The City Council’s Oct. 26 agenda asked members to accept the finished 2026 Concrete Program for sidewalks and curbs. The item includes Change Order No. 1 for $35,653, which brings the contract to $173,865, and a final payment of $49,474.20 to New Beginning LLC. Public Works recommended approval. The vote result had not been published as of Oct. 31.
Replats on Front and Oak streets; RV park request delayed
The October 20 Planning Commission agenda included a replat splitting 3.74 acres at 313 E. Front Street into four lots, three of them for single-family homes. It also had a 0.40-acre replat at 115 and 117 Oak Street and a 15.47-acre replat at 13600 Riverview Avenue, with staff recommending approval of all three. Staff recommended moving a special use permit for The Springs RV Park at 501 N. 134th Street to the November 17 meeting.
Lynn Valley: 63-lot first phase and a housing incentive hearing
The Lynn Valley Phase 1 final plat calls for 63 detached single-family lots near the northwest corner of 138th Street and Kansas Avenue (13852 Kansas Avenue). The Planning Commission recommended approval, and it was on the October 12 City Council agenda. On September 28 the council voted unanimously to set a public hearing for November 9, 2026, on a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) for Lynn Valley.
Summer street work: $680,000 in overlay and curb projects
Basehor paid Barkley Asphalt $387,430 for mill-and-overlay work on 150th Street and West Old Basehor Road, and Sands Construction $292,054 for 2026 curb replacement in the Cedar Falls area, according to the July-August check register on the Aug. 26 council agenda. A later register shows $48,951 to Morgan Contractors for pavement markings and continued design payments to Benesch for the 155th Street and Wolf Creek Parkway project.
Final plat for Rivian service center site at 2701 NE Hagan Road up for final council vote
The final plat for Lakewood Business Park, Lot 47, the 2701 NE Hagan Road site of the planned Rivian service center, is up for second reading and a final vote at the Nov. 3, 2026 City Council meeting (Bill 26-089). Ward Development is the applicant. The Planning Commission approved the plat on April 9, and the council advanced it on first reading May 5.
Rivian service center approved for 2701 NE Hagan Road
On Oct. 13, the City Council voted 8-0 on its consent agenda to give final approval to a Rivian service center at 2701 NE Hagan Road. The site was first proposed as an auto sales and repair center.
Council to weigh a citywide public art and culture master plan
The City Council’s Nov. 2 committee-of-the-whole session is on the agenda to hear Group Creative Services present the Public Art and Culture Master Plan, a 3-5 year roadmap built with the Prairie Village Arts Council. It calls for art along major sidewalks, one signature piece in each park, a walkable Civic District hub around the new municipal campus, state line border markers and long-term Brush Creek restoration. The plan cost up to $40,000 in Transient Guest Tax funds, and staff asked the council to move it to a future meeting for approval.
Source: City of Prairie Village (Nov. 2, 2026 council packet) →
Franklin Park playground gets new surfacing; 83rd Street design moves ahead
On September 8, 2026, the City Council approved the Franklin Park playground surfacing project (BG250004). It also approved an addendum to the Trekk Design Group agreement for the 83rd Street project (83ST0003). The city summary does not give costs or a start date for either one.
Council adopts 2027 budget, keeps levy above revenue-neutral rate
After public hearings on September 8, 2026, the City Council adopted the 2027 budget and approved Resolution 2026-03, which sets the city’s mill levy above the revenue-neutral rate. Budget documents show staff recommended holding the city rate flat at 18.057 mills, against a revenue-neutral rate of about 16.97 mills. The budget presentation also proposed raising the residential solid waste rate from $256 to $283 a year, pending contract terms.
Preservation board reopens its historic district ordinance Nov. 4
The Historic Preservation Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026 at City Hall, 215 S. Broadway, to continue work on Ordinance 1026. Its August minutes say changes are needed so the boundaries match city limits and historic districts are added. The board will also start listing ideas for a 2028 budget request.
Weather pushes Kansas Avenue daytime closures to Nov. 3-5
Daytime closures of S. Kansas Avenue between 1st and 3rd Streets slipped a day because of weather and are now set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, through Thursday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., conditions permitting. Crews on KDOT’s I-70 Polk-Quincy Viaduct project are setting girders for the new westbound viaduct. Suggested detours are SW 3rd Street, SW Topeka Boulevard and NW Morse Street, and updates are at KanDrive.gov or 511.
City bids out NW Tyler rebuild, SE 25th overlay and new SW 45th sidewalks
Topeka took bids in October for a mill and overlay of NW Tyler Street (Gordon to Paramore, with full reconstruction from Gordon to Morse) and of SE 25th Street (Lakewood to Adams). Bids for sidewalk improvements on SW 45th Street from Gage Boulevard to Cambridge Avenue close Nov. 12, and bids for NW Lyman Road sidewalks (Vail to Lane) close Nov. 4.
Lawrence joins pilot to rehab abandoned houses for sale to buyers
On Oct. 20, 2026, city commissioners voted 5-0 to join a pilot under the Kansas Abandoned Housing Act, which lets nonprofits ask a court for control of vacant, tax-delinquent homes with code violations. Neighborhood Legal Support will handle the court cases, while Habitat for Humanity and Tenants to Homeowners will rehab about three houses over the next 12 to 18 months and sell them at prices based on buyer income. The city is contributing staff time, not funding.
City wraps up budget town halls with final session Nov. 4
Independence held budget town halls at Englewood Arts on Oct. 14, the Midwest Genealogy Center on Oct. 21 and MCC Blue River on Oct. 28, where city leaders explained the city’s financial picture and how services are funded. The last session runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the Truman High School auditorium at 3301 S. Noland Road. Residents from any district may attend.
Neighbors weigh in before Nov. 5 hearing on 150-acre industrial rezoning
The Planning Commission holds a public hearing at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 on case Z-26-5, a request from owner Breed’s Hill KC LLC to rezone about 149.5 acres at the southeast corner of 175th Street and Lone Elm Road from R-R Rural Residential to M-1 Light Industrial. The packet includes written letters from residents near Nottington Creek raising concerns about buffering, traffic, noise, lighting, stormwater and the range of permitted uses, and asking for a continuance or conditions on any approval. City staff recommend approval, noting the land sits outside the current Future Land Use Map; if recommended, the case goes to the City Council Dec. 10, 2026.
Council steers $503,000 in federal grants toward home repairs and housing
The City Council approved on its October consent agenda an allocation of about $503,154 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds for income-qualified residents. The biggest share, $298,185, goes to the city’s Olathe Housing Rehab program for home repairs and mechanical system upgrades. Other money covers duplex rehab on Pitt Street, a community enhancement officer, and rent and utility assistance.
Countywide health care sales tax on the ballot
Wyandotte County voters decide a 0.25% sales tax for health care, behavioral health and the Health Department, about $12 million a year for 10 years starting April 1, 2027. It would apply in Edwardsville; the separate 3/8-cent KCK parks tax would not.
Pioneer Plaza TIF change and a convention center study go to committee
The council’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee agenda for Nov. 3, 2026, included Ordinance 260953, a first amendment to the Pioneer Plaza Tax Increment Financing Plan, and Resolution 260960, which directs the City Manager to study some or all of the improvements in the July 2026 Vision Plan for the Kansas City Convention Center and Municipal Auditorium. The agenda lists no dollar amounts for either item. A committee result had not been published as of Nov. 3.
$1.49 billion Country Club Plaza TIF plan, with about 751 apartments, reaches City Hall
The 47th and Broadway TIF Plan for the Country Club Plaza (Ward Parkway north to W. 47th Street and W. 46th Terrace, Mill Creek Parkway west to Pennsylvania Avenue) lists about $1.49 billion in redevelopment costs, roughly 751 new apartments, 645,000 square feet of office space and 278 hotel rooms, built in phases from 2026 to 2035. Developer CC Plaza Owner LLC could be reimbursed up to $210 million. The plan and its project-area designation were on the council’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee agenda for Nov. 3, 2026.
City weighs changes to a $2.5 million cleanup loan for the Parade Park rebuild
An ordinance would let the city amend its loan with Port KC for environmental cleanup at Parade Park, near 18th and Vine. The loan would be capped at $2,541,318, with up to $242,103 coming from money already set aside. The $300 million redevelopment by Flaherty & Collins and Twelfth Street Heritage plans more than 1,100 apartments, townhomes and flats, with a first phase expected in 2027. The loan change was on the Nov. 3, 2026, Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee agenda.
Kansas City moves to replace its water billing system with a 10-year contract
An ordinance introduced at the Oct. 29 council meeting would approve a 10-year contract with SpryPoint Services Inc. for a new customer information system for KC Water customers, the system behind accounts and billing. The contract exceeds the city’s $1 million threshold; the docket does not list the exact amount. It now goes to committee for review.
Source: City of Kansas City, Mo. (Council agenda, Oct. 29) →
Downtown parking study finds 412 public stalls are enough
The city released its Downtown Parking and Traffic Study, completed in January 2026 with the Mid-America Regional Council and CFS Engineers and funded 80 percent by a MARC Planning Sustainable Places grant. It counted 412 public parking stalls around the Square and found that supply meets current demand, so a parking structure is not needed now. It recommends better wayfinding and updated turnover policies for storefront spaces.
State crews net-survey the fish in Louisburg Lake
A Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks team set nets for 24 hours at several spots in Louisburg Lake at Ron Weers Park to record which fish species live there. KDWP uses the survey to guide stocking and fishing regulations; fish were caught and released, per the city’s October-November 2026 newsletter.
Cemetery board weighs grave prices and stump removal bids
The Fox Hall & Cemetery Board met Oct. 26 to review the city’s $700 price per grave space and compare it with nearby cities, from $100 to $175 in Paola to $600 in Spring Hill. The board also reviewed two stump removal bids, from $1,200 to $7,200 depending on scope, for a recommendation to the council. Staff noted the 2027 budget adds a 0.25-mill levy for cemetery mowing but leaves out the board’s $6,000 to $7,000 yearly headstone repair request.
City starts work on a backup water line under the Missouri River
On October 29, 2026, the council approved a construction-manager-at-risk contract with M Con, LLC for a backup water line under the Missouri River, running from Madison Avenue and West 8th Street to the Downtown Airport, starting with $280,000 in Phase I preconstruction work. The same day it approved $1.45 million for a 20-inch water main tied to Port KC’s Phase 1 roadway access and a $2.78 million amendment to the Northland Transmission, Pumping and Storage design-build contract.
Proposition P public safety sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot
Kearney voters will decide Proposition P, a half-cent citywide sales tax for public safety, on Nov. 3, 2026. The city says it would raise the combined sales tax rate from 8.975% to 9.475%, take effect April 1, 2027, and last 25 years; KSHB reports the city estimates about $900,000 a year, mainly for police recruitment, retention and shift coverage.
Council hearing set Nov. 9 on dog park and T.B. Hanna rezonings
The City Council will hold a public hearing Nov. 9, 2026 on rezoning two city-owned sites to PR Parks, Recreation and Public Use. Parkside Park Lot 1, about 10.7 acres at the northwest corner of N. Madison and 163rd Streets, is planned for a public dog park, and about 1.1 acres on S. Adams Street between W. Maple and W. Olive would expand T.B. Hanna Station Park. The Planning and Zoning Commission heard both cases Oct. 20.
Kurzweil Road rebuild underway; new Dean Avenue signal due in December
The contractor rebuilding Kurzweil Road has finished the first of three culvert boxes and is starting the second and third, according to the Public Works report in the Oct. 26, 2026 council packet. Construction continues on the new signalized intersection for the Dean Avenue access project, which staff still expect to finish in December.
Citywide ADU rules head to City Council on Nov. 3
Proposed changes to the Unified Development Ordinance would allow accessory dwelling units in the AG, RDR, RLL, R-1 and RP-1 through RP-4 districts and in TNZ. Today ADUs are limited to downtown. The changes would drop the half-acre minimum lot size and cap ADUs at 1,000 square feet or 50% of the main home’s floor area, whichever is less. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Oct. 8, and Bill No. 26-204 is set for a public hearing and first reading on Nov. 3.
New office building planned for DG Plaza at 1501 NW Blue Parkway
DG Legal LLC plans a single-story office building of 8,785 square feet on the northern 1.72 acres of 1501 NW Blue Parkway. A conceptual plan shows more buildings on the rest of the site later, and each of those would need its own approval. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Oct. 8, and the plan (Bill No. 26-203) has a public hearing and first reading on the Nov. 3 City Council agenda.
Council sets $22.6 million construction price for Fire Station 6
On Oct. 20, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to its contract with Newkirk Novak Construction Partners that sets a guaranteed maximum price of $22,558,283 for Fire Station 6. The same night, the council added a $311,000 southbound left-turn lane at 108th Street and Renner Boulevard to the capital plan.
Council OKs new southbound left-turn lane at 108th Street and Renner Boulevard
On Oct. 20 the Lenexa City Council added a southbound left-turn lane at 108th Street and Renner Boulevard to the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Program. The council also approved a construction contract with ARCO National Construction – KC, with the city’s share at about $311,000. Both votes were unanimous, according to the draft minutes.
Trail work day set for Lewis-Young Park on Nov. 14
The Trailcats mountain bike team is hosting a trail work day at Lewis-Young Park starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026. Volunteers meet at the city shop building in the park and should bring hand tools and gloves.
Public safety sales tax on the ballot
Voters decide whether to redirect the 0.5% city sales tax that paid off the community center and pool (it expires at the end of 2026) to public safety. The total rate would not change. It would raise about $350,000 a year for three full-time firefighters and 24/7 coverage, a first in the department’s 100 years.
City sets 2027 budget with a planned 25-mill levy
Roeland Park’s 2027 budget plan calls for a city property tax levy of about 25 mills, in line with the 25.2 mills levied for 2026, and the council planned to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Public hearings and budget adoption were scheduled for a special council meeting on Sept. 8, 2026. The city says the final adopted budget document will be posted in November 2026, along with its ten-year capital improvement plan.
95th Street closed near Moody Park Drive for $8.5 million stormwater work
95th Street near Moody Park Drive, east of Switzer Road, closed Oct. 14 so crews can replace an aging concrete box culvert under the road. It is the final phase of a four-phase, roughly $8.5 million project meant to reduce flooding and remove homes from the FEMA floodplain. The closure is expected to last until Nov. 12, with traffic detoured to 103rd Street.
Brookridge redevelopment, now called Meridian, could break ground by year’s end
Curtin Property Co. says construction on the first phase of the $2 billion redevelopment of the former Brookridge Golf Club site near I-435 and Antioch Road could start by the end of 2026, with a tentative November groundbreaking. The first building, 510N, would have 300+ apartments and about 12,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, with a July 31, 2027 commencement deadline. The council finance committee recommended a collateral assignment agreement for full council consideration in November, and the rezoning hearing for the full project is delayed until at least January 2027.
Smithville asks residents to weigh in on its new strategic plan
The city is holding two community review sessions on its updated Strategic Plan: November 9 at 6:00 p.m. at the Smithville Mid-Continent Public Library and November 10 at 10:30 a.m. in the City Hall Board Room. An online survey runs November 9-20 through the city’s Social Pinpoint site.
Route 9 rebuild gets a liaison for downtown businesses; contract tweaks on Nov. 3
Aldermen approved an agreement Oct. 6 with Copaken Brooks to serve as the city’s owner’s representative and business liaison for the Redefine Route 9 downtown rebuild. Phase 1 runs September 2026 through August 2027, billed hourly with a cap of $16,000 a month, and covers outreach to downtown businesses and property owners on access, delivery and parking needs. Revisions to the agreement covering expense reimbursement and a liability limit are on the Nov. 3 consent agenda.
Two Main Street buildings seek downtown tax abatement Nov. 3
Aldermen will take up Bills 3393 and 3394 on Nov. 3, which would add 300 Main Street and 306 Main Street to the Downtown Parkville Redevelopment Plan as Redevelopment Projects 11 and 12, with property tax abatement under Missouri’s Chapter 353. Both bills are set for first and second reading at the same meeting, and each comes with a cost-benefit analysis. The bills are on the amended agenda posted Oct. 30; no vote result has been published yet.
Parkville’s 2027 budget heads to first reading Nov. 3
The 2027 operating budget (Bill 3391) and amended 2027 Capital Improvement Plan get a first reading at the Nov. 3 Board of Aldermen meeting. The proposed budget, presented Oct. 6, plans about $7.0 million in General Fund spending, $4.4 million for the Redefine Route 9 project, $1.5 million to finish Bell Road connectivity, about $950,000 to replace the Elm Street culvert and $350,000 for pavement preservation. Final adoption usually comes in December, and the budget takes effect Jan. 1.
$634,810 Platte Landing Park trail and parking contract heads to aldermen Nov. 3
Staff recommends awarding the Platte Landing Park trail and parking lot improvements to R&R Concrete KC Inc. for $634,810, its $639,660 base bid less a $4,850 deductive alternate. Funding would come from $500,000 in parks capital outlay, an $80,000 Platte County Parks Outreach Grant and $54,810 from the use tax fund. Board consideration is anticipated Nov. 3, 2026, with work to reach substantial completion 166 days after notice to proceed.
Mize Hill and Vista Village replats on Nov. 2 consent agenda
Two revised final plats were on the Nov. 2, 2026 Planning Commission consent agenda. Mize Hill Third Plat would replat Lots 20 and 21 of Mize Hill First Plat at 94th Terrace and Shady Bend Road, and Vista Village 4th Plat would replat Lots 1 through 3 of Vista Village 1st Plat at Prairie Star Parkway and Ridgeview Road. Results had not been posted as of Nov. 3.
Ascent Apartments returns as a 216-unit plan on Nov. 2 agenda
A revised Ascent Apartments proposal for 216 multifamily units at the northeast corner of Prairie Star Parkway and Ridgeview Road is on the Lenexa Planning Commission’s Nov. 2, 2026 agenda. The request includes rezoning part of the site from AG and NP-O to RP-4 (RZ26-07) and a concept plan (PL26-06CP), both with public hearings. A vote result has not been published yet.
Zoning code changes withdrawn; land use map amendments still set for Nov. 2
The posted Nov. 2, 2026 Planning Commission agenda lists the proposed Unified Development Code amendments (UDC26-03) as withdrawn by staff. The Lenexa Comprehensive Plan annual report and Future Land Use Map amendments remain on the agenda for a public hearing that night.
66-lot Stoneridge North 6th Plat on Nov. 2 consent agenda
A final plat for 66 single-family lots in Stoneridge North, 6th Plat, at the northeast corner of 79th Street and Gabriel Street (RP-1 zoning, PT26-23F) is on the Planning Commission’s Nov. 2, 2026 consent agenda. A vote result has not been published yet.
Hy-Vee plan for 83rd Street and K-7 on Nov. 2 Planning Commission agenda
A revised preliminary plan for a Hy-Vee grocery store with commercial outlots at 22939 W. 83rd St., near K-7 Highway in western Lenexa, was continued by the Planning Commission on Oct. 5 to its Nov. 2, 2026 meeting. Early plans described about 32 acres with a 93,000-square-foot supermarket, a 5,000-square-foot Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, a bank/retail building, two office buildings and several retail or restaurant spaces. The plan is on the agenda; no vote has been taken yet.
441 homes and a commercial corner proposed at Pryor and Longview
Applicant Kimley-Horn has asked to rezone about 143.87 acres at the southwest corner of SW Longview Road and SW Pryor Road (900 SW Pryor Road) from agricultural to RP-3 and CP-1. The preliminary plan shows 441 detached single-family homes, with about 15.7 acres set aside for future commercial use that would need its own plan. City staff recommended approval with conditions, and the case was on the Oct. 22, 2026 Planning Commission agenda; the vote result had not been published as of Oct. 30.
Use tax for street improvements on the November 3 ballot
Blue Springs voters will decide on November 3, 2026, whether to adopt a 2.5 percent local use tax, matching the city’s current local sales tax rate. It would apply to certain online and out-of-state purchases delivered for use in Blue Springs, and purchases that already carry local sales tax would not be taxed twice. Revenue would go to street improvements and other capital projects, overseen by a new Citizen Oversight Committee. If approved, the tax would take effect April 1, 2027.
Parks tax could pay to replace KCK’s last free public pool
Parkwood Pool, more than 50 years old and the only free public pool left in Kansas City, Kansas, is losing hundreds of gallons of water a day, and parks staff say replacing it in its current footprint would cost $5 million to $6 million. The 3/8-cent citywide sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot would raise about $8 million a year for parks and another $8 million for roads and sidewalks. Other listed priorities include more than $300,000 in Parkwood Community Center repairs, a new park in Piper and a new clubhouse at Sunflower Hills Golf Course.
City opens citywide resident survey on services and priorities
The City of Independence launched its 2026 National Community Survey, built by the National Research Center at Polco, on Oct. 21. It asks about utilities, roads and other infrastructure, parks, community design and overall quality of life, online in English or Spanish. The city lists Nov. 30 as the closing date and expects a final report by Dec. 18 to guide future planning.
Two sales tax questions head to Wyandotte County voters
The Unified Government placed two separate sales tax measures on the November 2026 ballot: a countywide quarter-cent tax for health and homelessness services (about $12 million a year), and a three-eighths-cent Kansas City, KS, tax for parks and roads (about $16 million a year, ending after 10 years). If both pass, the combined rate in KCK would rise from 9.125% to 9.75%, with collection starting no earlier than April 1, 2027. Voters can approve either, both or neither.
Long-delayed Crestline duplex project set to start near Clinton Parkway
Construction appears ready to begin at 2300 Crestline Drive, at Crestline Drive and Clinton Parkway, where Fountain Residential Partners plans 57 duplexes and six single-family homes. The commission approved the project in 2021, but a lawsuit stalled it until courts ruled for the developer and city in 2024 and 2025. The city says the 2021 site plan and permits remain valid, and construction fencing went up in October 2026.
Jack Stack family’s Kansas City Hickory Provisions coming to the former Walmart building
Kansas City Hickory Provisions, a separate business started by the family behind Jack Stack Barbecue, announced a USDA-inspected processing, packaging and warehousing plant in the 72,000-square-foot former Walmart building on North Commercial Street. The company expects to start hiring in Q4 2026 and open in early 2027 with potentially more than 20 local jobs.
City seeks $4.5 million state match for 191st Street rail overpass
Spring Hill applied to the Build Kansas Fund for $4.5 million toward a 191st Street grade separation project to remove at-grade BNSF crossings at 191st Street and 207th Street along Woodland Road. The application lists a total cost of about $37.5 million, with about $30 million in potential federal rail-safety funds, $2 million from BNSF and $994,020 in city funds. A separate feasibility study of the 175th, 183rd, 191st, 207th and 215th Street crossings is underway, and a state funding agreement for that study was on the Oct. 8, 2026 council agenda.
Jesse James Park playground makeover lands $150,000 Lions grant
On Sept. 21 the Board of Aldermen approved a $150,000 Lions Clubs International Foundation grant for a Jesse James Park playground renovation, matched by $150,000 in city park funds budgeted for FY2027. Plans call for sensory play equipment, an adaptive swing, new playground surfacing and concrete walkways. The city learned of the award on Aug. 31; no construction timeline has been published yet.
Kearney adds public art to its development policy, starts Washington Street mural
On Sept. 8 the Board of Aldermen approved Resolution 73-2026, adding a public art provision to the city’s Economic Development Policy set at 0.3% of a project’s construction budget. The board also approved Resolution 69-2026, a grant application and Phase One professional services agreement for a Washington Street Walkway Mural downtown. Mural cost and timeline were not stated in the minutes.
Up to $100 million in KU Gateway bonds goes to a vote Nov. 3
The Lawrence City Commission’s Nov. 3, 2026 agenda includes issuing up to $75 million in STAR bonds and up to $25 million in community improvement district bonds for KU’s roughly $808.7 million Gateway project around the football stadium, which adds a hotel, conference center, student housing, retail and a plaza. The bonds would be repaid from new sales, property and CID tax revenue in the district, and neither the city nor KU would owe the balance if those taxes fall short. KU now expects the hotel’s guaranteed maximum price in June 2027, so hotel bond proceeds would be held in escrow until hotel conditions are met. The meeting starts at 5:45 p.m. at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.; the vote result was not yet published.
$5.7 million Seven Hills Lake stormwater contract awarded
On Oct. 20, 2026, the Lenexa City Council combined both phases of the Seven Hills Lake Stormwater Improvement Project into one capital project, with no change to its total budget. The council awarded the construction contract to VF Anderson Builders for $5,694,195.39, below the engineer’s estimate. A 2023 study had estimated $6.6 million for the pipe improvements.
Kansas Avenue closes by day Nov. 2-4 for I-70 viaduct girder work
Kansas Avenue between 1st and 3rd Streets downtown will close daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 2-4, 2026, while crews set bridge girders for the new westbound viaduct. The work is part of KDOT’s I-70 Polk-Quincy Viaduct project, and KDOT notes the schedule may change with conditions.
Topeka street crews top 41,000 potholes filled in 2026
City crews filled 619 potholes in one week in October, bringing Topeka’s 2026 total to 41,051, according to the city’s Oct. 20 weekly report. Street sweeping is also underway area by area, starting with Area 1 (I-70 to SW 6th Avenue between SW Topeka Boulevard and SW MacVicar Avenue). Residents can look up their sweeping area on the city’s searchable streets map.
SW Huntoon reopens between McAlister and Gage
The City reported in its Oct. 14 weekly report that SW Huntoon Street from McAlister to Gage is substantially complete and open to traffic. Nearby, crews finished the final asphalt overlay on SW 38th and 39th Streets, and grading continues on NW Norris Street (West Street to Western Avenue), which is being widened to 21 feet.
Topeka seeks contractors for Redbud and Alkire pump station upgrades
The city opened formal bids for improvements at the Redbud and Alkire pump stations, with a pre-bid meeting held Oct. 21 at the Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant. Bids close Nov. 10 (Redbud) and Nov. 12 (Alkire); contract amounts have not been published.
Nearly 150 acres at 175th and Lone Elm could be rezoned for light industry
The Planning Commission holds a public hearing Nov. 5 on a request to rezone about 149.5 acres at the southeast corner of 175th Street and Lone Elm Road from R-R Rural Residential to M-1 Light Industrial. The application from Phelps Engineering names no end user or specific project, and city staff recommend approval. The City Council is set to hear the case Dec. 10, 2026.
Major payments made on 199th Street and new sidewalks
The Oct. 22, 2026 council agenda included about $1.21 million to Superior Bowen Asphalt for 199th Street work and a first $126,244 payment to Newco Concrete for the 2026 sidewalks program. The same order included about $228,600 to Burns & McDonnell for the northwest sewer expansion. The council also had a bid for the North Webster sewer project on the agenda.
Nov. 2 council agenda: Northstar stormwater project and water meters
The City Council’s Nov. 2 meeting at 7 p.m. includes a discussion of a stormwater project in the Northstar subdivision and a proposed purchase of water meters for the Public Works Department. The agenda also includes the September financial report and an executive session with the city attorney. Results will be posted after the meeting.
City Council adopts new shed and outbuilding rules
The Tonganoxie City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 1552 on Sept. 8, 2026, amending the city’s zoning and subdivision regulations on accessory building standards and replacing existing Section 23-010. The adopted minutes do not list the new size, height or setback limits, so check with City Hall before building a shed or detached garage.
Source: City of Tonganoxie (Sept. 8, 2026 council minutes) →
Three city property tax levies on the Nov. 3 ballot
Parkville voters will decide Propositions P (public safety, $0.1790 per $100 assessed value), I (transportation and infrastructure, $0.1280) and F (city facilities, $0.0820) on Nov. 3, 2026, with any approved levy starting in tax year 2027. If all three pass, the city levy would rise from $0.4403 to $0.8293 per $100, which the city estimates at about $300 more per year on a $400,000 home. P and I run 10 years (2027-2036) and F runs 20 years.
City adds $74,000 to keep Bike Share KC’s 41 hubs rolling
On October 29, 2026, the council amended the Bike Share KC contract, moving $74,000 from General Fund contingency into the Public Mass Transportation Fund. The contract now totals $569,000 and covers 41 hubs. The ordinance took effect immediately.
Council approves Staley Estates lots and an industrial lot near Highway 210
The council passed two Clay County plats on consent the week of October 19-23, 2026. Staley Estates 2nd Plat creates five residential lots on about 20 acres on the north side of NE 108th Street at North Hardesty, and Northland Park Lot 1 creates one industrial lot on about 11.5 acres at the northeast corner of North Kimball Drive and Missouri Highway 210.
IPL transformer buys and battery-site work on Nov. 2 council agenda
The Nov. 2 City Council agenda includes up to $750,000 for Independence Power & Light power distribution transformers, split among Anixter ($300,000), WEG Transformers USA ($300,000) and Sunbelt Solomon ($150,000). It also includes a $619,962 change order for Burns & McDonnell on Able Battery line terminal engineering, procurement and construction services for IPL. These items are on the agenda; the vote result is not yet published.
Patmos data center lease back before council Nov. 2
On Oct. 19, the City Council postponed a vote on assigning the city-owned EastGate Commerce Center lease at 2500 S. Little Blue Parkway to Patmos, a Kansas City data center company. A June 2026 permit application describes a 100-megawatt, 285,000-square-foot facility, starting with a 17.5-megawatt first phase. The item is on the agenda again for the Nov. 2 council meeting; no vote result has been published yet.
Englewood Theater renovation’s first phase targeted for early 2027
The nonprofit Friends of Englewood Theater, which bought the long-vacant Winner Road theater in 2025, plans to start a first phase of renovations in early 2027, including lobby work, mezzanine office space and relighting the neon sign. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places earlier in 2026, and the group hopes to use the 35% state historic preservation tax credit to help pay for the work. No total cost has been announced (reported Oct. 9, 2026).
$19.9M historic sites bond goes to voters Nov. 3
General Obligation Bond Question No. 1 on the Nov. 3 ballot would authorize $19.9 million, repaid over 20 years through a property tax increase, to repair five city-owned landmarks: the Bingham-Waggoner Estate (over $6.6 million), Vaile Mansion (about $4 million), Truman Memorial Building (about $1 million), Old Fire Station No. 1 ($1 million) and the 1827 Log Courthouse (about $750,000). The city estimates the cost at under $30 a year for a home at the city’s average value of $173,000. The measure needs 60% approval to pass.
$10.6 million road district set for 99th Street and Woodsonia Drive
The City Council set up a special benefit district on Oct. 6 for public improvements at 99th Street and Woodsonia Drive, near the southeast corner of K-7 and Prairie Star Parkway, with a maximum cost of $10.6 million. On Oct. 20, the council approved Ordinance 6069, which levies special assessments on the benefiting property to pay for the work.
New retail buildings approved near Prairie Star Parkway and 101st Street
On Oct. 5, the Planning Commission approved final plans for Vista Village North Phase 1, a multitenant commercial development at the southeast corner of Prairie Star Parkway and Ridgeview Road. It also approved a multitenant commercial building at Vista Ridge Lot 6, 18237 W. 101st St. The same night, it approved new facades and a new sign plan for Westchester Square at 87th Street and Pflumm Road.
Million-square-foot industrial building proposed at 169 Highway and 175th Street
Scannell Properties is asking Olathe for industrial revenue bonds and a tax phase-in totaling $80,465,680 for a 1,006,880-square-foot industrial facility on 70.49 acres at the northwest corner of U.S. 169 Highway and 175th Street. The request goes to the City Council as a planning-session report on Nov. 3, 2026. That report is the first step, and no incentive vote has been taken yet.
Bookstore and plant shop set to open at 151st and Ridgeview
The Reading Garden, a new shop selling new and used books, plants and gifts, is moving into the Indian Trails shopping center at 1489 E. 151st St. It will also offer meeting and reading space. The owner is aiming for a mid-November 2026 opening.
Jackson County gives $150,000 to expand Legacy Park’s all-inclusive playground
Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota presented $150,000 to the City Council on Oct. 13, 2026 for new equipment at the Joseph A. Dyke all-inclusive playground in Legacy Park. The county money is set to cover the full build-out of the expansion, which Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation scheduled to begin in fall 2026.
Council approves $33.8 million Graham Packaging plant at Lee’s Summit Commerce Center
The City Council passed the “Project Kings” ordinance on Oct. 13, 2026, approving up to $33,775,000 in taxable industrial revenue bonds for Graham Packaging Company. The company plans manufacturing in about 215,000 square feet of existing space in Building A of the Lee’s Summit Commerce Center, 1100 NW Main Street. The deal includes a 75% personal property tax abatement for five years on new and relocated equipment.
87th Street corridor study to look at transportation and land use near City Hall
Overland Park is starting a study of about 1.25 miles of 87th Street, from the western city limits to Antioch Road, funded by a Mid-America Regional Council grant of just under $100,000. The study focuses on transportation options and will also examine land use, including around the current City Hall and Myron Scafe building. City Hall operations are set to move to 6201 College Blvd., with the new building expected to be fully operational in 2034; no decision has been made on the future of the old buildings.
City set to renew its Topeka lobbying contract for 2027
A renewal with Little Government Relations is on the Nov. 2 City Council consent agenda. The firm, which has represented Prairie Village since 2020, monitors and lobbies on Kansas legislative matters that affect cities. The 2027 contract runs Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027, at $12,500, the same as 2026, paid in four quarterly installments.
Source: City of Prairie Village (Nov. 2, 2026 council packet) →
Home2 Suites on Rainbow Boulevard seeks 32-room addition on Applebee’s site
A rezoning from CP-1 to CP-2 at 3405 Rainbow Blvd. would let Lane4 Property Group add a 32-room, 14,252-square-foot expansion to the neighboring Home2 Suites, replacing the Applebee’s restaurant on the 0.57-acre site. The Planning Commission recommended approval 10-0 with 18 conditions, including matching building materials, landscaping and no pole signs. The request was on the Oct. 29 Board of Commissioners agenda; the vote result had not been published as of Nov. 2.
Volunteer crews race winter on August storm repairs
Volunteer crews say nearly $1 million has gone into repairs across Kansas City, Kansas, since the Aug. 18-19 storm, with CJR Builders and IMR Homes coordinating work on more than 250 homes, about 100 of which needed electrical work before power could be restored. As of Oct. 16, 2026, more than 100 long-term recovery cases were still open, and crews were trying to finish before winter.
UG opens small business grants of up to $10,000
The Unified Government’s Economic Development Department is accepting applications for Small Business Grants of up to $10,000 for Kansas City, Kansas, businesses with a physical commercial location, more than one year in operation and fewer than 25 employees. Home-based businesses are not eligible, and awards are first-come, first-served until funds run out.
STAR bond district proposed for the old mall site and Abeles Field
After an Oct. 13 public hearing, the City Commission moved toward a final vote on Oct. 27 on a STAR bond district of about 50 acres along 4th Street, covering the long-vacant Leavenworth Plaza Mall and Abeles Field. Plans call for retail and restaurants at the mall site and a required tourist attraction at Abeles Field, though no tenants have signed yet.
Raytown rewrites how its historic overlay and Highway 350 design rules apply
On Oct. 20 the aldermen held a public hearing and first reading on Bill No. 6728-26, which removes the Historic Preservation (HP) overlay from the zoning land-use table and revises Section 50-332. City staff wrote that historic overlays usually govern changes to a property’s historic features, not what the land is used for. The same agenda carried the second reading of Bill No. 6725-26, which would exempt Conservation (N) and HP properties from the 350 Highway Corridor Design Guidelines. Final votes were not yet published.
Citywide zoning code update covers accessory buildings and temporary uses
Case PZ-2026-06 proposed general amendments to Chapter 50, the city’s zoning code, including updated definitions, revised rules for residential accessory buildings, animal enclosures and outdoor storage, and a new Section 50-22 governing temporary uses such as yard sales, fireworks stands and Christmas tree sales. The Planning & Zoning Commission heard it on May 21, 2026, with Board of Aldermen readings set for June 16 and July 7, 2026. Homeowners planning an outbuilding should check the current code before building.
Source: City of Raytown – Planning & Zoning Commission Packet, May 21, 2026 →
Planning staff backs rezoning for eight townhomes on 8th Street
The Tonganoxie Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Nov. 5, 2026, on GM Investment Properties’ request to rezone about 0.9 acres at 104 E. 8th Street from R-DT-1 to R-DT-2. The concept plan shows two four-unit townhouse buildings facing US-24/40, with access from 8th Street only. City staff recommends approval, on the condition that a site plan comes later and stormwater and utility issues are resolved.
Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru proposed at 215 State Avenue
A site plan for a drive-up-only Scooter’s Coffee of about 680 square feet is on the Nov. 5 Planning Commission agenda for a 0.6-acre vacant lot at 215 State Avenue (US-24/40), zoned General Business. The plan shows seven parking spaces and shared access off State Avenue. City staff recommends approval with conditions, including stormwater revisions, KDOT traffic coordination and added street trees along the highway frontage.
Council approves $212,000 in new firefighter air packs, mostly paid by FEMA
On Sept. 21, 2026, the Tonganoxie City Council approved a 2026 Fire Equipment Fund budget amendment for 21 sets of firefighter air packs. A FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant covers about 80% of the cost. The council set the purchase from Ed M. Feld Equipment Co. at no more than $211,972.55.
2027 budget adopted: city tax rate up 0.776 mills
The City Council adopted the 2027 budget on Sept. 8, 2026, after voting to levy a property tax rate above the revenue-neutral rate. The total city rate rises 0.776 mills (about 2%), driven by the library operations and library employee benefits levies, while the general fund and debt service levies stay flat. The city says the budget includes about $15.75 million in capital projects, including the wastewater plant expansion, repainting the water tower near the middle school and replacing water plant telemetry equipment.
Apartments above shops and an animal rescue on Arlington Avenue
On May 7, 2026, the Planning & Zoning Commission considered a text amendment (PZ-2026-04) creating an “Accessory Residential Use” that would allow dwelling units of at least 700 square feet above or behind businesses, permitted by right in the Town Square Overlay and by conditional use permit in Neighborhood Commercial zones. The same meeting reviewed a proposal from the Paul Chaney Memorial Foundation, in partnership with KC PAWS, to open an animal rescue, boarding, grooming and training facility in a vacant building at 6204 Arlington Avenue. Staff recommended approval of both, with Board of Aldermen dates in June and July 2026.
Source: City of Raytown – Planning & Zoning Commission Packet, May 7, 2026 →
Ground storage tank rehab approved; clearwell seal bid sent back
On Sept. 8 aldermen approved Resolution 67-2026, a 2026 ground storage tank rehabilitation contract with Great Plains Structures. On Sept. 21, the board reviewed the 2026 clearwell seal project, where McGill Restoration submitted the only responsive bid; staff recommended rejecting it, lining up funding and considering a re-bid. The final vote on the clearwell bid is not yet published.
Ozark Ready Mix seeks rezoning and permit update on Webster Street
Ozark Ready-Mix asked to rezone about 15.1 acres at 18430 Webster Street from M-1 Light Industrial to MP-1 with a planned overlay, along with an amended preliminary plat, a conditional use permit amendment and a site plan for about 9,085 square feet in three buildings. The Planning Commission recommended approval 5-0 on Oct. 1, 2026, and both ordinances were on the City Council’s Oct. 22, 2026 agenda. The council’s vote result has not been published yet.
Bucyrus Auto repair shop site plan goes to City Council
The site plan for Bucyrus Auto, a 6,000-square-foot, one-story auto repair building at 19072 N. Madison Street in Country Meadows Industrial Park, was on the City Council’s Oct. 22, 2026 consent agenda after a 5-0 Planning Commission recommendation on Oct. 1. The 1.39-acre site would have 26 parking spaces and a paved, fully screened outdoor storage area along US-169 with opaque fencing that exceeds M-1 minimums. The council’s vote result has not been published yet.
Council authorizes new wastewater plant and bonds to pay for it
On October 8, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 on Resolution 2026-R-24, authorizing design and construction of a new wastewater treatment facility and general obligation bonds to pay for it, according to draft minutes. The plan is a 5 million-gallon-per-day plant estimated at about $140 million; the current 1.25 mgd plant runs at about 71% of capacity. The same night, the council approved a no-cost contract amendment with design-build firm Crossland Heavy Contractors to add state loan requirements.
City moves another $2 million into the Main Street streetcar extension
A proposed ordinance would move $2 million from the Streetcar Fund to the KC Streetcar Main Street Extension project and add $263,855 to HDR Engineering’s design contract, bringing it to about $21.2 million. It was introduced Oct. 29 and is on the Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee agenda for Nov. 3.
More homes and taller buildings sought on 15 acres near 49th and Chestnut
An amendment to an approved development plan on about 15 acres bounded by MLK Boulevard, E. 49th Street, Chestnut Avenue and College Avenue would allow more residential units and greater building height. It was on the Oct. 29 council debate docket (file CD-CPC-2026-00111); the vote result was not yet published.
Sand volleyball complex approved near 151st and Harrison
The City Council approved 7-0 a new special use permit for Nice Digs Volleyball: five outdoor sand courts on about 1.41 acres near 151st Street and Harrison, open April through October, with 61 parking spaces, restrooms, two concession buildings and shaded seating. The same October 2026 vote renewed 10-year permits for Centerfire Shooting Sports at 875 N. Jan-Mar Court and The Pet Ranch at 12700 W. 151st Street.
Dillons breaks ground at College and Sunnybrook
Dillons broke ground Oct. 7, 2026 on a store of nearly 100,000 square feet at College Boulevard and Sunnybrook in northwest Olathe. Plans include a full pharmacy, bakery, expanded meat, seafood and produce sections, and a gas station, with more than 200 employees. Developers have said it could open by fall 2027.
Higher hotel tax brought in $1.2 million during the World Cup
Olathe’s hotel (transient guest) tax, now 9 percent, up from 6 percent, collected $1.2 million over the World Cup period, about $440,000 more than the same stretch in 2025. Most of that gain came from the higher rate. Adjusted for the rate change, hotel revenue was up 2.6 percent. The proceeds are split between the chamber of commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Chiefs stadium settlement still not finalized after KCK drops lawsuit
The Unified Government dismissed its lawsuit against the state without prejudice, meaning it could refile, and as of Oct. 28 no settlement had been filed in district court; a UG spokesperson called it a settlement “in principle.” Under the announced terms, the stadium and its parking would be state property exempt from local zoning, leased to the Chiefs for $7 million a year, while surrounding development would follow UG planning and zoning rules and make payments in lieu of taxes to BPU. Wyandotte County is still expected to contribute up to $450 million in local sales and hotel taxes over 30 years toward the $3 billion stadium.
City Commission weighs issuing bonds for KU Gateway stadium district
At its Nov. 3 meeting, the Lawrence City Commission is set to vote on issuing STAR bonds and community improvement district bonds for KU’s Gateway project. The roughly $808.7 million project renovates the football stadium and adds a conference center, hotel, student housing, parking, retail and a plaza next to it. The bonds would be repaid from new sales tax, property tax and CID revenue, and hotel bond money would be held by a third party until hotel terms are final, which KU expects in June 2027. The item is on the agenda; the vote result was not yet published.
Lawrence Costco opens at 6200 Mercato Drive
Costco’s first Lawrence warehouse opened Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at 6200 Mercato Drive in northwest Lawrence near K-10. It is the city’s first Costco location.
Durvet seeks bonds and tax abatement for $7.5 million headquarters expansion
Animal health company Durvet, Inc. plans a roughly 41,530-square-foot warehouse and office expansion at its headquarters at 100 SE Magellan Drive, estimated at $7.5 million. Bill 5438 would approve up to $7.55 million in industrial revenue bonds with a 10-year property tax abatement. A public hearing and the bill were on the October 19, 2026 council agenda; the vote result was not yet published.
Wyatt Road rebuild with Adams Dairy roundabout moves ahead
The city is preparing to fully reconstruct Wyatt Road between 7 Highway and Adams Dairy Parkway, including a roundabout at Wyatt Road and Adams Dairy Parkway and relocated waterlines. Bill 5441, accepting easements needed for the work, was on the October 19, 2026 council agenda, and the FY 2026-27 budget carries about $4.45 million for the project.
City pays $66,000 for South Metcalf water main repair
The City Council’s Oct. 19, 2026 bills list includes $66,235.64 to G-B Construction for a water main repair at 607 S. Metcalf. Earlier in October the city also paid $26,712 to Federal Signal for storm siren upgrades and repairs. Both show up on the council’s regular bill approvals.
Rio Theatre funding agreement goes to the full council Nov. 2
A funding agreement with Dream Theatre, LLC to help reopen the historic Rio Theatre in downtown Overland Park is on the regular agenda for the City Council’s Monday, Nov. 2 meeting. The committee-level deal advanced in October; the full council vote result had not been published as of Nov. 1.
City drops bike lanes from Noland Road corridor redesign
The city removed the on-street bike lanes shown at a July 2026 public meeting from the Noland Road Multimodal Corridor project (White Oak Street to US-24), citing updated federal highway guidance. The plan still includes a 10-foot shared-use path on the west side from US-24 to Fair Street, better east-side sidewalks, and upgraded pedestrian signals and street lighting. Updated plans will be posted on the project webpage; no cost or construction schedule has been announced.
Parks sales tax headed to a March 2027 mail-in vote
In a 9-3 Committee of the Whole vote on Oct. 5, 2026, the City Council agreed to ask voters for a 1/4-cent parks sales tax lasting 10 years, expected to raise about $176 million for Playbook OP parks projects. The special mail-in election is planned for March 2, 2027, and the tax would start Oct. 1, 2027, if approved. Ballot language is on the Nov. 2, 2026, council agenda, with a Nov. 16 deadline.
Council hearings on 82nd and Metcalf apartment incentives set for November
29th Street Capital plans a five-story building at the southeast corner of 82nd Street and Metcalf Avenue with 198 apartments and townhomes, about 7,300 square feet of retail and a 265-space parking structure, replacing the former Overland Park Funeral Chapel. The roughly $73 million project is seeking $12.7 million in tax increment financing plus a sales tax exemption on construction materials. As of Oct. 21, public hearings on the financing were scheduled before the City Council in November; the exact date and outcome are not yet published.
Council approves WaterOne rezoning and special use permit at 10401 Renner Blvd.
On Oct. 20, the Lenexa City Council approved WaterOne’s request for a mining and quarrying operation at 10401 Renner Boulevard, near the southeast corner of K-10 Highway and Renner Boulevard. The action rezones the site from BP-1 (Planned Business Park) to BP-2 (Planned Manufacturing) under Ordinance 6071, grants a five-year special use permit under Ordinance 6072, and approves the companion preliminary plan.
Water rates up for review as city’s wholesale cost tops what it charges
A staff memo for the Nov. 2, 2026 City Council meeting says the city now pays its water supplier $10.00 per 1,000 gallons but charges customers $8.84, a loss of $1.16 per unit, and the last rate change was Sept. 1, 2023. Staff is asking Council for direction on water rates; the current average bill is $67.71 a month. A separate memo recommends keeping natural gas rates unchanged (average bill $66.26) and doing a gas rate study in fall 2027.
Tourism committee eyes $3,500 social media push for 2027
Louisburg’s Convention & Tourism Committee voted 3-0 to meet quarterly instead of monthly, a bylaw change that went to the City Council for approval on Oct. 19, 2026. The committee also wants about $3,500 in the 2027 budget for a social media campaign with an influencer aimed at Kansas City metro audiences. Staff plans to bring a formal proposal to the committee in January 2027 before it goes to the Council.
Eudora lands $1.2 million federal grant for Wakarusa boat ramp park connection
Eudora was awarded $1,199,000 in federal Transportation Alternatives funding for its Wakarusa boat ramp park connection project. The award was one of three Douglas County projects funded in this round. A construction timeline has not been announced.
Sports venue and drive-thru coming to The Crossing at KU
MMTH Fieldhouse, a social sports venue with golf putting, baseball and basketball simulators, pickleball, and a restaurant and bar, plans to open at The Crossing at KU on the west campus near KU Innovation Park, targeting a 2028 opening. Hyper, a drive-thru energy drink and coffee shop, is also coming to the development. Purchases there carry an extra 1.5% community improvement district sales tax.
Independence set to annex stretch of Kentucky Avenue from Kansas City
An ordinance would bring the north 40 feet of the Kentucky Avenue right-of-way, from Hillcrest Avenue west to Hayworth Road, into Independence from Kansas City, Missouri. It is on the Nov. 2 City Council agenda for second and final reading. If it passes, the City Clerk will file certified copies with Jackson County.
Lot splits signed for six Summit Homes duplex units in Starbrooke
Lot splits covering three side-by-side duplex pairs built by Summit Homes in the Starbrooke development (Lots 132, 133 and 141 on S. 4th St. East) have been approved by the County Surveyor and city staff and signed by the Planning Commission chair and mayor. Under state law SB418 they no longer need a formal planning petition. The splits are on the Nov. 2, 2026 Council agenda to be received and filed.
Whispering Creek Farms and Davenport Farms plats advance
On October 13, 2026, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend a 32-lot single-phase final plat for Whispering Creek Farms 2nd Plat, after a full traffic impact study. The commission also voted 6-0 for a 2-lot Davenport Farms Commercial final plat at 1806 NE 188th Street, with one lot planned for an ambulance facility. The Board of Aldermen passed both on first reading on October 20.
Source: Smithville Planning and Zoning Commission minutes, Oct 13, 2026 →
Smithville Plaza Apartments plan cut to 176 units
On September 29, 2026, the Board of Aldermen sent the Smithville Plaza Apartments rezoning (Bill No. 3132-26) back to Planning and Zoning for more review of density and parking. On October 13 the commission voted 6-0 for a revised plan at 119 N 169 Highway: 176 units, down from 200, in two four-story buildings on 8.5 acres with 300 parking spaces. The rezoning still needs final Board of Aldermen action.
Source: Smithville Planning and Zoning Commission minutes, Oct 13, 2026 →
Council and Planning Commission meet Nov. 5 on the comprehensive plan update
The Spring Hill City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, at the Civic Center, 401 N. Madison St. Consulting firm Multistudio will present on the Comprehensive Plan Update, and the public is welcome to attend. The regular Planning Commission meeting follows at 7 p.m.
New traffic signal planned at 95th Street and Lackman Road
The $3.9 million 95th Street project between Renner Boulevard and Lackman Road includes a new signal at Lackman, a realigned intersection, added turn lanes, lighting, a mill and overlay, and sidewalk and trail upgrades. About $2.4 million comes from federal CMAQ funds. A condemnation ordinance covering five tracts is on the Nov. 3 council agenda.
City signs FAA agreement for future airport control tower
The City Council passed an ordinance on Oct. 13, 2026 authorizing an Air Traffic Control Tower Operations Agreement with the FAA for the Lee’s Summit airport. The city was accepted into the FAA Federal Contract Tower Program in 2024, and a permanent tower must be built before tower service starts; the FAA asked for the agreement now because tower design is about to begin.
New citizen Fire Commission to review Topeka’s fire station relocation plan
The Topeka Fire Department has formed a 10-member 2026 Fire Commission, with one resident appointed by each member of the Governing Body, to review the department’s 2026 Fire Station Relocation Plan. The first meeting is set for Thursday, Nov. 5, at 5:30 p.m. in the Cyrus K. Holliday Building, 620 SE Madison St., and meetings will be livestreamed. The commission is scheduled to present its findings and recommendations to the City Council in April 2027.
Land Bank offers lots to affordable-housing builders
The Topeka Land Bank Board of Trustees approved lots for transfer to the City Land Bank for affordable housing. Developers can view available parcels on the City’s map portal and apply to the Board, which picks applicants using a published scoring rubric.
City and library study a new Corinth branch on Mission Road
In October 2026 the City Council and the Johnson County Library Board approved a non-binding memorandum of understanding to study a new library branch on the current community center site at 7720 Mission Road. It would replace the Corinth Library at 8100 Mission Road. The six-month study covers land purchase terms, shared parking, maintenance and site testing, after which both boards could vote on a development agreement.
$200,000 state grant pays for new Windsor Park trail
Windsor Park’s trail is being rebuilt as an 8-foot concrete path with an ADA-compliant connection at the park’s northwest corner. A $200,000 grant from the 2026 Kansas Transportation Alternatives Program, administered through MARC, funds the work, which the city scheduled for late summer 2026. A new play set for ages 2 to 5 was installed at the park in June.
Most Riss Lake neighbors who responded oppose new streetlights on Woodhaven Lane
The city is weighing an Evergy design to add streetlights along Woodhaven Lane and its cul-de-sacs in Riss Lake, which were never installed when the subdivision was built. Of 50 homes contacted, 20 responded between July 22 and Sept. 30, 2026: 18 opposed and 2 in favor. The update went to the Board of Aldermen’s Oct. 20 work session with no cost or staff recommendation listed.
$61,800 mapping software deal and hazardous waste pact on Oct. 20 agenda
The Board of Aldermen’s Oct. 20, 2026 agenda included a $61,800 agreement with Esri, the GIS mapping software company, and an intergovernmental agreement with the Mid-America Regional Council for the regional household hazardous waste collection program. Vote results had not been published as of Oct. 30.
Nottingham incentive hearings held; vote set for Nov. 9
On Oct. 26 the City Commission held public hearings on tax-increment financing, a 1.85% community improvement district sales tax and industrial revenue bonds for two Nottingham project areas on the former elementary school land downtown. Project Area 2 calls for 84 apartments and 22,500 sq ft of retail; Project Area 3 calls for 56 apartments, 10 townhomes and 30,000 sq ft of retail, each costing slightly over $30 million. No action was taken; the Planning Commission hearing on the development plan is set for Nov. 4 and the commission vote on incentives for Nov. 9.
Homeowners now in charge of trees and grass along the street
On Sept. 14 the City Commission voted 5-0 to adopt Ordinance 1193, which makes the owner of the abutting property responsible for mowing and for maintaining or removing trees and hedges in the public right-of-way. Branches must clear 7 feet over sidewalks and 14 feet over streets and alleys, and snow and ice left on an abutting sidewalk more than 48 hours is a nuisance. If an owner doesn’t fix a problem after notice, the city can do the work and bill the cost.
KCK drops Chiefs stadium lawsuit after deal keeps local zoning nearby
The Unified Government dismissed its lawsuit against the state over the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority Act on Oct. 26, 2026, without prejudice, after both sides announced a resolution on Oct. 23. Under the agreement, the roughly $3 billion stadium and its parking will be state property exempt from local zoning and building codes and leased to the Chiefs for $7 million a year, while the UG and BPU keep planning, zoning and payment-in-lieu-of-taxes authority over surrounding development. As of Oct. 28 the settlement had not yet been filed in district court, and the UG says it will revisit the conditions in its sales tax pledge ordinance.
Commissioners drop proposed property tax hikes from the 2027 budget
In a last-minute change, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners removed the one-mill property tax increases that had been proposed for both the city and the county, cutting about $4.4 million from planned revenue growth. The combined 2027 budget is about $547.1 million ($417.6 million city, $129.6 million county), with spending cuts and some use of reserves to close the gap. The city budget passed 6-5 with the mayor breaking a tie, and the county budget passed 7-3.
KCK street crews prepare for winter with a smaller staff
The Unified Government’s Street Division has gone from about 80 employees to 46 in under a decade and runs about 42 trucks, so it is buying equipment that lets two workers do what used to take three. Plows clear high-traffic and state routes first, then secondary routes near hospitals and schools, then neighborhood streets. The division is also expanding its digital snow-mapping system and expects to add a public-facing piece soon (reported Oct. 23, 2026).
Council weighs traffic engineer to back new Traffic Committee
Two task orders with Merge Midwest Engineering, each up to $15,000, were on the Oct. 22, 2026 City Council agenda: one for on-call traffic consultations and one for research and meeting support for the city’s Traffic Committee, both running through Dec. 31, 2027. Staff recommended approval, with funding from the General Fund. The vote result has not yet been published.
Comprehensive plan update gathers public input
Spring Hill started a series of pop-up events on September 26, 2026, to collect input for its updated comprehensive plan. The schedule included a pop-up on October 9 and a community visioning workshop and open house October 13-15. Updates are posted at springhillkscompplan.com.
Council considers bid for North Webster sewer project
The Oct. 22, 2026 City Council agenda included a request to waive the city’s purchasing policy and accept a bid from Infrastructure Solutions for the North Webster Sewer Project. The bid amount was not stated in the published agenda, and the vote result has not been published yet.
Planning commission recommends new development code
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended a rewritten Unified Development Ordinance to replace the code adopted in November 2005, with modifications, and sent it to the Board of Trustees for its April 1, 2026 meeting. The draft was prepared by the Village’s planning consultant, Confluence.
Water connection to Linn Valley nears completion
The walk-through of the water connection serving the City of Linn Valley is done, a punch list has gone to the contractor, and service connections to the mains are underway.
Sewer repairs continue, lines under the lake next
Sewer line repairs are underway between the 400 Block pump station and the 300 Block. An engineer will measure the sewer lines that run under the lake, and that project will then go out for bids. Earlier in 2026 the city also completed sewer work in the 900 Block.
Source: City of Lake Waukomis newsletters, April and August 2026 →
Water and trash rates up for a vote
The council took up new water rates (Ord. 26-10-03) and trash rates (Ord. 26-10-02). For a home using 3,000 gallons a month, the proposed combined water, sewer and trash bill rises from $125.68 to $132.82.
Proposed 2027 budget adds 4 mills to the city tax rate
On July 13, 2026, the City Council voted 6-1 to exceed the revenue-neutral rate and set a maximum 2027 levy of 23.929 mills, up from 19.929 mills and the first increase since 2016. On the average 2026 home value of $753,981, city property taxes would rise about $346 a year, to roughly $2,074. Staff said the money would fund street and facility maintenance, and a final budget vote was expected at the Sept. 14 council meeting.
$25,000 pledged for Old Lecompton Rural High School windows
Council pledged $25,000 toward a state cultural heritage grant for window replacement at the old rural high school building, and sent a letter of support. A noise ordinance was discussed but not adopted.
Community Museum agreement and Martin Creek Park concepts on Oct. 22 docket
The council’s Oct. 22 agenda included renewing the 2027 facility use and maintenance agreement with the Edgerton Historic Society for the Edgerton Community Museum at 406 E. Nelson St., with the city keeping up the building and grounds. A work session the same evening featured a presentation on the Martin Creek Park project update and concepts. The vote result on the museum agreement had not been published as of Oct. 28.
SW Fairlawn Road crews install new box culvert near the Shunga
On the $8.1 million SW Fairlawn Road project between SW 22nd Place and 28th Street, crews are replacing failing metal stormwater pipe with a reinforced concrete box culvert and working north toward 23rd Street, according to the city’s Oct. 20 weekly report. The project also includes a mill and overlay, curb, sidewalk and ramp work, and Shunga bridge repairs. Completion is expected in January 2027.
Committee advances Rio Theatre funding talks with Dream Theatre
On Oct. 21, the council’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee voted 5-0 to proceed with negotiations on a funding agreement to reopen the downtown Rio Theatre as Dream Theatre at the Rio. The proposal includes up to a $425,000 conditional, forgivable loan, a sales tax exemption on construction materials through economic development revenue bonds, and a 10-year operating requirement. Final terms are still being negotiated, and no reopening date has been set.
US-69 express lanes logged about 320,000 trips in their first months
KDOT data show about 320,000 trips on the $572 million US-69 express toll lanes from their late-February 2026 opening through July. The lanes run between 103rd and 151st streets and carry about 4% to 5% of US-69 traffic at rush hour, with volumes rising each week. The average trip costs about 50 cents with a K-TAG and about $1 without one.
Grocery store proposed at NE 104th Street and Cookingham Drive
An ordinance introduced at the Oct. 29 council meeting would rezone about 23.65 acres at the southeast corner of NE 104th Street and NE Cookingham Drive to B2-2 and approve a development plan that adds a grocery store. The measure was introduced on the floor and has not had a committee hearing or vote yet (files CD-CPC-2026-00145 and -00147).
Council resolution seeks at least $10 million in HUD-backed loans for blighted property
A resolution introduced Oct. 29 directs the City Manager to negotiate with the EDC to use HUD Section 108 loan guarantees, prioritizing blighted and long-vacant property. It calls for at least $10 million in financing capacity and a report back within 60 days; no vote has been taken yet.
$520,000 grant awarded for Sylvia Bailey Park
On Oct. 19, 2026 the city announced a $520,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, administered by Missouri State Parks, for the first phase of Sylvia Bailey Park at 1800 SE Ranson Road, about a mile south of U.S. 50. Phase one includes a farm-themed playground, trails, a community garden and parking on the 49.6-acre site. The city is contributing $2,705,500 toward the estimated $3,225,500 first-phase cost; no construction schedule has been announced.
John Knox Village ‘Country Club Towers’ plan goes before Planning Commission
A residential preliminary development plan for John Knox Village’s Country Club Corridor towers, at 1900 NW O’Brien Road (northeast corner of NW Pryor Road and NW O’Brien Road), was on the Oct. 22, 2026 Planning Commission public hearing agenda (PL2026-219). The campus’s $220 million redevelopment announced in February calls for two towers of seven to eight stories with more than 100 homes combined. The vote result had not been published as of Oct. 30.
Source: City of Lee’s Summit (Planning Commission agenda); KCTV5 →
Planners narrowly back 476 apartments at 159th and Pflumm near Heritage Park
On Oct. 12, the Olathe Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend rezoning 25 acres at 159th Street and Pflumm Road from business park to R-4 multifamily for Rodrock Developers’ Residences at Heritage Park: 476 rental apartments in seven four-story buildings with a pool, clubhouse and Heritage Trail connection. The City Council will vote at a future meeting, and because the site is near Johnson County Executive Airport, the county Airport Commission and Board of County Commissioners must also approve it.
Downtown post office redevelopment hinges on federal funding
Olathe wants to relocate and rebuild the 1981 post office at 110 N. Chestnut, with federal funding requests showing workforce housing on the site if the post office moves. The roughly $10.3 million plan depends on a $4 million federal request that has not yet passed Congress, plus $1 million from the state and $5.3 million in city funds. As of Oct. 29, the city said all options remain open while it seeks final agreements with the U.S. Postal Service.
$3 million grant will fund an all-access playground at Two Trails Park
Olathe received a $3 million Variety KC grant, through its Ten Parks Project, to build an accessible, inclusive playground at Two Trails Park at Ridgeview and Kansas City Road. The city is adding $750,000 of its own money for features such as sensory play areas, restrooms, lighting and parking improvements. Mayor John Bacon announced the grant at his State of the City speech, and construction is expected to finish in spring 2028.
Vehicle registration fee rises $3 in Wyandotte County
As part of the 2027 budget, commissioners raised the local vehicle registration transaction fee by $3, to $8 total, an estimated $400,000 a year in added revenue. The measure passed 8-2. Commissioners also set the Board of Public Utilities payment in lieu of taxes at 9.9% of gross residential revenues and 11.9% of all other revenues.
Council sends housing and homelessness sales tax to March 2027 ballot
On October 20, the Topeka City Council voted to hold a mail-ballot special election on March 2, 2027, for a new 0.1% citywide sales tax, about 10 cents on a $100 purchase. City staff estimate it would raise about $4 million a year for 10 years starting July 1, 2027, with at least half going to the affordable housing trust fund and the rest to homeless outreach, services, transportation and rental assistance. The same ballot will also ask about a charter change creating an independent city auditor who reports to the council.
Council signs off on 53.8-acre DAMAC plat at 31800 W. 196th Street
The City Council voted 3-0 on Sept. 24 to approve final plat FP2026-0002 for the “Edgerton Project” at 31800 W. 196th Street in Logistics Park Kansas City, including land dedicated for public purposes. The plat, filed by DAMAC Digital Solutions Kansas, LLC, combines three parcels (about 53.8 acres zoned L-P, Logistics Park) into one lot that holds an existing warehouse, and dedicates right-of-way on 191st Street plus drainage and utility easements over the floodway and a planned detention area.
BNSF closes Nelson Street rail crossing for emergency repairs
BNSF closed the Nelson Street railroad crossing for emergency repairs on Sept. 16, 2026. The city reported the crossing reopened to traffic by 12:30 p.m. the same day.
Redefine Route 9 downtown construction targeted for spring 2027
Work on the downtown Redefine Route 9 project is expected to start in spring 2027 with a new street that branches off Route 9 at a new signal and connects to Main Street, while 1st Street would close to become a pedestrian promenade. The city plans to fund it mainly through $10.5 million in debt backed by its use tax, with downtown costs projected at about $18 million. Some downtown business owners have circulated a petition opposing the plan, which had not been submitted to the city as of Oct. 9.
Eudora trims its 2027 city tax rate to 38.9 mills
The Eudora City Commission approved a 2027 budget in mid-September 2026 with a city levy of 38.9 mills, 0.65 mill below the current rate. The city still expects about $400,000 more in property tax revenue because property values rose, and the budget adds three full-time firefighters. On a $300,000 home, the city portion of the tax bill would be about $1,342, roughly $22 less than last year.
Eudora takes first step toward a hotel guest tax
The City Commission voted 5-0 on Sept. 14 to adopt Charter Ordinance No. 19, which lets Eudora levy a transient guest tax of up to 10% on paid overnight lodging stays of 28 days or less. No rate has been set yet; a second ordinance must set it before collection begins. Revenue would go to the city’s general fund.
State audit calls Jackson County’s 2023 home reassessment a ‘catastrophic failure’
The Missouri State Auditor’s final audit of Jackson County’s 2023 property assessment gave the department its lowest rating, “poor.” The audit found roughly 200,000 owners did not get proper notice of value increases over 15%, and 49,701 notices went out after the legal deadline. The county will run its next reassessment in 2027; affected owners are already receiving credits on future bills for 2023 and 2024 overpayments.
Former Blue Ridge Mall TIF dollars will keep flowing to Prospect Avenue plan
Ordinance 260919 creates the ProspectUS Fund and continues redirecting incremental taxes from the former Blue Ridge Mall TIF area, which ended July 9, 2026, to the ProspectUS transit-oriented plan along Prospect Avenue from 12th to 75th streets. The ordinance passed in late October and sets an end date for the redirection.
Council approves up to $200 million in sewer bonds, including Todd Creek plant work
The council passed two sewer revenue bond series of up to $100 million each. Series 2026A funds the Todd Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 1.63% through a state direct loan, and Series 2026B funds a second sewer project backed by a $3 million grant.
The Mabion opens 57 affordable apartments in Beacon Hill
City leaders cut the ribbon Oct. 7 on The Mabion at 2732 Forest Avenue, a $19.3 million building with 57 affordable apartments (11 one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom and 14 three-bedroom). Nash Group and Vecino Group built it in about 18 months, with funding that includes the City and the Kansas City Housing Trust Fund.
Pathways at Kensington Farms Phases 2 and 3 go before Planning Commission
Petra Development has applied (PL2026-190) for a residential preliminary development plan for Phases 2 and 3 of Pathways at Kensington Farms, at 1231 SW Waterloo Drive. The plan was a public hearing on the Planning Commission’s Oct. 8, 2026, agenda, along with a related request to vacate a street stub on SW Cornwall Road west of SW Rupard Road. Unit counts were not listed on the agenda.
Auto sales and repair center proposed at 2701 NE Hagan Road
A preliminary development plan and a 30-year special use permit for automotive sales or lease and major automotive repair at 2701 NE Hagan Road, in the PI (planned industrial) district, were on the City Council’s Oct. 13 consent agenda. The agenda notes both ordinances passed unanimously on first reading.
New NW Main / NE Douglas improvement district up for final council vote
The City Council’s Oct. 13 agenda included second reading of an ordinance approving the petition to create the NW Main NE Douglas Community Improvement District, along with a cooperative agreement for the district. A community improvement district can add a special sales tax or assessment inside its boundaries to pay for project costs. The final vote result had not been published when this was written.
EPA review finds Chemical Commodities cleanup isn’t protective
A September 2026 EPA review of the former Chemical Commodities site at 320 S. Blake St. found the cleanup is “not currently protective,” with TCE in groundwater still moving under nearby homes. The EPA says 22 nearby homes have been exposed to vapors since 2021, and inspectors found 15 ventilation systems needing critical repairs plus eight homes that need systems. The agency plans to finish a study of other cleanup options by October 2028.
State sets Chiefs STAR bond district, which includes Olathe
In mid-October the Kansas Department of Commerce published the boundaries of the Chiefs STAR bond district, which takes in parts of Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Kansas City, Kansas. New state sales tax revenue from businesses in the district will help pay for the $4 billion project, which includes the Chiefs headquarters and training facility in Olathe. Olathe Mayor John Bacon sits on the new Kansas Sports Facilities Authority board overseeing the project.
New stretch of Brougham Drive approved from 167th to 171st Terrace
The City Council voted 7-0 on its consent agenda to move ahead with a new 2,585-foot section of Brougham Drive between 167th Street and 171st Terrace, with sidewalks on both sides, 12 streetlights and storm sewer. The roughly $2.74 million project will be built by developers Stonebridge Land & Cattle and 175 Partners to open land for new neighborhoods, and the developers repay the city’s bonds over 10 years. No construction schedule has been announced.
Planning Commission takes up E. Wilson Road rezoning to single-family
The city has proposed a corrective rezoning of 13 parcels on E. Wilson Road, from 9809 to 10037 E. Wilson Road, from I-1 (Industrial) to R-6 (Single-Family Residential). Eight of the parcels have single-family homes that the industrial zoning doesn’t allow, which leaves them as legal nonconforming uses, and five are vacant. Staff recommended approval, and the case was on the Oct. 27, 2026 Planning Commission agenda. The vote result has not been published yet.
Council approves 23rd Street Complete Streets Phase 2 easements and water plant repairs
On Oct. 19, 2026, the City Council passed an ordinance granting easement authority for the 23rd Street Complete Streets Phase 2 project (Ord. No. 19859, 5-0). The council also approved a $1,350,440.90 purchase order to Rand Construction for emergency catwalk repairs on Contact Basin #3 and repairs to Contact Basin #4 at the Courtney Bend Water Treatment Plant. The same night, a special use permit for a convenience store at 11037 E. Winner Road passed 3-2.
Source: City of Independence (Oct. 19, 2026 council agenda with actions) →
Council takes up Clare Crossing zoning fix at 175th Street and Clare Road
On Oct. 19, 2026, the City Council considered Ordinance 2898, which re-approves the RP-3 (garden apartment), RP-5 (apartment) and CP-3 (heavy commercial) zoning and preliminary development plan for Clare Crossing, a roughly 58-acre site at the southeast corner of 175th Street and Clare Road. The original 2024 ordinance put all three districts under a single legal description, so the city is correcting it with a separate description for each district; the plan calls for commercial uses on the northern half and multi-family housing on the southern half. The ordinance is posted on the city’s 2026 ordinance list, and under the 2026 code amendment the preliminary plan lapses if a final development plan is not approved within one year.
Hillsdale water plant roof and Substation 4 automation contracts on council agenda
The Oct. 19 consent agenda included a $76,500 contract with Cornerstone Construction Solutions, the lowest of four bids, to replace the roof at the Hillsdale Water Treatment Plant, paid from the Water Fund. It also included a contract with SEL Engineering Services for SCADA and automation at electric Substation 4. Minutes confirming the vote had not been posted as of Oct. 29.
Council approves nearly $99,000 to replace failing water system controls
On Sept. 21, 2026, the City Council unanimously approved proposals from MicroComm, Inc. and Capital Electric Construction Company, Inc. for water system telemetry improvements, not to exceed $98,916. The work covers the water plant and water towers, where the decades-old monitoring system is failing.
Dispensary rule would allow a 24-hour drive-thru
After the Board of Aldermen gave 6-0 direction on Oct. 12, staff drafted Bill B26-20 to amend city code Section 655.030 so a marijuana dispensary could run a drive-thru 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the lobby open until 11 p.m. The request came from SWADE Dispensary. The bill was set for first reading on Oct. 26, 2026; the result has not been published yet.
City pays off Grain Valley Marketplace TIF bonds
On Sept. 28, 2026, aldermen voted 6-0 to pass Ordinance 2494, authorizing early redemption of the Series 2020 tax increment refunding revenue bonds for the Grain Valley Marketplace redevelopment project. Redemption was scheduled for Oct. 8, 2026, and staff said it eliminates all future debt service payments on those bonds with no immediate impact on the city budget.
Redefine Route 9 downtown design survey open through Oct. 30
After a Sept. 30 public meeting, the city opened an online survey on updated promenade concepts, streetscape amenities and other design details for Route 9 through downtown Parkville. The survey runs through Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. The city’s project page puts the estimated total cost at about $18.3 million, funded by federal and state grants, a $500,000 Platte County grant, use tax transfers and about $10.5 million in debt financing.
Aldermen begin review of e-bike and scooter rules
The Board of Aldermen discussed updating Parkville’s e-bike rules, which were last revised in 2019 and recognize only one type of e-bike instead of today’s three classes. Ideas raised included speed limits and a city road-safety education program; e-scooters are already barred from city streets and from sidewalks in the Old Town District and Parkville Commons. No ordinance has been drafted or voted on yet.
Council amends the city building code
On Aug. 3, 2026, the City Council adopted Ordinance 2518, which amends sections of the city’s 2018 building code. The same night it approved a new streetlight maintenance agreement with Black and McDonald.
Saddlebrook 2nd plat would add 55 home lots off Hubach Hill Road
Developer Rick Korbel’s Saddlebrook 2nd Final Plat (Bill 4054) creates 55 single-family lots (Lots 24-78) on about 29.5 acres north of Hubach Hill Road and west of Brook Parkway. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 8-0 on Sept. 15, and the council passed the first reading 7-0 on Oct. 12, 2026. The second reading was on the Oct. 26 agenda. The official result had not been posted as of Oct. 30.
City seeks federal grant for more Hawk Ridge Park improvements
A resolution on the Oct. 26, 2026 council consent agenda (Resolution 26-49) backs an application for a federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for additional improvements at Hawk Ridge Park. The work is part of the city’s Comprehensive Parks Master Plan and Capital Improvement Program, and the city has committed to a 50% local match. The grant amount was not stated in the packet.
City applies for federal grant for T.B. Hanna Station park
On Oct. 12, 2026, the council approved Resolution 26-45 supporting a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application for T.B. Hanna Station. The vote was 7-0 on the consent agenda. No award decision has been announced.
Council OKs bonds for Building 6 at Raymore Commerce Center South
On Oct. 12, 2026, the council voted 7-0 to authorize taxable industrial revenue bonds, Series 2026, for the KCI Raymore Building 6, LLC project at Raymore Commerce Center South. The measure passed as Ordinance 2026-048. The minutes do not list a bond amount.
Merriam eyes March 2027 mail vote on downtown sales tax
At its Oct. 26 meeting, the Merriam City Council weighed a quarter-cent, three-eighths-cent or half-cent sales tax to help pay for the Downtown Master Plan, or no tax at all, and did not take a vote. A resolution calling the election could come in November and must reach the county by Dec. 8; mail ballots would go out in late February 2027 and be due by March 2, 2027. If approved, the tax would start Jan. 1, 2028, after the community center and countywide public safety sales taxes expire at the end of 2027.
SE 29th Street closes at Butcher Creek for about six months
Starting Oct. 6, 2026, SE 29th Street is closed from just east of SE Kansas Place to 201 SE 29th St. while crews finish the Butcher Creek box culvert, replace pavement and install water and sanitary sewer lines. The closure is expected to last about six months, with marked detours via Kansas Avenue and 37th Street or 21st and Adams Streets. The full SE 29th Street project, from Kansas Avenue to Adams Street, began June 22, 2026, and is expected to finish next summer.
City Council hears Forbes Field data center presentation
At its October 13 meeting, the Topeka City Council heard a presentation from the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority on a proposed data center at Forbes Field, near SW Topeka Boulevard and 77th Street. The developer has not been named, and no contract is in place because a data center moratorium is in effect. The item was a presentation only, with no council vote.
Council weighs a new city housing developer to build on City-owned land
Ordinance 260860 would direct the City Manager to set up a housing development corporation, or give that role to the Homesteading Authority, to develop City-owned land and review the inventory of publicly owned parcels. A committee substitute adds the EDC and Housing Authority and names the Marlboro neighborhood as a possible demonstration project. The measure was held to November 10.
Tax deal for 226 Crossroads apartments at 1923 Broadway heads back to council
An ordinance amending the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes schedule for the 226-unit 1923 Broadway Apartments in the Crossroads was held one week at the Oct. 29 council meeting. The revised schedule totals about $5.38 million and runs through 2039. The final vote result has not been published yet.
Council closes out two TIF plans early, sending surplus to the General Fund
On Oct. 29 the City Council passed ordinances ending the 19th Terrace and Central TIF plan in the Crossroads and the Prospect North TIF in Clay County ahead of schedule. City figures show about $400,000 to $425,000 in surplus from the Crossroads plan will go to the General Fund. The Prospect North project areas were closed because all planned improvements were complete.
Penguin Park on NE Vivion Road gets a $760,000 playground makeover
Kansas City Parks and Recreation is moving forward with a $760,325 playground project at Penguin Park along NE Vivion Road in the Northland. New surfacing will go in at the Penguin, Kangaroo and Elephant play areas in phases, with new equipment due around Jan. 25, 2027. The city expects to finish in early spring 2027, weather permitting.
Council approves bond and funding deals for business projects
On October 8, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 on a resolution of intent to issue up to $4,175,000 in industrial revenue bonds for the Pro Design Project, which provides a sales tax exemption on construction materials. The council also approved a funding agreement with BryCliff Enterprises for a potential commercial development and a Build Kansas Fund agreement with the state for a rail crossing elimination study, according to draft minutes.
Data centers now need a special use permit in Lawrence
On Oct. 20, the City Commission voted 5-0 to amend the land use code so that any future data center must get a special use permit, which adds public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Commission. The city’s two-year data center moratorium stays in place. Staff are still researching broader rules, such as a definition of a data center and limits on water and electricity use.
Turnpike to widen I-70 to six lanes east of Lawrence
The Kansas Turnpike Authority plans to widen about nine miles of I-70, from near the North Lawrence interchange (mile 204.5) to east of town (mile 213.5), from four lanes to six and replace two overhead bridges. The work is part of a $136.6 million contract awarded to Wildcat Construction. Construction could begin as early as March 15, 2027, and is scheduled to run through June 15, 2029.
Two new reserve-fund ordinances head to a vote
After Council reached consensus on Oct. 19, 2026 to create two separate funds, ordinances setting up a Multi-Year Capital Improvement Fund and an Equipment Reserve Fund are on the Nov. 2 Council agenda with a staff recommendation to approve. The capital fund requires an approved multi-year Capital Improvement Plan, with an updated plan scheduled for Nov. 16; part of the equipment fund is meant to save for future fire apparatus.
Council passes Charter Ordinance 20 on how appointed posts are filled, 5-0
On Oct. 19, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 to approve Charter Ordinance 20, which exempts the city from K.S.A. 15-204 except for the City Clerk and City Treasurer and rescinds Charter Ordinance 19. A charter ordinance must be published twice and waits 61 days before taking effect, and a petition signed by 10% of voters in the last city election could force a referendum.
Council backs bonds for a new Dunkin’ development
On Aug. 12, 2026, the City Council voted 4-0 to adopt Resolution 2026-15, supporting up to $2.85 million in industrial revenue bonds for UNJ Basehor, LLC. The developer plans about $2.71 million in commercial construction that will include a Dunkin’ and possibly other food service businesses. The developer is seeking a sales tax exemption on construction materials, not a property tax abatement, and the city carries no repayment liability. The site has not been announced.
Darby Townhomes plat approved at Tullison Road and Briarcliff Parkway
The Council approved the Darby Townhomes plat on its Oct. 29 consent agenda. It covers about 4 acres at the northwest corner of NW Tullison Rd. and NW Briarcliff Pkwy. in Clay County, platted as one lot and one tract for townhomes.
City adopts five-year financial plan showing a $140 million General Fund gap
On Oct. 29 the Council adopted the financial plan sections of the Citywide Business Plan, which project a General Fund deficit of about $140 million and about $228 million in general obligation bonds over five years. The business plan itself is on hold until public engagement in early December. A separate 2027 calendar sets budget introduction for Feb. 11, 2027 and adoption for March 11, 2027, with at least five public budget meetings.
Council holds $572 million Northland data center tax break for two more weeks
A proposed tax abatement for a Constant Company data center at 3420 N. Arlington Ave. would back up to $572.5 million in industrial revenue bonds and abate 50% of personal property taxes on equipment for 10 years, about $20.3 million. A committee took it up Oct. 27, and on Oct. 29 the Council held it two weeks after members raised concerns about future use tax revenue.
Council clears second tower at Offices at Overlook, bringing project to about 217 homes
On Oct. 29 the City Council approved a development plan amendment for Offices at Overlook Phase 2, a roughly 15-acre site bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., E. 49th St., Chestnut Ave. and College Ave. The change adds a second building about 134 feet tall with 152 units plus 12 townhomes, for about 217 homes in all; the 2020 plan allowed 155.
Kearney takes extra $68,500 in state money for Hall Park
Aldermen passed Ordinance 1709-2026 on Sept. 21, accepting $68,500 more from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources as the 50/50 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund match for the Hall Park project. The city had covered the same amount from park reserves when construction bids came in high in July. Fitness equipment from Game Time ($110,338.84) was paid for in August.
2026 street preservation and N. Madison rebuild wrap up
The city’s 2026 Street Preservation program and the North Madison Street reconstruction are complete, according to the Public Works Director. Resolution 26-50, on the Oct. 26, 2026 consent agenda, accepts the work and approves a final payment of $96,423.07.
$194,361 FY2026 budget amendment covers fountains and RAC repairs
Bill 4053 amends the FY2026 budget by $194,361 for spending that ran past the adopted plan, including $45,000 for 250th anniversary and FIFA celebration events, $9,965 for the RAC’s heating and cooling, and new fountains at Recreation Park Pond ($10,000) and Johnston Lake ($20,000). It also funds $10,500 in Centerview parking lot asphalt work. Council approved it 7-0 on first reading Oct. 12, and it was on the Oct. 26, 2026 agenda for final adoption.
Two new-home plans get a first look from the council
On Sept. 24 the City Council held informal concept reviews of two proposals. Arise Homes outlined about 4 acres of commercial space, 60 attached homes and 100 detached homes at the southwest corner of 199th Street and Ridgeview Road, asking about incentives such as industrial revenue bonds, a 10-year 50% property tax abatement and a 1% community improvement district sales tax on the commercial site. Matt Adams Development showed a two-subdivision concept at 191st Street and Woodland Road; no decisions were made on either.
Source: City of Spring Hill (Sept. 24 council minutes, draft) →
Council changes makeup of Planning Commission and zoning appeals board
On Sept. 24, 2026, the City Council passed Ordinance 2026-27 by a 4-0 roll-call vote. It changes membership of the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, adds new sections 1-909 and 1-910 to the city code, and removes older provisions. The city’s Unified Zoning Ordinance has been reissued as a 2026 second edition under the same ordinance.
City seeks bids to rebuild SE 37th Street from Adams to Indiana
The City of Topeka opened Bid 123 for street, storm water and water line replacement on SE 37th Street between Adams Street and Indiana Avenue. Bids closed Oct. 14, 2026. The same report listed mill-and-overlay bids for NW Tyler Street (Gordon to Paramore) and SE 25th Street (Lakewood to Adams).
Open house set for Winner Road water main replacement
Municipal Services engineering staff will hold an open house on the planned water main replacement along the Winner Road corridor. The open house is Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. at Englewood Arts, 10901 E. Winner Road. The city has posted a project map showing the affected parcels.
100,000-square-foot Phase IV building rises at KU Innovation Park
Construction is underway on a 100,000-square-foot Phase IV building at KU Innovation Park on West Campus, just west of the Dillons store, with completion expected in 2027. A new city permit application covers 15,254 square feet of lab and office space valued at $8.9 million. The building is planned for businesses and organizations tied to national security research.
Holiday Magic on Broadway returns Dec. 6 with a light-up parade
Holiday Magic on Broadway is set for Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, starting at 3:30 p.m. downtown. The tree lighting is at 5:20 p.m., followed by a light-up parade at 5:30 p.m. Broadway closes between First and Third streets for the event. The street closures and a request for $1,000 more in city funding were on the council’s Oct. 19 agenda.
Planning Commission sends new shed and outbuilding rules to City Council
After a Sept. 3 public hearing with no speakers, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward the accessory building amendments to the City Council for approval. The draft caps minor sheds at 500 sq ft each (up to three per lot, 5% of lot area total) and major accessory buildings at 800 sq ft or half the house footprint, with 5-foot side and rear setbacks. The amendments had not appeared on a City Council agenda through Nov. 2, 2026.
$1 million approved for a new playground at Barry Road Park
On Oct. 29, the City Council moved $1 million from a GO bond dog-park account to pay for a replacement playground at Barry Road Park in the Northland. The ordinance passed 13-0 and takes effect right away.
Council moves to restore Blue River Road and preserve it as a historic drive
On Oct. 22, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution directing the city manager to find funding and a plan to restore Blue River Road in south Kansas City. The resolution pauses changes to the road until a restoration plan is done and says the council intends to preserve it as a historic automobile corridor. Parts of the road have been closed to traffic since 2010, and in August the city put the cost of a full rebuild at $30 million to $50 million.
Source: Kansas City City Council minutes, Oct. 22, 2026; KSHB 41 →
Plan Commission backs 124 apartments at Shoal Creek Parkway and 49 more Woodhaven lots
On Oct. 21, the City Plan Commission approved a development plan for a 124-unit apartment community on 3.5 acres at the northeast corner of N. Summit Street and NW Shoal Creek Parkway. It also approved the final plan for Phase 4 of Woodhaven, which adds 49 home lots on about 15.6 acres near N. Ava Street and NW 97th Terrace. The commission continued a 297-acre quarry and industrial plan on E. 87th Street east of Highway 71 to Nov. 18.
Source: Kansas City City Plan Commission minutes, Oct. 21, 2026 →
Council approves Antioch TIF change that adds 1,185 Northland homes to repair program
On Oct. 29, the City Council passed the Sixth Amendment to the Antioch Mall TIF Plan. It expands the plan area by about 354 acres to cover nine Clay County subdivisions with 1,185 single-family parcels, including Antioch Acres, Brookwood Heights, Kelsey Park and Fox Woods, between NE Englewood Road and I-35. It also updates the rules for the plan’s Enhancing Neighborhoods Housing Program, which pays to repair single-family homes in the area.
East Village 2nd Plat and Croft Trailer permit renewal on Planning Commission agenda
The Oct. 22 Planning Commission agenda included the final plat for East Village, 2nd Plat (Lots 2-13 and Tracts A-B) and a vacation of easement requested by QuikTrip at 801 SE M-291 Hwy and 702 SE Blue Pkwy. Commissioners also held a public hearing on a 25-year special use permit renewal for trailer sales and service at Croft Trailer Supply, 2401 SE M-291 Highway. Vote results had not been published as of Oct. 29.
Council adds $4.5 million to North Oak TIF, including Vivion Road streetscape
The City Council passed the 15th amendment to the North Oak TIF plan (file 260922) the week of Oct. 20, adding $4.5 million to the plan, including $500,000 for Vivion Road streetscape work. It also extended the deadline for improvements at 48th Street and Vivion Road to 2030.
Survey opens on how to spend Central City sales tax dollars
The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City opened a 10-minute public survey on the 2027-2032 strategic plan for the 1/8-cent Central City Economic Development sales tax, which covers the area from Ninth Street to Gregory Boulevard between Indiana Avenue and The Paseo. Voters extended the tax for 10 years in August with 69.2% support, and more than $97 million has gone to 68 projects since 2017. The survey is open through Dec. 18, 2026.
I-70 between Prospect and Van Brunt will close for 11 months starting in January
MoDOT will fully close I-70 in both directions between Prospect Avenue and Van Brunt Boulevard starting Jan. 11, 2027, with the closure expected to last into mid-December 2027. The $237 million Improve I-70 KC project will replace 15 bridges, rehabilitate seven, rebuild the curves at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue, and add an eastbound lane from Prospect to the Manchester Avenue Bridge. Recommended detours use I-435 to I-35 or I-435 to US-71 into the downtown loop.
Kansas City voters will decide whether future stadiums need their approval
The City Council voted 10-2 to place a petition-backed ordinance on the April 6, 2027 ballot that would bar city officials from carrying out future stadium plans for venues of 2,500 seats or more without voter approval. More than 4,500 residents signed the petition. Mayor Quinton Lucas said it would not apply to current projects, including the Royals and KC Current stadiums.
6400 State Line Road: listening sessions weigh green space vs. residential rezoning
At follow-up listening sessions on October 20 and 21, 2026, the city grouped options for the 2.09-acre city-owned site into two approaches: keep it as a community asset (public green space or park, possibly with a small coffee or ice cream shop) or rezone it for single-family lots or townhome-style housing. All concepts are preliminary; the 6400 Task Force will now review feedback (comments go to 6400@missionhillsks.gov) and develop recommendations, with a final plan targeted for late spring 2027. No date has been set for a City Council presentation.
City plans pilot of pre-approved home designs
Lawrence is proposing a pre-approved patterns pilot that would offer about six or seven ready-to-use plans for single-family homes, duplexes, small multifamily buildings and accessory dwelling units that have already passed city review. The firm Pattern Zones would develop the program for about $52,000, with a launch goal of June 2027. City commissioners were briefed in early October; no final approval has been reported.
Planning Commission weighs default zoning for newly annexed land
Minutes from the Sept. 30 Planning Commission meeting, approved on the Oct. 28 agenda, show members reviewing 16 zoning code revisions. Under the draft, mostly undeveloped land under 20 acres would come into the city zoned R-1, while mostly undeveloped tracts of 20 acres or more would come in as A-L, with any other development needing a change-of-zone petition. The revisions also address building on landlocked lots with access agreements and second-driveway traffic standards; none has been adopted yet.
City seeks bids for Lewis-Young Park upgrades
On Oct. 22 the City of Louisburg issued a request for proposals for improvements at Lewis-Young Park, 26600 Jingo Road. The work includes repairs to the concession stand and scout shelter plus turf improvements for the baseball, softball and soccer fields. Submittals are due at City Hall by 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1; no project budget was listed in the notice.
Council revisits Rolling Rock Reserve entry monuments
Subdivision entry monuments at Rolling Rock Reserve were built in the street right-of-way, and moving them would mean tearing them down. In July the council voted 4-0 to have staff draft a legal agreement letting them stay, with the city able to require removal or relocation later at the developer’s cost. The Oct. 19 agenda brought the issue back, noting a Rogers Road monument sits within the sight triangle and that staff will tighten sight-triangle reviews; no vote result has been published.
Council adopts new purchasing policy, 5-0
At its Oct. 5 meeting, the City Council approved the revised purchasing policy and the ordinance amending City Code Section 1-316 by a 5-0 vote, with a correction to a section citation. The draft Oct. 5 minutes recording the vote were up for approval at the Oct. 19 meeting.
Council puts expanded Truman Connected Phase II redesign on hold
On Aug. 3, 2026, the City Council unanimously postponed indefinitely a $118,212 change order to study a revised design for Truman Connected Phase II, the roughly $9 million, 2.6-mile project on Sterling Avenue from U.S. 40 north to Winner Road. The revised concept would have added a roundabout at Sterling and Sheley Road and moved bike lanes onto widened sidewalks, raising the number of affected properties from 20 to 178. The city manager said the council could bring the idea back later; no follow-up date has been set.
Council weighs two-family rezonings on S. Fuller Ave. and E. 23rd St.
On Oct. 19 the City Council gave first reading to rezone six lots at 133-143 S. Fuller Avenue from R-6 single-family to R-12 two-family residential, and to rezone 934, 936 and 946 E. 23rd Street S. from C-1 neighborhood commercial to R-12/PUD two-family residential with a preliminary development plan. Both ordinances are on the Nov. 2, 2026 agenda for second reading.
Source: City of Independence (Oct. 19, 2026 City Council agenda) →
New water rate schedule up for final vote Nov. 2
The City Council gave first reading on Oct. 19 to an ordinance adopting a revised Schedule of Water Rates that would take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The ordinance is on the Nov. 2, 2026 council agenda for second reading; the new rate amounts were not listed in the published agenda.
Source: City of Independence (Nov. 2, 2026 City Council agenda) →
Butterfly Trail pond dredging pushed to 2027
At the Sept. 14, 2026, Board of Aldermen meeting, Alderman Sole reported that the bid for the Butterfly Trail dredging project was not handled correctly and that there were problems with the contractor. The city will not proceed with that vendor, and the project rolls into 2027.
White Oaks plats move through review
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s October 6, 2026 agenda included a recommendation on the Final Plat for White Oaks Phase 2B. The Board of Aldermen’s October 19, 2026 agenda lists Bill No. 26-25, an ordinance approving the Final Plat of White Oaks Crossing Second Plat Replat-B in Section 28, Township 49, Range 29. Lot counts and the final votes were not in the published agendas.
Draft policy for restricting on-street parking on narrow streets
A revised draft policy dated Oct. 29, 2026 is on the Nov. 2 Governing Body Workshop agenda. It would make residential streets 26 feet wide or narrower priority candidates for no-parking or one-side-only parking, and resident requests would need support from owners of at least 51% of properties fronting the block. Staff plans to apply it next to Clark (53rd to 50th), Sycamore (Nall to Cedar) and Rosewood (51st to Roe Boulevard); any change would still require a City Code ordinance.
Council approves Royals stadium financing and rezoning
On Oct. 8, 2026, the City Council unanimously rezoned 68 acres for the Royals’ ballpark district at Crown Center and passed bond and tax increment financing ordinances by 11-2 votes. The package includes about $615.2 million in bonds issued through the Missouri Development Finance Board, repaid by redirecting new tax growth in a stadium area from I-670 to 31st and Campbell streets for 30 years. The Royals say demolition and excavation could begin in 2027, with a 2030 opening target.
29-story apartment tower and hotel planned near Kauffman Center
EPC Real Estate Group has filed plans for two towers near 16th Street and Broadway in the Crossroads: a 29-story building with 386 apartments and a 15-story, 282-room hotel. KCUR puts the project at $430 million. The Kansas City Star reported in early October that the City Plan Commission is scheduled to review the plans in November.
Council boosts aid for 45 mixed-income townhomes in Blue Hills
On Oct. 22, 2026, the City Council passed file 260906, accepting Central City Economic Development tax board recommendations. The measure adds $2 million to the award for Blue Hills Townhomes at 5235 Garfield, a 45-unit mixed-income project, bringing the award to $2.75 million.
Source: UMKC Center for Neighborhoods, This Week at City Hall →
Council approves 47-lot Brooke Hills Fourth Plat in Clay County
The City Council approved the Brooke Hills Fourth Plat (file 260904) on its consent agenda the week of Oct. 20. The plat creates 47 residential lots and one tract in the Clay County part of Kansas City. Staley Estates 2nd Plat, which has five residential lots, was approved the same week.
Municipal court and Board meetings headed to 105 West Main
The Board approved a site plan on Sept. 21 to remodel the front office of the city building at 105 West Main Street into municipal court and Board of Aldermen chambers; the rear will keep housing Public Works equipment. Plans add a new canopy and entrance, a front sidewalk and either 15 or 31 parking spaces, with the final parking option still to be chosen. No project cost was listed.
Balls Foods, parent of Price Chopper and Hen House, moves its headquarters to Mission
Balls Foods Stores, the Kansas City grocery company behind Price Chopper and Hen House, has moved its headquarters to a nearly 13,000-square-foot building at 5830 Woodson St., near downtown Mission. The company, founded in Kansas City, Kansas in 1923, runs 25 grocery stores across the metro. The Johnson County Post reported the move on August 27, 2026, and no city incentives were reported.
City proposes new size and setback rules for sheds and outbuildings
On Sept. 3, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on city-proposed changes to the zoning code’s accessory building rules. The draft adds a table of standards for minor accessory buildings, major accessory buildings and outbuildings, covering size limits, heights and setbacks. It would also let the Planning Commission grant exceptions through site plan review. The result of the vote and any City Council adoption had not been published as of Oct. 31.
2026 sidewalk and curb program wraps up
The city’s 2026 Concrete Program, which covers sidewalk and curb repair, came to the City Council on Oct. 26, 2026 for final acceptance. The item includes a $35,653 change order bringing the contract with New Beginning LLC to $173,865, plus a final payment of $49,474.20.
Source: City of Bonner Springs (Oct. 26, 2026 City Council agenda) →
Planning Commission backs self-storage permit for former Borders building
On Oct. 28, 2026, the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend a special use permit for climate-controlled self-storage at the former Borders building, 700 New Hampshire St. Conditions include no exterior storage, hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and repair of the building’s historic walls; the Historic Resources Commission approved the plans Oct. 18. The City Commission casts the final vote.
Council rejects Blue Parkway convenience store, approves Whispering Woods and Paragon Star plats
On Oct. 6, 2026, the City Council voted 1-7 against advancing the preliminary development plan for the Blackwell Convenience Store at 2661 SE Blue Parkway. The same night, it approved final plats for Whispering Woods 3rd Plat and Paragon Star, each 9-0. The council also continued its public hearing on accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rule changes to Nov. 3.
Draft use tables tackle data centers and short-term rentals
At its Oct. 28 meeting, the Planning Commission continued work on new allowed-use tables for the farm and residential districts (A-L, R-1, R-3, R-4, R-5 and MP). Staff commentary suggests limiting data centers to industrial districts, defines short-term rentals as stays under 30 days, and floats a beekeeping/urban agriculture permit and a catch-all temporary-use special use permit. Commercial and industrial tables come next; the next meeting is Nov. 18, 2026.
City pauses $25 million animal shelter project
Olathe has paused its planned animal shelter at Santa Fe and Ridgeview while staff reevaluate its size, cost and location. The approved budget was $25 million, and the city’s 2027 budget indicates it could be cut to about $14 million. As of Oct. 7 the city had set no date to resume the project.
New 119th Street roundabout opens; rail bridge due in November
The new roundabout on the Northgate side of the 119th Street project opened Oct. 28, part of a nearly $50 million rebuild connecting Woodland and Northgate. A new vehicle and pedestrian bridge over the BNSF tracks and Mill Creek, which replaces an at-grade rail crossing, is expected to open in November. A 50-foot lighted sculpture is planned for the roundabout center in spring.
Five-year plan puts $2.2 million toward a 155th Street building
On Aug. 26, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 to adopt its five-year Capital Improvement Plan. The 2027 projects include a $2.18 million renovation at 2620 N. 155th St., $675,000 for engineering and design of the Coralberry Trail and Basehor Town Center, and $750,000 in road projects paid for by the roads sales tax. The city reports $22.3 million in grants and other outside funding awarded toward its roughly $55 million project list.
$834,600 contract awarded for Owen Good force main Phase 2
On Oct. 12, 2026 the City Council voted 7-0 to award Infrastructure Solutions, LLC an $834,600 contract for Phase 2 of the Owen Good sewer force main replacement (Ordinance 2026-046). The work covers 781 linear feet of 24-inch force main, including boring under Hubach Hill Road and North Cass Parkway.
New regional household hazardous waste agreement with MARC
Bill 4055 renews Raymore’s participation in the Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District’s household hazardous waste program. The program includes one local drop-off event a year that alternates between Raymore and Belton. The agreement was introduced as new business at the Oct. 26, 2026 council meeting; the annual cost was not listed on the agenda.
Eight townhomes proposed at 8th Street and US-24/40
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Nov. 5 on rezoning 0.9 acres at 104 E. 8th Street from R-DT-1 to R-DT-2 (Residential Downtown). A concept plan shows two four-unit townhouse buildings facing US-24/40 on the corner lot, where a house was recently torn down. Staff recommends approval, with a formal site plan, 8th Street-only access and stormwater work along the lot’s south channel required before construction.
Council adopts Hickman Mills Strategic Plan
The City Council adopted the Hickman Mills Strategic Plan (260915) on Oct. 22. It covers about 14 square miles bounded by E. 87th Street, Raytown Road, the city limits and Highway 71. The plan focuses on six aging commercial centers and includes 30 recommendations.
City moves toward deal for South Point at 63rd and Prospect
On Oct. 22 the City Council adopted a resolution (260885) directing the City Manager to estimate infrastructure costs, identify funding tools and negotiate a co-development agreement with Southpointe, LLC. The South Point at 63rd project is a 28-acre mixed-use site with a planned 122-room hotel on land that has sat vacant for about 27 years. The developer is seeking up to $25 million in infrastructure support.
Cottonwood Creek 5th Plat and Westwood North 1st Plat get final approval
On Sept. 21 aldermen re-approved the final plats for Cottonwood Creek 5th Plat and Westwood North 1st Plat (Ordinances 1710-2026 and 1711-2026), accepting their street right-of-way and easements. A separate ordinance accepted a letter of credit from developer Deer Valley to guarantee the remaining trail and sidewalk work in Cottonwood Creek’s open space. Lot counts were not listed in the packet.
Door-to-door solicitor complaints reach the council
Residents raised concerns about solicitors in their neighborhoods at the Sept. 10 and Sept. 24 council meetings. On Sept. 24 the council asked the police chief to check how neighboring cities handle solicitors and report back.
Source: City of Spring Hill (Sept. council minutes, draft) →
Council wants more public input on development applications
At its Sept. 10 meeting the City Council discussed how residents weigh in on development proposals. By consensus, staff will work on easier access to public records, a policy encouraging developers to hold neighborhood meetings, more ways to submit feedback and clearer plans. No vote was taken.
Source: City of Spring Hill (Sept. 10 council minutes, draft) →
Olathe keeps its 2027 tax rate flat, but bills will still rise about 4.3%
On Sept. 8, the City Council voted 6-1 to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for its proposed 2027 budget of $468.5 million, up $21 million from 2026. The city tax rate stays flat, but with appraisals up about 4.3%, city property tax bills will rise about 4.3% on average. The final budget vote was set for Sept. 15.
Council approves Sunnybrook rezoning for apartments, townhomes and a new Dillons
In September, the City Council approved rezoning for the Sunnybrook development on about 31 acres at College Boulevard and Lone Elm Road in west Olathe. Plans from Platform Ventures Multifamily call for 333 units in nine apartment buildings and six townhome buildings, plus four single-story commercial buildings anchored by a Dillons grocery store. The Dillons is tentatively expected to open in November 2027.
Topeka moves building permits and licenses to a new online portal
The City of Topeka’s new Developer Permitting and Licensing portal is live, handling many licenses, permits, inspections and planning applications online. Some contractor licenses and related permits and inspections are still being added. Building permit questions go to the Building Permit Division at 785-368-3704.
SW 17th Street temporarily reopens at Topeka Boulevard
The City reopened SW 17th Street to east- and westbound traffic at Topeka Boulevard on Oct. 15, 2026, while crews wait for equipment needed to finish the intersection. The City expects to close it again around Nov. 16, 2026. The larger Topeka Boulevard project between 15th and 21st Streets is expected to run through December 2026.
2027 budget tops the revenue-neutral rate
On Sept. 8, 2026, the City Council approved a 2027 budget with an estimated total levy of about 18.3 to 18.4 mills (the city newsletter lists both 18.335 and 18.385). The revenue-neutral rate is 16.889 mills. Planned 2027 spending is $16.68 million, and property taxes are expected to raise about $1.53 million. The budget adds a quarter-mill cemetery levy and drops the Facades of Louisburg Improvement Program for 2027. The final rate depends on updated numbers from the Miami County Clerk.
Planning commission backs Vision Source Eyecare site plan
On Oct. 20, 2026, the Raymore Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a site plan (Case No. 26017) for a proposed Vision Source Eyecare office at Sunset Lane and Conway Street. Final City Council action had not been reported as of late October.
5th Street traffic calming and new plat
The October 19 Board of Aldermen agenda included a speed limit change on SW 5th Street, a $23,207 purchase of speed cushions from Traffic Logix, and a final plat for White Oaks Crossing Second Plat Replat-B. The board also considered calling a city election for April 6, 2027.
City Council and LSR-7 school board hold joint session; new Housing Task Force begins
On Oct. 20 the City Council and the Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education met in a joint session at Green Street Market to discuss land for future schools, the 2025 school bond projects, the city’s Capital Improvement Plan and housing. The city’s new Housing Task Force held a meeting on Oct. 26 that included presentations on the local housing landscape. The council’s next regular sessions are Nov. 3 and Nov. 17.
Longview Mansion event pavilion and Kensington Farms home designs go before Planning Commission
The Oct. 22 Planning Commission agenda included a 10-year special use permit for an event pavilion at Longview Mansion, 1200 SW Longview Park Dr., updated home elevations for Kensington Farms 7th Plat (Lennar Homes), a 25-year permit renewal for Croft Trailer Supply on M-291, and the East Village 2nd Plat (Lots 2-13) on the consent agenda. Results had not been published as of Oct. 28.
Old Water Operations building to become temporary fire station
The Oct. 13, 2026, City Council agenda included a $993,432.78 contract with ServPro of Lee’s Summit to renovate the Old Water Operations building as a temporary fire station. The agenda also listed $95,550 in City Hall parking garage structural repairs, along with change orders on the Olive and Orchard Road storm sewer, FY27 curb repair and mill-and-overlay projects. The agenda shows these items, and final vote results were not yet posted.
Merriam weighs a new sales tax to help fund downtown plans
At its October meeting, the City Council discussed a possible half-cent, three-eighths-cent or quarter-cent sales tax to help pay for the Downtown Master Plan, estimated to raise about $2.6 million to $5.2 million a year. No vote was taken; the city is considering a mail-in election in March 2027, and a resolution calling for the vote could come before the council as early as November 2026. If approved, the tax would start Jan. 1, 2028.
Silver Lake waterline replacement on state’s 2026 water-loan priority list
The City of Silver Lake’s Waterline Replacement Phase 1 project (project no. 3397) appears on the Kansas Public Water Supply Loan Fund’s 2026 base project priority list with a $2,500,000 loan request. The list, dated July 1, 2025, ranks the project with a rating of 11 and a service population of 1,337. A spot on the list makes the project eligible for state low-interest financing; a final loan agreement has not been confirmed.
FY2027 budget moves to final vote with $1.36M for 58 Highway overlay
The City Council approved the first reading of the FY2027 budget (Bill 4052) 7-0 on Oct. 12, 2026, after a public hearing with no comment. Council added $1,355,000 from General Fund reserves for phase 2 of the 58 Highway overlay, plus $18,000 for police protective shields and $2,000 for a drone. The plan carries a $14.99 million General Fund and $10.8 million in capital funds. Final adoption was on the Oct. 26 agenda for the fiscal year starting Nov. 1. The official vote result had not been posted as of Oct. 30.
Antioch TIF plan would fund repairs on Northland homes
A proposed Sixth Amendment to the Antioch Mall TIF Plan (TIF Commission plan dated Aug. 12, 2026) would add about 354 acres and 1,185 Clay County parcels in nine subdivisions, including Antioch Gardens, Antioch Acres, Kelsey Park, Golden Oaks, Glenhaven and Fox Woods, between NE Englewood Rd./NE 56th St., N. Elmwood Ave., I-35 and N. Woodland Ave. It updates a housing program for repairing existing single-family homes in that area. Final City Council action was not confirmed from an official source as of Oct. 30.
City sales tax collections up about 13% for the year
The September 2026 treasurer’s report shows $2,000,943.52 in city sales tax collected through September. That is about 13% more than the $1,766,040.72 collected over the same period in 2025. September alone brought in $248,726.21. The report was on the Oct. 28 City Council consent agenda.
Platte Landing Park trail and parking contract goes to Finance Committee
Parkville’s Finance Committee agenda for Oct. 26, 2026 included approval of a construction contract for trail and parking lot improvements at Platte Landing Park. The agenda also listed a City Hall roof replacement, an update to the Copaken Brooks agreement and an audit engagement for the city’s 2026 financial statements. The committee’s recommendations had not been published as of Oct. 30. The Board of Aldermen next meets Nov. 3.
Park Board takes up indoor pickleball and 2027 parks budget
The Oak Grove Park Board’s October 27, 2026 agenda includes discussion of indoor pickleball, the 2027 parks budget and the farmers market area. These items are listed for discussion only; no decisions had been published as of late October.
Mission proposes a 2027 tax rate above the revenue-neutral rate
For 2027, the city published a proposed mill levy of 22.025 mills, above the revenue-neutral rate of 21.456 mills calculated by the Johnson County Clerk. Rock Creek Drainage District No. 2 proposed 7.745 mills against a revenue-neutral rate of 7.375. Both rates were on the agenda for the September 16, 2026 City Council public hearing and budget adoption; the final adopted rates were not yet published.
Google Fiber right-of-way agreement up for final vote
The Board of Aldermen approved the first reading of Bill B26-15 6-0 on October 12, 2026. The bill would license Google Fiber Missouri to place fiber network facilities in city right-of-way. The agreement would run 20 years, pay the city 1% of gross revenue each quarter, and require a $5,000 performance bond. The second reading was on the October 26 agenda, and that vote result has not been published yet.
Longer dispensary hours head to a vote
On October 12 the Board of Aldermen voted 6-0 to direct staff to change the dispensary hours in Section 655.030, which now limit sales to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The direction allows a 24-hour drive-thru seven days a week and a lobby open until 11 p.m., following a request from SWADE Dispensary, which is relocating to Grain Valley from Liberty. The ordinance (Bill B26-20) was on the October 26 agenda for first reading, and the result has not been published yet.
$4 million K-33 waterline relocation project on Oct. 22 agenda
KDOT plans to improve K-33 from north of Wellsville to U.S. 56, and its preliminary plans require moving most of Edgerton’s waterline along the corridor. The Oct. 22 council agenda asked members to create a project to relocate roughly 7,500 to 9,000 feet of 8-inch line with a $4,005,500 budget spread over 2026-2028, to be reimbursed by KDOT. Relocation plans are due to KDOT by Jan. 4, 2027; the vote result was not yet published in minutes.
Railroad quiet zone median fixes at Nelson Street and 199th Street on Oct. 22 agenda
A federal inspection found the medians at the East Nelson Street and West 199th Street BNSF crossings do not meet quiet zone standards. The Oct. 22 council agenda included ratifying an emergency procurement and awarding the median work to Kansas Heavy Construction, with staff recommending $99,650 and a $200,000 project budget from the PIF maintenance fee. The work must be done by Nov. 23, 2026; the vote result was not yet published in minutes.
FY2027 budget adds $1.36M for 58 Highway overlay
On Oct. 12, 2026, the City Council approved the first reading of the FY2027 budget 7-0. It added three amendments from General Fund reserves totaling $1,375,000, including $1,355,000 for phase 2 of the 58 Highway overlay. Final adoption (Bill 4052) and a $194,361 FY2026 budget amendment (Bill 4053) were on the Oct. 26 agenda, ahead of the fiscal year that starts Nov. 1, 2026.
Source: City of Raymore (Oct. 12 minutes; Oct. 26, 2026 agenda) →
Council approves bonds for 1-million-sq-ft Building 6
On Oct. 12, 2026, the City Council voted 7-0 (Ordinance 2026-048) to authorize up to $77.55 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for KCI Raymore Building 6, LLC, a VanTrust Real Estate project. The building is a speculative industrial building of about 1,000,000 square feet in Raymore Commerce Center South. It receives a 20-year real-property tax abatement with payments in lieu of taxes, expected to run from 2028 through 2047. The bonds are not a debt of the city.
Source: City of Raymore (Oct. 12, 2026 council packet and minutes) →
Saddlebrook 2nd Plat adds 55 home lots
The Saddlebrook 2nd Final Plat would create 55 single-family lots north of Hubach Hill Road and west of Brook Parkway. This phase extends Brook Parkway north to Bristol Drive and adds a pedestrian crosswalk across Hubach Hill Road. Planning and Zoning recommended approval 8-0 on Sept. 15, the City Council approved the first reading 7-0 on Oct. 12, and the second reading (Bill 4054) was on the Oct. 26, 2026 agenda.
Charter Review Commission continues citywide charter review
Raymore’s Charter Review Commission met in early October 2026 to continue its comprehensive review of the City Charter. The commission was formed this summer from applicants who are qualified voters living in city limits, and its meeting schedule is posted at raymore.com/charterreview.
Johnson Drive reconstruction begins between Metcalf and Lamar
With utility relocations complete, the City began reconstructing Johnson Drive between Metcalf Avenue and Lamar Avenue on August 17, 2026. The project brings new pavement and curbs, stormwater improvements, wider sidewalks, new streetlights, updated signals and native plantings. In Phase I, the interior lanes in both directions are closed so the median can be removed, and a stormwater connection required a full road closure September 16-17.
Mission Beverly apartments on track for summer 2028
Milhaus is building Mission Beverly at Martway and Beverly streets: more than 250 apartments in two buildings plus about 1,500 square feet of retail, at a cost upward of $75 million. Construction began in March 2026, the south building’s foundation is complete, and framing is expected on the south building by November and on the north building after the first of the year. The developer expects completion in summer 2028 (reported September 14, 2026).
Steering committee weighs three visions for downtown Merriam
The 25-member Downtown Master Plan Steering Committee is reviewing three options. Vision A would refresh downtown, Vision B would add downtown’s first new homes and a new block of shops outside the floodplain, and Vision C would pair a larger flood-control project with housing, retail and open space along Merriam Drive. The city says the committee’s recommendation will shape a draft plan that goes to the Planning Commission and then the City Council.
Habitat neighborhood at 159th and Black Bob nears completion
Pathway at Heritage Park, a 14-home Habitat for Humanity neighborhood at 159th Street and Black Bob Road, is building its final home, with completion expected by the end of 2026. The project costs about $5.5 million, including nearly $2 million in federal funds allocated to Johnson County and Olathe.
Planning Commission reviews Hunt Midwest’s ‘Westwood Reserve’ homes at former Westwood View school site
The Planning Commission considered the rezoning, preliminary development plan and preliminary plat for Hunt Midwest’s Westwood Reserve at 50th and Rainbow on Oct. 5. The City Council is scheduled to take up the applications in November 2026. The August 2025 proposal called for single-family homes, twin villas and triplexes around a private pocket park that a homeowners association would maintain.
Source: City of Westwood council packet (Oct. 8, 2026); Johnson County Post (Aug. 15, 2025) →
September permits: one new home, one addition and three remodels
Westwood issued a residential new-construction permit for 2209 W. 47th Terrace in September 2026, plus an addition permit at 4922 Adams Street and alteration permits for a basement remodel, a fireplace project and a screened porch. The city reported no demolition or commercial permits for the month.
Council takes up 2027 household hazardous waste agreement
Bill No. 26-32 on the Oct. 12, 2026 City Council agenda authorizes an agreement with the Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District so Gladstone residents can keep using the regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program in 2027. The 2027 fee is $31,346.58 from the General Fund, about $1.14 per resident. The final vote result was not yet posted in published minutes.
City seeks bids for new sidewalks on SW 45th Street and NW Lyman Road
The City of Topeka has formal bids open for sidewalk improvements on NW Lyman Road (Bid 132, closing Nov. 4, 2026) and on SW 45th Street between Gage Boulevard and Cambridge Avenue (Bid 133, closing Nov. 12, 2026). A separate request for proposals seeks engineering services for the Sims Park neighborhood (Bid 134, closing Nov. 5, 2026).
October 19 council meeting canceled; council returns Nov. 2
The Tonganoxie City Council voted at its Oct. 5 meeting to cancel its Oct. 19 meeting because of conflicts with staff conferences, and the Oct. 1 Planning Commission meeting was also canceled. The council’s next regular meetings are Nov. 2 and Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., and the Planning Commission meets Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
Main Street mill and overlay, State Avenue to Fourth Street
The city contracted Little Joe’s Asphalt to mill and resurface Main Street from State Avenue south to Fourth Street, with work scheduled for October 15 and 16, 2026. Parts of Main Street were closed temporarily during the work, which was timed for days when USD 464 schools were not in session.
Source: City of Tonganoxie – Notice of Mill & Asphalt Overlay Street Maintenance Project →
Traffic signal replacement planned at Johnson Drive and Ash
The September 8, 2026 council agenda included a task order to replace the traffic signal at Johnson Drive and Ash Drive through Johnson County’s CARS program for 2027. Cost and contractor details were not in the posted agenda.
Planning Commission takes up side-setback correction for suburban homes
The Oct. 26, 2026 Planning Commission agenda included a public hearing on a Land Development Code amendment to correct the minimum interior side setback for the Detached House – Suburban building type (Section 17.07.020, Table 7-2) from 9 feet to 7 feet. Staff said a 2016 ordinance set 7 feet but a later table update listed 9 feet in error, and recommended approval to the City Council; the commission’s vote has not yet been published.
Zoning code changes and land use map amendments set for Nov. 2
On Oct. 5 the Planning Commission continued two public hearings to its Nov. 2 meeting. One covers amendments to the Unified Development Code, including zoning district boundaries, development regulations, zoning permits and enforcement. The other covers the Comprehensive Plan annual report and changes to the Future Land Use Map. The Hy-Vee plan at 83rd Street and K-7 is on the same Nov. 2 agenda.
SW Oakley Avenue closes at 10th Street for about two months
The city’s Oakley Avenue project runs from SW 10th Avenue to Front Street. In mid-October 2026, the city said the 10th Street intersection would close for about two months as work continues. Separately, the SW Huntoon Street project between McAlister and Gage is substantially complete and open to traffic.
Construction starts on 227-unit Canvas apartments at former Winstead’s site
Hunt Midwest broke ground in early October 2026 on Canvas, a multistory building at 8036 Metcalf Ave. in downtown Overland Park, on the former Winstead’s site near 80th Street. Plans call for 227 one- and two-bedroom apartments over more than 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space. The building is expected to open in early 2029.
City Commission declines STAR bond district that would include Costco tax revenue
On Oct. 13, 2026, the City Commission unanimously voted against setting a public hearing on a STAR bond district that would have linked the Beacon Landing development west of K-10 and the 1059 project south of K-10 and Iowa Street to Costco’s sales tax revenue. City advisers projected the district would collect $144 million. Commissioners directed staff not to pursue a district that includes Costco, though the developers can still pursue the projects.
Construction on I-670 cap park to start this winter
Kansas City plans to begin building the first phase of Roy Blunt Luminary Park, a 5.5-acre park capping downtown I-670 between Wyandotte Street and Grand Boulevard, at an expected cost of more than $164 million. Both directions of I-670 between I-35 and U.S. 71, and Truman Road between Broadway Boulevard and Baltimore Avenue, are expected to close from December 2026 through September 2028. The project targets completion in spring 2029 (reported Oct. 14, 2026).
Lewis-Young Park improvements out for bid
The city is seeking proposals for repairs to the concession stand and scout shelter and turf improvements to the baseball, softball and soccer fields at Lewis-Young Park, 26600 Jingo Road. Proposals are due at City Hall on December 1.
Council takes up rules for micro utility trucks
Ordinance No. 1011, on the City Council’s Oct. 28 consent agenda, would add Section 44-128 to the city code to regulate micro utility trucks. The trucks would be barred from State Avenue (U.S. 24/40), K-7 and any road posted above 45 mph, and owners would need an annual city registration and decal (expiring Dec. 31), a valid driver’s license and liability insurance. Staff recommended approval; the vote result has not been published yet.
Council reviews animal control code revisions
At its Oct. 28 work session, the City Council was scheduled to review proposed revisions to the city’s animal control code, including the sections on keeping animals, exotic animals and animals at large. The packet lists at-large fines of $30, $60 and $90 to $120, and $120 to $500 for habitual violators with four or more citations in 24 months. This was a discussion item with no vote, and staff asked the council for direction on next steps.
Future park development on Parkville’s west side
The Oct. 20, 2026 Board of Aldermen agenda included a non-action presentation on future park development on Parkville’s west side and plans for community engagement in 2027. No vote was scheduled on the item.
Site plan for Gomer’s addition on 9 Highway
The Planning & Zoning Commission’s Oct. 13, 2026 agenda included a major site plan (Case PZ26-18) for an addition to Gomer’s Northland Fine Wine & Spirits at 6298 9 Highway. The item was on the agenda; the commission’s action has not yet been published.
City publishes 2027 budget book
Spring Hill posted its 2027 Budget Book and a shorter Budget Snapshot on October 26, 2026. The council adopted a 2027 operating budget of $39,450,304 on September 24, and the snapshot lists a city mill levy of 21.611, down 0.25 mill. Capital projects named include 199th Street improvements (Ridgeview to Renner), the 223rd Street corridor, the North Webster sewer extension and new sewer interceptors.
Neighborhood beautification grants open in spring 2027
Lenexa announced a pilot Neighborhood Beautification Grant for shared, public-facing improvements such as entry signs, shelters, playground equipment, landscaping and stairs. A neighborhood must spend at least $1,000 and can be reimbursed 50% of the cost, up to $2,000. HOAs can apply, and where there is no HOA, two property owners can apply on the neighborhood’s behalf. Applications run March 1 to April 15, 2027.
Capital plan review begins; public hearing set for Dec. 1
The City Council began reviewing the recommended 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program, which covers 60 projects totaling $302.7 million, at its Oct. 27 Committee of the Whole meeting. Big-ticket items include the $27.9 million K-10 and Lone Elm interchange, $28 million for Fire Station 6 and $56.1 million for pavement management. A public hearing is set for Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, and the council is expected to consider approval Dec. 15.
Standalone Toys “R” Us coming to Oak Park Mall
A standalone Toys “R” Us store is planned on the west side of Oak Park Mall, near the JCPenney anchor. The area’s three current Toys “R” Us locations all operate inside Macy’s stores. As of Oct. 16, 2026, the mall had not announced an opening date, though the company is aiming to have new stores open for the holiday season.
County hears public comment on Project Bluestem data center south of town
Leavenworth County commissioners held a special meeting in Tonganoxie in mid-September to hear public comment on Project Bluestem, a data center proposed by Cloverleaf Infrastructure on about 1,100 acres of Tailgate Ranch near the Tonganoxie/Eudora interchange on I-70. The proposal now calls for up to 1.2 gigawatts of power plus an on-site gas power plant, and the developer says 330 acres would be permanently conserved. No vote was taken; the county planning commission had advanced new data center regulations days earlier, and as of August no formal application had been filed.
Data center plan grows to 1.2 gigawatts with an on-site gas power plant
After the county’s temporary moratorium expired in August, Cloverleaf Infrastructure doubled its estimated electricity use for the proposed data center near Tonganoxie to as much as 1.2 gigawatts and added a gas power plant to the site plan. Cloverleaf says it will use closed-loop cooling and set aside 330 acres for permanent conservation. County data center regulations have gone to the planning commission and will come before county commissioners; no date has been set.
Regional transportation plan update opens for public input
The Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization is updating its regional transportation plan, called Destination 2050. A virtual open house and online community survey are open through Oct. 31, 2026, and a draft plan is expected by spring 2027.
Downtown Master Plan weighs three visions for Merriam Drive
A 25-member steering committee met in late September 2026 to choose a preferred direction for the draft Downtown Merriam Master Plan. The options range from Vision A (refresh downtown as it is), to Vision B (add downtown’s first new homes and a new block of shops and restaurants outside the floodplain), to Vision C (a larger flood-control project that would shrink the FEMA floodplain in the downtown core and open room for more housing, retail and open space). The recommendation goes next to the Planning Commission and City Council.
Source: City of Merriam – Downtown Master Plan Steering Committee Meets Tuesday →
New design guidelines cap accessory buildings and set pool equipment rules
The City Council approved Resolution 2026-II on September 14, 2026, updating the city’s design guidelines. Accessory buildings outside the primary building area are limited to 30 feet in overall width or length. Pool equipment should sit below ground level in the rear yard and be fully screened, or, if above ground, be placed closer to the house than to the rear and side property lines.
$13 million Johnson Drive reconstruction under way
Work began Aug. 17, 2026, on a six-phase, roughly $13 million rebuild of Johnson Drive between Lamar Avenue and the Metcalf Avenue bridge. A $5 million Mid-America Regional Council grant helps fund new pavement, wider sidewalks, native plantings and new streetlights, with CARS and city capital funds covering the rest. Completion is expected in spring 2027.
Council approves Chestnut Villas rezoning
On Sept. 9 the City Council unanimously approved rezoning the Chestnut Villas site from R-1 single-family to P-R planned residential, along with its preliminary development plan and staff conditions. The action is recorded in the Sept. 9 minutes on the Oct. 28 council agenda.
New animal shelter scaled back amid budget cuts
Olathe has paused construction of its new animal shelter at Santa Fe and Ridgeview while architects redesign a smaller building. The project had a $25 million budget, and the original design was 21,600 square feet. The city is cutting about $6 million as it trims its capital plan, revised renderings are expected this fall, and groundbreaking is estimated for spring 2027.
Brookridge (Meridian) developer says first building could break ground by year’s end
Curtin Property Co. told the council’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee in October that private financing is secured for 510N, the first building of the $2 billion redevelopment of the former Brookridge Golf Club near I-435 and Antioch Road, with 300+ apartments and about 12,500 square feet of retail. The committee recommended a collateral agreement with Capitol Federal Savings Bank, which the full council is set to consider in November. A groundbreaking is tentatively planned for November, and the overall rezoning hearing is delayed until at least January 2027.
East Village buildings expected soon
At the November 12, 2025 council meeting, the city’s building and codes official reported that the first 10 buildings at East Village should go up very soon.
Source: City of Wellsville council minutes, November 12, 2025 →
Council adopts new rules for future data centers
On Oct. 5, 2026, the City Council voted 6-0 to require council approval for major data centers, with a 1,000-foot setback from homes, limits on generator testing and low-water cooling. The rules do not apply to the Nebius campus, and the six-month moratorium stays in effect through Jan. 2, 2027.
Council funds park restroom fix, starts code review
On September 21, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 to spend up to $15,000 on reinforced doors for the Ron Weers Park shelter restroom and awarded the 2027 landscape and bed maintenance contract to Blooming Parsons for $9,200. Council also adopted the 2026 Standard Traffic Ordinance and Uniform Public Offense Code and agreed to move forward with the City Attorney’s four-step review of the whole city code.
Council adopts 2026 traffic and public offense codes
On Sept. 21, 2026, the City Council voted 5-0 to adopt the 2026 Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities (53rd Edition) and the 2026 Uniform Public Offense Code (42nd Edition), each as amended. Council members also discussed e-bike enforcement. Staff will also follow up with KDOT about a possible traffic study at the Summerfield and Amity (K-68) signal.
Trader Joe’s opens at Merriam Grand Station Marketplace
Trader Joe’s opened September 2, 2026, at 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway as the anchor tenant of Merriam Grand Station Marketplace, a $102 million mixed-use redevelopment on the north side of the parkway. City leaders said residents had asked for a grocery store for eight years. More restaurants and residential units are planned for the area in the coming years.
Source: City of Merriam – Merriam Welcomes Trader Joe’s on September 2 →
6400 State Line Road: October listening sessions, final plan targeted for spring 2027
The City held two follow-up listening sessions on October 20 and 21, 2026, on the 2.09-acre property at 6400 State Line Road next to City Hall, which it bought in August 2025 for $3.2 million. Options are grouped into two approaches: keep it as public green space or a park, or rezone it for single-family lots or townhome-style housing. No final decision has been made; the task force will bring recommendations to the council and hopes to have a final plan by late spring 2027, and residents can send feedback to 6400@missionhillsks.gov.
Former Borders building downtown moves toward self-storage use
On Oct. 28, 2026, the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend a special use permit to turn the former Borders building at 700 New Hampshire St. into climate-controlled self-storage. Conditions include no outdoor storage, hours limited to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and repair of the building’s historic walls. The City Commission will take the final vote.
Council approves financing plan for Crown Center ballpark
On Oct. 8, 2026, the City Council voted 11-2 to create a stadium impact area that directs eight local revenue streams toward debt on the new Royals ballpark at Crown Center. The city will contribute $600 million to construction, and with interest the total could reach about $1.4 billion by 2060, with payments expected to average $40 million to $50 million a year.
Jackson County releases vision for Truman Sports Complex
On Oct. 6, a Jackson County task force released a report on redeveloping the 400-acre Truman Sports Complex after the Chiefs and Royals leave in 2031. Ideas include housing, hotels, a convention center, trails, a transit hub and an F1-style race circuit, split into four phases with no start dates set. No plan has been adopted, and the county executive wants most of the work privately funded.
206 townhomes proposed on South Liberty Parkway
Flint Prominence Townhomes would rezone 25.92 acres from R-1A to a planned district for 206 townhome units on the north side of South Liberty Parkway between Hughes Road and Plummer Road (P&Z Case 26-27R&PDP). The public hearing was on the Oct. 26, 2026 City Council agenda and listed as being postponed to Nov. 9, 2026.
Buckner Tarsney Road parcel rezoned for commercial use
The parcel at 4726 NW Buckner Tarsney Road was rezoned from A (Agricultural) to C-2 (General Business). Planning and Zoning recommended approval 6-0 on August 12, and the Board of Aldermen adopted Bill B26-12 (Ordinance #2492) 6-0 on September 28, 2026. The site will share an entrance with the Westlake Hardware development, and MoDOT must approve the traffic study and road improvements.
Board adopts 2026 city tax levy
The Board of Aldermen adopted the 2026 annual tax levies (Bill B26-13, now Ordinance #2493) 6-0 on second reading on September 28, 2026. The levy presented at the September 14 public hearing kept the city’s total rate at $0.9605, unchanged from last year, while shifting amounts among the general fund, debt service, parks and public health levies.
County infrastructure grant, Adopt-a-Street and farmers market
On Sept. 21 aldermen considered Bill No. 26-21, an interlocal agreement with Jackson County for the 2026 Infrastructure Grant, along with a resolution creating an Adopt-a-Street program. The agenda also included site plan approval for a farmers market and updated erosion control and stormwater standards (Bill No. 26-22).
2027 budget set at a planned 25-mill levy
The city’s 2027 budget calendar lists a planned property tax levy of 25 mills, with a July 6 council request to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Public hearings and budget adoption were scheduled for a special council meeting on September 8, with the final budget document to be published in November 2026.
Ground broken on The Canvas at 80th and Metcalf
On Oct. 21, officials broke ground on The Canvas, a Hunt Midwest mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and apartments above, on the former Winstead’s site at 80th Street and Metcalf Avenue. A separate proposal for about 200 apartments at 82nd and Metcalf is expected to have City Council hearings on financing incentives soon.
Open house on a proposed Auburn Road Kansas Turnpike interchange
Shawnee County and KDOT are studying a possible new I-335 Kansas Turnpike interchange at Auburn Road west of Topeka, plus possible road extensions north to Highway 24 and east to Highway 75. The public open house is Thursday, Oct. 29, 4–6 p.m., at Washburn Rural North Middle School (2800 SW Auburn Rd.). The study is scheduled to finish by Nov. 1, 2027. If built, the interchange would change access to west and southwest Topeka.
Royals unveil Crown Center ballpark design, target 2030 opening
On Oct. 15, 2026, the Royals released designs for the roughly $2 billion downtown ballpark by Kansas City firm Populous, with about 34,000 seats plus standing room for 3,000. Team officials project a groundbreaking in mid-2027 and an opening for the 2030 season.
Council approves second water tower off 195th Street
On Aug. 24, 2026, the City Council approved a conditional use permit (Case No. 26014) for Cass County Public Water Supply District No. 10 to build a new water tower south of 195th Street, next to its existing tower. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval on July 21.
$2.07 million sidewalk and crossing project awaits federal decision
Rossville applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SS4A program for $1,656,135 and to the state Build Kansas Fund for $393,332. The money would go toward a $2,070,169 project adding sidewalks, crossing improvements and pedestrian upgrades. In July 2026 the Build Kansas Steering Committee recommended approving the state match, and as of the August 17, 2026 council meeting the federal grant had not been decided. The application schedules construction for November 2029 through December 2030.
Upcoming meetings: Planning Commission Nov. 10, City Council Nov. 12
The City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays, and the Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday, at City Hall, 404 E. Nelson St. The October 13 Planning Commission meeting was canceled because there were no items on the agenda. On Oct. 8 the council canceled its Nov. 26 and Dec. 24 regular meetings.
Railroad quiet zone construction and K-33 waterline relocation on council agenda
The Oct. 22 City Council agenda included ratifying the 2026 Quiet Zone Regulations Improvement Project and awarding its construction to Kansas Heavy Construction, LLC. The same agenda created a K-33 Waterline Relocation project and set its budget, and included a facility use agreement with the Edgerton Historic Society for the Edgerton Community Museum. Vote results had not been published as of Oct. 28.
Whitten’s Landing lot split approved on West 15th Street
On Sept. 2, 2026, the Planning Commission approved the Whitten’s Landing minor subdivision (MS-26-001) at 111 W. 15th Street by a 7-0 vote. The 1.24-acre site consolidates three parcels into two tracts.
Bonds approved for Paschal’s Landing apartments
On Oct. 26 the City Commission approved issuing up to $13.3 million in industrial revenue bonds for the Paschal’s Landing apartments near the elementary school. The package includes a 10-year, 75% property tax abatement and a sales tax exemption on construction materials.
70-acre annexation at 167th Street and Clare Road postponed
A request to annex about 70 acres near 167th Street and Clare Road was listed as new business on the Gardner City Council’s Oct. 5, 2026 agenda. The council’s Oct. 5 minutes show the item was postponed to the next meeting, but it did not appear on the Oct. 19 agenda. No new hearing date has been posted.
$10.6 million improvement district set for 99th Street and Woodsonia Drive
The City Council took up a special benefit district for public improvements at 99th Street and Woodsonia Drive, near the southeast corner of K-7 and Prairie Star Parkway, with a maximum estimated cost of $10.6 million. The district resolution was on the Oct. 6 agenda, and Ordinance 6069, which levies the special assessments, was approved on the Oct. 20 consent agenda.
Backup water link with Rural Water District 2
The October 5, 2026 council agenda includes a proposed emergency/backup water interconnect with Rural Water District No. 2 (project #26-850-01). The City’s estimated share rose to $272,766 against $220,000 budgeted in 2026, to be funded from the Water Utility Surplus Fund, under a draft 20-year agreement with a 500-gallon-per-minute maximum flow. The item was on the agenda pending legal review; the vote result has not been published.
Planning Commission reworks the zoning code
Since August, the Planning Commission has been reviewing 16 proposed zoning code revisions, including new rules for accessory structures by district, street access, sight triangles and solar panel design standards. Its September 30 agenda added accessory dwelling unit requirements, with chicken limits on non-agricultural lots and accessory structure sizes listed as future topics. The October 28, 2026 meeting continued work on the agricultural and residential allowed-use tables; no amendments have been adopted yet.
$2.2 million repair approved for Fire Station 1
The City Council voted 7-0 in October 2026 to authorize $2.2 million in repairs to Fire Station 1 near Old 56 and K-7. The work covers foundation cracks, bunk rooms and locker rooms. It is listed in the 2027-2031 capital improvement plan and is meant to extend the station’s life until a full replacement is funded.
Industrial rezoning on Webster Street goes before the city
On Oct. 1 the Planning Commission held a public hearing on Ozark Ready-Mix’s request to rezone about 15 acres at 18430 Webster Street from M-1 to Planned Light Industrial. City staff recommended approval, and the request was set for the Oct. 22 council meeting.
Industrial revenue bonds approved for ICON townhomes
The council approved Ordinance 943, authorizing Industrial Revenue Bonds, Series 2025, for the ICON townhomes project. The city’s site describes the ICON Valley subdivision as duplex and 4-plex housing with a planned community park and commercial projects, plus a Sixth Street extension to a new police station and Franklin County ambulance station.
Source: City of Wellsville council minutes, September 24, 2025 →
Fall brush drop-off event set for Nov. 6 to 8
The city will hold a free three-day Fall Brush Drop-off Event at the Public Works Facility from Friday, November 6, through Sunday, November 8, 2026, opening at 8 a.m. each day. It is open to Gladstone residents only, with proof of residency, and accepts leaves, trees, grass and bushes.
First 36 acres of the K-10 project approved
The commission voted 4-1 for the project plan on the annexed Eisele property along K-10, with a sales tax exemption on construction materials. Data centers would not be allowed under its commercial zoning. See Data Center Watch.
12 projects apply for 2027 Affordable Housing Trust Fund dollars
The Affordable Housing Advisory Board heard 12 applications on Oct. 8 that ask for about $3.3 million from a $700,000 pool for 2027. Requests include a six-story, 94-unit apartment building proposed for a downtown parking lot at 711 New Hampshire St. and 24 homes at Holcom Villas, 2500 W. 25th St. Funding decisions had not been announced as of late October.
Voters to decide on a single citywide trash hauler Nov. 3
Lee’s Summit residents now choose their own trash hauler, and a Nov. 3, 2026 ballot question asks whether the city should move to one citywide hauler. The city says basic service would cost no more than $30, with optional add-ons for a fee, and homeowners associations would be exempt.
Old Water Operations building to become a temporary fire station
The October 13 City Council agenda included a $993,432.78 contract with ServPro of Lee’s Summit to renovate the Old Water Operations building into a temporary fire station. The same agenda raised the Fire Station No. 1 architectural services contract with WSKF to $1,437,980. Both items were on the agenda; the vote results have not been published yet.
Council approves homes, apartments and retail at 167th and U.S. 69
On Oct. 5, the City Council voted 12-0 to approve Price Brothers’ revised plan for about 100 acres at 167th Street and U.S. 69, just south of Bluhawk. The plan calls for 122 small-lot single-family homes, 343 apartments and about 30 acres of retail. A final development plan still has to go to the Planning Commission.
“The Hutch” brings 192 apartments to downtown
A four-story, mixed-use building with 192 apartments, about 2,500 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail and a rooftop deck facing the Capitol is set to break ground in October 2026. It sits between SW Van Buren and SW Jackson and between SW 6th and SW 7th. KSNT reported a cost of about $50 million and a construction period of about 24 months, with phased openings.
City hosts a Topeka Residential Development Forum on Nov. 6
The city is holding a forum to encourage new home building on Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m.–noon, at the Topeka Area Builders Association (1112 SW 6th Ave.). The Land Bank Board has also approved lots for transfer to the city Land Bank for affordable housing, and developers can apply for them.
Quadplex rezoning at Kill Creek Road and 174th Street fails
On September 21, 2026, the council voted on Ordinance 2894. It would have rezoned 2.01 acres near Kill Creek Road and 174th Street from RP-2 to RP-3, allowing five quadplexes with 20 units in place of duplex lots. Neighbors filed protest petitions, so the ordinance needed a three-quarters vote. It failed on a 4-2 vote.
Council approves 109-acre quarry expansion
On Oct. 6 the Olathe City Council unanimously approved a roughly 109-acre expansion of the Johnson County Aggregates quarry southeast of 151st Street and Old 56 Highway. Surface quarrying is allowed for 10 years, with conditions including upgraded dust suppression, daily street sweeping on 159th Street, berm screening and weekday-only blasting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The land is to be donated to the city once quarrying ends.
City seeks new operators for its softball complexes
Olathe issued a request for proposals to run programming at the Olathe Girls Softball Complex (151st Street and Pflumm Road) and the Lone Elm Park Softball Complex, opening competition for a partnership that dates back to 1988. Proposals were due Oct. 7, and the city could pick one operator or split the fields among several. As of late October no award had been announced, and the new agreements are expected to start Jan. 1, 2027.
Council adopts 2027 budget and hires consultants for park and trail grant
After a hearing, the council adopted the 2027 budget and passed a resolution to levy a property tax rate above the revenue-neutral rate. It also approved a $7,500 engineering report on park improvements and an $8,950 contract to prepare a Community Development Block Grant application for walking trail and park improvements. A public hearing on the grant was set for September 30.
E-bike and scooter ordinance being drafted; park repair grant sought
On September 21 and October 5, 2026, the council reviewed sample ordinances from other cities on electric bicycles, scooters and similar devices and asked for a draft; nothing has been adopted yet. The city is also applying for a grant for park repairs and improvements, and residents asked for sidewalks on Hesse and Edna streets.
Brush dump moves to Saturday hours
Starting August 8, 2026, the city brush dump south of the Public Works building (off S. Rogers Road near S. 16th Street) is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with attendants on site. Residents must show a utility bill as proof of residency.
New planning director; mayor urges annexation planning
Kallie McLaughlin is the city’s new Director of Planning and Development. The mayor is encouraging the city to plan for annexation looking north toward Overland Park’s growth, and to attract local lodging; both are proposals, not decisions.
Ridge Top Homes final plat approved: 25 lots
On August 26, 2026, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 to approve the final plat for Ridge Top Homes, 25 single-family lots on 9.12 acres near South 9th Street between Broadway and Doyle Street. The R-1 plat includes a small common area, a maintenance garage and stormwater detention, with conditions such as paved curb-and-gutter streets and four-foot sidewalks.
10 acres off Jones-Myer Road up for city R-1 zoning
The Board of Aldermen’s Oct. 6, 2026 agenda included Bill No. 3386, a zoning map amendment that would change five parcels and one tract totaling about 10.28 acres, roughly 2,500 feet west of Highway N on NW Jones-Myer Road, from Platte County R-80 rural zoning to Parkville R-1 single-family residential (Cases PZ 2026-13 and PZ 2026-16). The vote result has not yet been published.
Council adopts 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan and Vision Zero policy
On September 24, 2026, the council adopted the 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan (Resolution 2026-R-20) and a Vision Zero street policy aimed at ending traffic deaths (Resolution 2026-R-18). Major city projects in progress include the 199th Street rebuild from Ridgeview to Renner, the 223rd Street corridor, the North Webster sewer extension and the northwest and northeast sewer interceptors.
New no-parking rules and Pendleton Avenue entrance
Ordinance 942 set no-parking zones on both sides of 1st, 4th, 6th and 8th Streets, parts of Hunt and Main, 6th Terrace and Pendleton Avenue. The council also approved Hosfelt Paving, not to exceed $12,000, for the Pendleton Avenue entrance at K-33.
Foxridge plan on former JCPenney call-center site grows to 651 homes
Block Real Estate Services, which bought the 5700 Broadmoor property earlier in 2026, has proposed expanding its Foxridge project to 651 units, including 159 apartments in the converted 10-story office tower and 15 townhomes. The original 289-unit building at 5665 Foxridge Drive, approved as a roughly $108 million development with a TIF district projected at about $18.4 million over 20 years, is the only formally approved piece. The expansion still needs formal plans, zoning review and incentive decisions.
Council adopts 2027 budget with no mill levy increase
On September 14, 2026, the City Council adopted the 2027 budget (Resolution 2026-JJ) with a 0 percent mill levy increase, after a hearing and a 4-0 vote to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Capital planning covers the Verona Columns, Rainbow Avenue, Willow Avenue, Overhill Road from 65th to 67th Streets, and the pedestrian bridge.
Design guidelines updated for detached buildings and pool equipment
On September 14, 2026 the City Council adopted Resolution 2026-II amending the city’s design guidelines. Detached buildings outside the primary building area may be no more than 30 feet in overall width or length, and pool equipment should go below ground where possible or otherwise sit in the rear yard, fully screened and closer to the house than to the property lines.
Walmart pickup expansion and 2026 tax levy
Aldermen reviewed a site plan for an expanded online pickup and delivery area at the Walmart at 201 SE Salem Street, plus the farmers market site plan. The same meeting set the 2026 property tax levy and an interlocal agreement with Jackson County for a 2026 infrastructure grant.
Halloween Blast trunk-or-treat set for Oct. 30 downtown
The annual Halloween Blast runs Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m. in downtown Kearney with storefront trick-or-treating, decorated trunks and entertainment. The event is free, organized by the Kearney Enrichment Council, and businesses and civic groups can register a trunk online.
2027 household hazardous waste agreement on Oct. 19 agenda
The Oct. 19, 2026 Board of Aldermen agenda included Bill 54-2026, renewing Kearney’s 2027 agreement with the Mid-America Regional Council for regional household hazardous waste collection at a fee of $12,877.44 ($1.14 per resident). The program gives residents access to drop-off sites in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit plus mobile collection events; the vote result has not been published yet.
Work begins on new city hall at 7820 Mission Road
Prairie Village broke ground on July 10, 2026, on a new 18,350-square-foot city hall at 7820 Mission Road, just south of the current city hall. The $30 million project, with $27 million funded through bonds, also renovates the police department and municipal court; the existing building at 7700 Mission Road will become an expanded court and police headquarters. The new building is designed for LEED Gold certification, and the full project is expected to wrap up in 2028.
Council OKs easements for county sewer project at Porter Park
On Sept. 21, 2026, the City Council approved agreements and easements for a Johnson County Wastewater improvement project at Porter Park. The city’s summary does not list the cost or construction schedule; details are in the meeting packet on the city’s CivicClerk portal.
87 new single-family permits so far in 2026
The Planning Director’s report for the October 13, 2026 Planning Commission meeting counts 87 single-family permits, 36 multi-family units and 3 commercial permits issued in 2026 through September. The same agenda included a one-lot, 0.71-acre commercial plat on One Plaza Lane, between the Fareway grocery and McDonald’s plats.
Nottingham Center plans approved
The Planning Commission voted 6-1 for 140 apartments over about 52,500 sq ft of shops, plus 10 villa-style homes, on the former Nottingham school site at K-10 and Church St. A 1.85% CID sales tax inside the project is under discussion.
Turnpike widening planned for I-70 near North Lawrence
The Kansas Turnpike Authority awarded a $136.6 million contract to widen about 9 miles of I-70 from four lanes to six, from near the North Lawrence interchange (mile marker 204.5) east to mile marker 213.5 between Linwood and Tonganoxie. The project also replaces two overhead bridges, with work set to begin as early as March 2027 and run through mid-2029.
Committee advances deal to reopen the historic Rio Theatre
On Oct. 21, the city’s Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee voted 5-0 to negotiate a funding agreement with Dream Theatre LLC to restore and reopen the downtown Rio Theatre. The proposal includes a conditional, forgivable city loan of up to $425,000 and requires the theater to operate for at least 10 years. Because the Rio is on the National Register of Historic Places, the State Historic Preservation Office must review the project, and no reopening date has been set.
Rezoning filed to add 1,200+ apartments and townhomes at Corporate Woods
Georgia-based developer GSR has applied to rezone Corporate Woods, the 29-building office park along Antioch Road between I-435 and College Boulevard, for a five-phase project called The Woods with more than 1,200 apartments and townhomes plus dining and retail. The application was submitted July 22 and was tentatively set for the Oct. 12 Planning Commission meeting; the City Council makes the final decision.
‘Reimagine Rainbow’ application filed with KDOT
Westwood and Mission Woods applied to KDOT’s Cost Share program to mill, overlay and restripe Rainbow Boulevard from 47th Street to Shawnee Mission Parkway, add crosswalks and modify signals. Award decisions are expected by the end of 2026.
Source: City of Westwood – City Council meeting packet, Oct. 8, 2026 →
Variety KC grant to rebuild the Joe D. Dennis Park playground
The city applied in July 2026 for a Variety KC ‘Ten Parks Project’ grant to replace the park’s outdated playground. The October council packet says the grant was awarded, with a required city match of $750,000. The agreement with Variety KC is still being negotiated, and final terms are expected at the November meeting.
Source: Johnson County Post (July 8, 2026); City of Westwood council packet (Oct. 8, 2026) →
Northeast Johnson County July 4 fireworks display canceled for 2026
The shared display at Bishop Miege High School, co-sponsored by Westwood Hills, was not held in 2026 because the launch field was being converted to synthetic turf. A new MS4 stormwater permit for the city also took effect January 1, 2026.
Council keeps the short-term rental ban after a resident survey
Of 68 survey responses, 54 opposed allowing short-term rentals at any time. After its February meeting, the council chose not to change the rental ordinances, so short-term rentals remain prohibited. Long-term rentals need an annual city license.
City Council work session on recodifying the city code
The council held a Saturday public meeting to review a rewrite of the city code, starting with Chapters 1 and 3. The March 2026 newsletter also posted the 2026 Johnson County revaluation report on the city website.
Short-term rental applications accepted only for the World Cup window
Under a new Kansas law allowing short-term rentals from May 15 to July 25, 2026, the city accepted applications, with fees, for that period only. Outside that window, city ordinances still do not allow short-term rentals.
New police chief and backup generator approved
On July 16, 2026, the council voted 5-0 to appoint Roy Owens, a Leawood Police Department officer, as Lake Quivira’s chief of police, with an August 3 start date. On July 6 the council approved a contract, not to exceed $35,012.07, with Generators for Sale of Kansas City for a Generac backup generator serving City Hall, the police department and the city fuel station.
Zoning and subdivision rules being rewritten
The city hired Shockey & Associates in March 2026 to lead a review of its zoning regulations, and held a public open house on the recommended changes on August 6, 2026 at the Clubhouse. As of the September 14 council meeting the update was about 75% complete, with Planning Commission and city attorney review next and completion expected by the end of 2026.
Source: City of Lake Quivira – REVIEW: Zoning and Subdivision Updates →
State of Kansas hired for required dam inspection
On August 3, 2026 the City Council voted 5-0 to award the dam inspection contract to the State of Kansas for up to $3,000, below a $4,800 private proposal. The dam is classified as a Class C high-hazard dam, inspected every three years, with the next inspection due by April 2027. Council also discussed clearer weight-limit signs on the dam roadway, though it took no vote.
Erica Hartley elected mayor; five council members elected at large
In the November 4, 2025 general election, Erica Hartley received 48 of 49 votes cast for Mission Woods mayor, per unofficial final results from the Johnson County Election Office. Leslie Carto (43), Keith Mays (43), Paul Hartley (41), Ramsey Mohsen (40) and Dan Sweeney (40) were elected to the five at-large council seats.
Source: Johnson County Election Office – 2025 General Election Unofficial Final Results →
1957 Building under construction on West 51st Street
Mayor Erica Hartley called the 1957 Karbank campus the city’s biggest project; it broke ground in 2025. The 1957 Building at 1957 W. 51st St., at the northeast corner of 51st Street and Barney Circle a half block west of State Line Road, is a three-story, 33,625-square-foot Class A office and residential building. The developer’s site lists completion for fall 2026, with Jonkman Construction as builder.
Dwyer Farms wins an economic development award; sewer upgrades estimated at $2.5-3 million
On Sept. 10, 2026, ElevateEdgerton! presented the SEDC Community Economic Development Award for the Dwyer Farms housing development. The development is planned for 279 single-family homes and more than $21 million in residential construction, with nearly $1 million in federal infrastructure funding. At the Aug. 27 meeting, Burns & McDonnell estimated the Dwyer Farms sanitary sewer improvements at $2.5 to $3 million, against a city grant of just under $1 million. The final design scope still needs council approval.
Judge dismisses the city’s lawsuit over the anti-data-center petition
On Sept. 3, Johnson County District Judge Stephanie Goodenow struck the city’s suit against the residents behind a petition to classify data centers as ‘industrial nuisances,’ ruling that it violated the Kansas Public Speech Protection Act. A separate suit asking the court to put the petition to a public vote was still in its early stages as of late September, so it is not yet settled whether voters will decide the question.
City sues residents over data center petition
On Aug. 4 the city asked a court to declare invalid a 208-signature citizen petition that would restrict data centers, arguing that zoning matters fall outside the petition process. The council had declined to adopt the petition on July 23.
Renovated Joe Campbell Memorial Stadium reopens
Rossville opened its 2026 baseball season at the renovated ballpark, whose 1924 wooden grandstand got new support beams, better lighting and handrails. Community Foundation donations and local contractors helped pay for the work. WIBW reported the project at about 90% complete in November 2025.
97th Tall Corn Festival
The town’s long-running Tall Corn Festival returned for its 97th year with a tall-corn contest, a 5K and more than 50 vendor booths.
$1.59 million KDOT grant for school-route sidewalks; 2026 traffic code adopted
The council approved a $1,592,000 KDOT Transportation Alternatives grant to build out the city’s school-route sidewalk and crossing plan. It also adopted the 2026 Standard Traffic Ordinance and Uniform Public Offense Code and added a no-parking zone. A request to rezone 551 E. Highway 24 Trafficway to C-2 for used car sales has to go through the planning commission first.
Council OKs 168-unit Overlook at Midland apartments
On Sept. 14 the Shawnee City Council voted 7-0 to rezone about 17 acres at 20920 Midland Drive, near Midland Drive and Shawnee Mission Parkway, for Overlook at Midland. TWG Development plans five two- to three-story buildings with 168 apartments and a clubhouse, plus walking trail connections. The land had sat vacant under commercial zoning since 1974. City staff said Midland Drive is slated to be improved and widened.
Earl May to close its west Shawnee garden center by year’s end
Earl May is closing its nursery and garden center at 21700 Midland Drive, just off Monticello Road and Shawnee Mission Parkway, with employees citing a Dec. 7 closing date. Closing sales are underway. No redevelopment plan for the site has been announced.
Final approval for 10 townhomes in downtown Shawnee
The Shawnee Planning Commission voted 6-0 to approve final plans for the 57th and Barton Townhomes, 10 two-story attached townhomes in one building on a vacant lot near the Shawnee Town 1929 museum. Each unit gets a single-car garage plus a surface space off a private drive from 57th Street, and the plan includes a six-foot privacy fence on the west line. The lot was platted in 1873, and several earlier proposals for it never moved forward. A separate 14-unit project at 57th and King, approved earlier in 2026, sits about a block away.
Three property tax propositions on the Nov. 3 ballot
Parkville voters will decide three separate levies on November 3, 2026: Proposition P (public safety, $0.1790 per $100 assessed value, 10 years), Proposition I (roads, curbs, sidewalks and storm water, $0.1280, 10 years) and Proposition F (city facilities including the roughly 45-year-old transportation building, $0.0820, 20 years). City figures put the combined cost at about $25 per month on a $400,000 home, and KCTV reports the package would raise the city levy by nearly 47%. Each measure stands alone, and any that pass take effect in 2027.
Source: City of Parkville – 2026 Property Tax Levy Propositions →
More than 1,000 attend county forum on Project Bluestem data center
Leavenworth County held a forum at the fairgrounds on Project Bluestem, a proposed hyperscale data center and power plant on more than 1,000 acres south of Tonganoxie. About 65 people spoke over nearly three hours, and commissioners said they would do more research.
Council adopts 2027 budget with a slightly lower mill levy
On Sept. 24 the City Council adopted a 2027 operating budget of $39,450,304 on a 2-1 vote. The city’s 2027 Budget Snapshot lists a final mill levy of 21.611, down 0.25 mills, or about $1,125 a year in city property tax on a $452,500 home.
Council adopts $114.8 million 2027 budget, holds levy at 17.814
On September 8, 2026, the City Council voted 4-2 to exceed the revenue-neutral rate of 16.933 mills and adopt the 2027 budget with the city mill levy unchanged at 17.814. The budget totals $114.8 million, down from about $130 million in 2026. Keeping the levy flat brings in about $261,000 more than the revenue-neutral rate would.
Kill Creek wastewater plant earns three state and national awards
On October 26, 2026, the city announced that the Kill Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility won the Kansas Water Environment Association Safety Award, the KWEA Best Plant in Class 4 Award and the Water Environment Federation George W. Burke Facility Safety Award. The plant last won all three in 2023.
New design standards for multifamily developments
In May 2026, the City Council passed design and construction standards for future multifamily developments. The rules ban vinyl, panelized plywood and metal siding and exposed concrete block, and they require garages in the rear yard and driveways in the rear or side yard. Planned residential developments must keep at least 30 percent of the site as open space, greenways or permeable surfaces.
Council adopts Downtown Design Guidelines
On June 8, 2026, the City Council voted 8-0 to adopt Downtown Design Guidelines (Resolution No. 3541). The guidelines are a voluntary framework that offers incentives for downtown building projects. At the same meeting, the council added $82,000 in federal funds to the Liberty Drive sidewalk missing-link project, bringing it to $332,000.
$7.5 million Water Street Lofts rising on vacant downtown lot
Star Development is building a $7.5 million mixed-use building on the downtown lot at Kansas and Water streets that has been empty since a building collapsed in May 2016. City plans call for a three-story, 47,750-square-foot building with 16 lofts, ground-floor retail and underground parking. In August 2026, crews were placing underground utilities, with completion expected by the end of August 2027.
333 rentals approved next to future Dillons
On Sept. 15 the council approved rezonings for the Sunnybrook development at College Boulevard and Lone Elm Road: four commercial buildings on about 11 acres and 333 apartment and townhome rentals on about 20 acres. Both rezonings passed 5-1, but a revised residential site plan must come back for another council vote. The Dillons store is tentatively expected to open in November 2027.
2027 city budget keeps tax rate at 23.3 mills
The City Council adopted a $657.6 million 2027 budget on a 5-1 vote on Sept. 15, holding the mill levy flat at 23.3 mills. For the average home value of $457,425, the city portion of the bill is about $1,225.67. The plan removes some road projects (133rd Street; Greenwood and Lone Elm between 159th and 167th) from the 2026-2030 capital plan and freezes 22 General Fund positions.
Moraine (formerly The Rocks) aims for late-2027 finish
EPC Real Estate Group’s $75 million redevelopment of the former city pool site at 48th Street and Roe Boulevard is under construction, with 287 apartments (5% set aside as affordable at 60% of area median income), a 3,500-square-foot restaurant space, a parking garage and EV charging. Construction began in late 2025; EPC now expects completion around the end of 2027, earlier than the original spring 2028 estimate. EPC also committed $500,000 for public art.
Council updates zoning code to comply with state SB 418
On Aug. 17, 2026, the City Council voted 6-0 to update the zoning code to reflect Kansas SB 418, the by-right housing law. The changes allow single-family housing in all residential zoning districts and allow accessory dwelling units by right instead of through a special use permit.
City to draft on-street parking policy for narrow streets
A city survey showed strong support for limiting parking on Roeland Park’s narrower streets, especially in older areas with small driveways. At the August 17, 2026 workshop, the Council directed the City Manager to draft a parking policy. Staff will hold a neighborhood meeting or community forum before any policy takes effect.
2027 budget keeps the city mill levy flat
The City Council voted 8-0 on Aug. 24 to adopt the 2027 budget, holding the mill levy at 23.267 while exceeding the revenue neutral rate. The levy is expected to bring in about $36.21 million in property taxes. With the average Shawnee home appraisal at $455,393, up about 8.2%, the average homeowner’s city property tax is estimated at about $1,218.50, roughly $70 more than in 2026.
Riverway Boulevard rebuild begins, runs to summer 2028
Work on the Riverway Boulevard Improvement Project started in September 2026 and is expected to finish in summer 2028. The plan realigns the northbound Route 9 on-ramp, turns the signalized W. Platte and Riverway intersection into a roundabout, replaces the Riverway and Tullison double intersection with a roundabout, and removes an outdated industrial access ramp. It also adds curbs, gutters, streetlights, sidewalks and bike and pedestrian facilities. MARC took public comment through Aug. 18, 2026 on a TIP amendment that adds federal funding for the project.
Source: Mid-America Regional Council – Share input on a special TIP amendment →
Limestone: 102 homes, 350 apartments and a hotel at K-10 & Kill Creek
The city approved incentives for GRATA Development’s $225 million mixed-use project at the first De Soto exit from Kansas City, with phased construction expected to begin in 2026.
Digital Realty’s first data center building clears Planning Commission
On Sept. 22, the De Soto Planning Commission approved the Phase One site plan for Digital Realty’s data center campus, also called Astra North or Project Jayhawk. The campus covers about 300 acres next to the Panasonic battery plant, and Phase One is a two-story building of about 450,000 square feet. Site preparation has started and construction is expected to begin in 2027. The city has a public hearing on Digital Realty Project Plan 3 set for Nov. 19.
Comprehensive Plan 2057 is taking public input
The city is collecting resident ideas, online and in person, for a new plan to guide De Soto’s next 30 years of land use and growth. Whatever this plan says is where future zoning decisions start.
Industrial tax abatement on 95th Street and a citywide noise study
On Oct. 1, after a public hearing, the council approved industrial revenue bonds and a 75% tax abatement for 21 acres along 95th Street between Lexington Avenue and Sunflower Road. On Oct. 15 it approved industrial revenue bonds for Geiger Ready Mix and an agreement with Black & Veatch to review the city’s industrial noise rules. Phase 1 of the noise study runs through January 2027 and Phase 2 through March 2027.
Public listening sessions on the city-owned 6400 State Line Road property
The city held informational listening sessions on October 20 and 21, 2026, about future uses of 6400 State Line Road, a property it closed on in 2025 for $3.2 million (funded through $3,355,000 in temporary notes approved 4-0 on June 23, 2025). The presentation is posted on the city website, feedback goes to 6400@missionhillsks.gov, and a summary of the meetings is still to come.
Trash contract extended five years with Waste Management
The council approved a five-year extension of the city trash contract with Waste Management (Resolution 2026-HH) on September 14, 2026. Terms discussed in August raise the base rate from 23.81 to 26.81 dollars per household per month, then 4.7 percent a year in years two through five.
Cell tower options weighed for 6400 State Line Road
At a September 25, 2026 work session, the council reviewed options after T-Mobile ended its bell tower lease effective December 31, 2026; the AT and T lease runs to August 2027. Most members leaned toward replacing the bell tower with a shorter monopole near City Hall, with no vote taken and the item returning in October.
Land at 183rd and Woodland rezoned for homes; city seeks road grants
On Aug. 27, 2026, the City Council voted 6-0 to rezone land at the northeast corner of 183rd Street and Woodland Road from rural residential (R-R) to planned single-family (RP-1) and approved its preliminary plat. The same night, the council approved applying for KDOT funds for a new traffic signal at 183rd Street, a roundabout at 223rd Street and Webster/Harrison, and better signal timing on K-7/US-169 from 175th to 199th Street.
City seeks state loan for new wastewater treatment plant
On Sept. 24 the council voted 3-0 to apply to KDHE for a Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund loan for the new wastewater treatment plant. The plant is planned near 239th Street and Woodland Road and would start at 5 million gallons per day.
Fox Hollow second plat gets final approval
On Sept. 10 the City Council approved the final plat and improvement agreement for Fox Hollow Second Plat, near 207th Street and Ridgeview Road. On Sept. 24 it accepted the plat’s drainage, sewer and utility easements. Fox Hollow is planned for about 352 homes.
2026 road improvement program under way
The city’s 2026 road program began Monday, September 21, with a couple of days of edge milling, and paving crews were expected to start September 24. Work on the selected roads is an edge mill and overlay, starting on the south side of town and moving north. A map of the included streets is posted on the city’s Projects page.
Buckner Tarsney Road parcel moves toward commercial zoning
Aldermen approved, 4-0 on first reading on September 14, 2026, a rezoning of 4726 NW Buckner Tarsney Road from Agricultural to C-2 General Business after Planning and Zoning approval on August 12. At the same meeting, city leaders said a Buckner Tarsney Road widening will need MoDOT traffic reports and a permit, with timing not yet set.
Aldermen hold 2026 city tax levy at $0.9605
On September 14, 2026, the Board of Aldermen gave first-reading approval, 4-0, to a 2026 city tax levy of $0.9605, unchanged from 2025. The levy is split among the general, debt service, parks and public health funds.
Front Street and Ridge Street improvements expanded
Kansas Heavy Construction began work on March 9, 2026, on stormwater, street, and curb improvements and a new sidewalk along Front Street between Ridge Street and Tonganoxie Drive. On May 4, 2026, the City Council approved a second change order that added more street, curb, stormwater, and pedestrian work on Ridge Street south of U.S. 24-40. The city estimated the project would take four to five months.
Source: City of Tonganoxie – Notice of Street Improvements Project, Front St and Ridge St →
County lets data center moratorium expire
On August 5, 2026, the Leavenworth County Commission voted 3-2 against extending its 90-day moratorium on data centers in unincorporated parts of the county, so the moratorium expired. The Mirror reported that the vote clears the way for a large data center proposed south of Tonganoxie. In an earlier column, a commissioner said the developer, Cloverleaf, was looking at about 1,000 acres of the Tailgate Ranch for the project.
Source: The Mirror – Leavenworth County Commission lifts moratorium on data center by 3-2 vote →
Old Chieftain Park and Stone Creek playground equipment headed to auction
The City Council voted 5-0 at its Aug. 17 meeting to sell some playground equipment from Chieftain Park and the Stone Creek subdivision park through the Purple Wave online auction site; the rest will be discarded. The city plans new playground areas at Chieftain Park first and later at Stone Creek.
GFL becomes Merriam’s single trash, recycling and yard waste hauler
Merriam is moving to one citywide hauler, GFL Environmental, with new 95-gallon trash and recycling bins delivered starting October 12, 2026, and service beginning in early November. Pickup is weekly by zone: Monday north of Johnson Drive to 47th Street, Tuesday between Shawnee Mission Parkway and Johnson Drive, and Wednesday south of Shawnee Mission Parkway to 75th Street. The cost is billed on the Johnson County property tax bill at $22.26 a month for 2026 and $22.87 a month for 2027.
Independence Power & Light earns top state safety award
On October 8, 2026, Independence Power & Light received the Missouri Public Utility Alliance’s Diamond Level Safety Award of Excellence, the group’s highest safety honor, for its 2025 record. It is the third straight year the alliance has recognized IPL, which also received the American Public Power Association’s national Diamond Safety Award earlier in 2026. IPL was founded in 1901 and is owned by the city.
Source: City of Independence – IPL earns top state safety recognition →
City names Ed Turner as next police chief
City Manager Troy Anderson selected Ed Turner as police chief after a nationwide search that drew 25 applicants from 15 states. Turner, who spent 25 years with the Independence Police Department and has led the Grain Valley department since 2023, is expected to start October 26, 2026. Residents met the finalists at a community open house on September 24.
Source: City of Independence – Ed Turner Selected as Next Police Chief →
Council pauses new data center and battery storage applications
At its July 6, 2026 meeting, the City Council approved a temporary 180-day moratorium on new applications, permits and licenses for data centers and battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities. The city describes it as a pause, not a ban, while it reviews whether local rules need updating. The moratorium does not apply to projects already submitted or approved, including the Nebius data center.
Source: City of Independence – Data Center & BESS Moratorium FAQs →
Commissioners vote to keep local approval powers over Chiefs stadium
At an Oct. 8 special meeting, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners voted 9-0 on a charter ordinance opting Wyandotte County out of parts of House Bill 2466, the law that created the Kansas Sports Authority, including provisions on local building permits, inspections and planning consultation. The proposed stadium is planned near 126th Street and State Avenue, and negotiations among the county, state and team are ongoing.
Two sales tax measures for parks, roads and health services head to voters
The Unified Government placed two separate sales tax questions on the November ballot: a countywide quarter-cent tax estimated to raise about $12 million a year for homelessness and community health services, and a KCK-only three-eighths-cent tax estimated to raise about $16 million a year for parks, community centers, trails, roads, sidewalks and bridges. If both pass, the combined sales tax rate in KCK would rise from 9.125% to 9.75%, with collection starting as early as April 1, 2027.
2026 tax levy set
The council adopted the 2026 levy, unchanged from 2025, authorized early redemption of part of the city’s bonds and approved a new Cass County PWSD No. 10 water tower.
Eric Smith appointed to Ward 4 council seat
After interviewing three applicants at a special meeting on Sept. 23, 2026, the City Council appointed Eric Smith to the vacant Ward 4 seat by Resolution 26-40C. Smith was sworn in at the regular council meeting on Sept. 28, 2026.
Annual street resurfacing project
The city’s annual micro-surfacing program began the week of July 27, 2026, covering about 10.7 of the city’s 114 lane miles, with Nation Road, 162nd Street and 19th Street re-striped and crosswalks restored afterward. Crack sealing was planned for the fall.
Community demonstration on license plate cameras
The city scheduled a public demonstration of its Flock license plate reader camera system for November 10, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Annunciation Community Center, 705 N. Jefferson St., with the mayor, Board of Aldermen and police chief available for one-on-one conversations.
Online water bill portal down during nationwide outage
On Oct. 23, 2026, the city reported its online utility payment system was down due to a nationwide outage. Residents can still pay water bills in person at City Hall, by mail, or through their bank’s bill pay app.
Short-term rental permit request on Creekside Drive
The Planning & Zoning Commission scheduled a public hearing for October 13, 2026, on a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at a home on a 0.29-acre lot on Creekside Drive, south of the Thrive at Creekside Apartments. The property is zoned R-4-P Mixed-Density Residential. The request was on the October 13 agenda; the city has not yet posted the result.
Redefine Route 9 downtown rebuild estimated at $18.3 million
The city’s July 2026 estimate for the downtown Route 9 project, running from 4th Street to the Park University entrance plus the 1st Street/Mill Street triangle, is $18,288,585, including $13.05 million for construction. Funding includes a $3.2 million federal Surface Transportation Block Grant, a $1.79 million Governor’s Transportation Cost Share grant, a $500,000 Platte County grant and $10.5 million in planned debt repaid from use tax. Plans were reviewed with MoDOT, BNSF and Southern Platte Fire District in a July 7 work session, with an August 4 update; the city’s spring newsletter targets a 2027 construction start.
Redefine Route 9 survey open through Oct. 30
After a September 30 public meeting, the city and the Redefine Route 9 project team opened a community survey on updated promenade concepts and streetscape amenities for downtown Parkville. The survey runs through Friday, October 30, 2026, and the feedback will guide further design refinements.
Beacon Landing annexation approved in west Lawrence
On Aug. 18 the City Commission approved annexing and rezoning about 288 acres west of K-10 and south of Sixth Street for the Beacon Landing master-planned development, including about 111 acres of residential zoning, 126.7 acres of commercial center zoning and 51 acres of open space. Developers are also seeking STAR bonds and other incentives, which will be considered separately.
Planning Commission recommends denying 177-acre annexation west of K-10
On Aug. 24 the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission voted 4-3 to recommend denial of a request to annex 177 acres southwest of K-10 near Sixth Street and Bob Billings Parkway, citing Plan 2040, while recommending approval of the related medium- and high-density residential rezonings. The request goes to the City Commission, which would need a 4-1 supermajority to approve the annexation.
2027 city budget adopted with 1.466-mill increase
The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 on Sept. 15 to adopt the 2027 budget and capital improvement plan, setting the city property tax rate at 35.178 mills, up from 33.712 in 2026. For a $325,000 home, the city portion is estimated at about $1,315 in 2027, roughly $55 more than this year.
Planning Commission backs special use permit requirement for data centers
On Sept. 21, 2026, the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to amend the land development code so that any proposed data center would need a special use permit, with public hearings before both the Planning Commission and the City Commission. Data centers are currently allowed by right in some zoning districts. The rule is meant to stay in place after the city’s two-year moratorium ends, and it now goes to the City Commission for a final decision.
Two apartment buildings going up at 10th and Peach
Paschal’s Landing (36 units, estimated finish November 2026) and 10 Union Lofts (96 units, 2027) are under construction north of Eudora Elementary.
County backs a TIF for 132.5 acres on K-10
Douglas County commissioners voted 3-1 to support a TIF district at K-10 and E 2300 Rd: phase 1 is seven commercial lots (a travel stop, hotel and restaurants), phase 2 two industrial sites.
Curbside trash moves to GFL Environmental on Jan. 1
The city’s 10-year contract with Republic Services ends Dec. 31, 2026, and in June the council voted 11-1 to pursue a contract with GFL Environmental through the Mid-America Regional Council cooperative after Republic proposed raising its rate from about $21.88 to $27 a month. The city’s trash page now confirms GFL takes over on January 1. Under GFL, the annual unlimited large-item pickup ends and residents can set out up to three bulk items per month, including furniture.
Source: Johnson County Post – Prairie Village poised to switch curbside trash pickup providers →
Council rezones former YMCA site for 20 homes
On July 20, 2026, the city council unanimously approved rezoning the former Paul Henson YMCA site at 4200 W. 79th St. to a single-family district that allows smaller lots. Overland Park-based Price Brothers, which bought the property in July 2025, plans 20 homes there. The final development plan still needs planning commission approval; the developer expects demolition and site work to begin this fall and the first homes to start in early spring.
Source: Johnson County Post – Prairie Village approves rezoning for 20-home redevelopment →
Voters approve $100M for housing and $1.5B for water and sewer
In the Aug. 4, 2026 election, Kansas City voters passed all five city questions with more than two-thirds support. They include $100 million in general obligation bonds for the Housing Trust Fund, bonds to repair Municipal Auditorium, Bartle Hall and City Hall, a 10-year renewal of the 1/8-cent CCED sales tax, and two $750 million revenue bond authorizations for drinking water, stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.
Council approves Royals ballpark lease at Crown Center
On Aug. 20, 2026, the City Council passed the lease for a $1.9 billion Royals ballpark at Crown Center, with $1.14 billion in public funding (including $600 million from the city) and $760 million from the team. The Royals are targeting opening day 2030, and the council also approved plans for Hallmark’s new global headquarters within Crown Center. Zoning authorization was scheduled for the full council on Sept. 3.
Hy-Vee files plans for 83rd and K-7
Hy-Vee filed preliminary plans for a 93,000-sq-ft store plus Fast & Fresh, offices and retail on about 32 acres at 22939 W. 83rd St. Separately, the council approved a $26 million renovation of Westchester Square, home of the east Lenexa Hy-Vee, in July.
Westchester Square final plan approved
On Oct. 5, the Lenexa Planning Commission approved the final plan, sign deviations and sign scheme for Westchester Square on its consent agenda. The City Council earlier approved a $26 million renovation of the shopping center, the site of Hy-Vee’s first Lenexa store.
Playbook OP parks plan shifts toward a south OP aquatic center
At a committee of the whole meeting in late September 2026, council members voted 8-3 to approve Playbook OP, the city’s parks and recreation plan. The plan prioritizes renovating Young’s Pool and Tomahawk Pool, calls for a larger water park in south Overland Park within 10 years, and lets Stonegate pool close at the end of its life. The city estimates the regional pool model costs about $24 million less than keeping a neighborhood pool model.
Council approves $1.3 billion Black & Veatch headquarters district
On September 28, 2026, the Overland Park City Council unanimously approved Black & Veatch’s roughly $1.3 billion headquarters redevelopment along the College Boulevard corridor, which adds housing, retail and a community park. The council also approved about $800 million in revenue-bond incentives and created TIF districts and a CID to help finance the project. The incentives depend on the full district being built, including the planned housing and retail. Black & Veatch expects to break ground this fall and move in around 2029.
Council adopts $516 million 2027 budget
The City Council voted 12-0 to adopt a budget of nearly $516 million for 2027, up 3.5% from 2026, along with a five-year capital improvement plan. The city mill levy goes from 14.54 to 14.58, which is above the revenue-neutral rate of 14.03. Overland Park still has the lowest city property tax rate in Johnson County.
New online portal for permits and licenses
The City of Topeka Community Development Portal launched the week of Sept. 21, 2026. Homeowners and contractors can now apply for permits, upload documents, track status and pay online.
Preservation planning begins for historic Ritchie Cemetery
The Topeka Landmarks Commission and the city’s Planning Division have started a formal preservation plan for Ritchie Cemetery at SW 27th St. and SW Boswell Ave. The plan will guide future maintenance, restoration and long-term care of the site, and a public meeting was held Oct. 8.
About 180 acres rezoned for Destination KCK
The planning commission approved rezoning for the district, which the developer says will bring about 1,750 jobs around a 12-acre lake, with completion targeted for 2030.
Mattel park plan retooled near Chiefs site
The developer of the Mattel Adventure Park dropped a planned RV park after learning the Chiefs stadium would sit to the north. That area may become retail or lodging within the Destination KCK STAR bond project; no opening date has been announced.
Renaissance Festival turns 50
The Kansas City Renaissance Festival ran its 50th season Sept. 5 through Oct. 18, 2026.
$37.6 million budget, levy nearly flat
Council adopted the 2027 budget with the mill levy nearly unchanged, plus a $23.6 million five-year capital plan for streets, parks and equipment storage.
Basehor creates a tree board
Council created a city tree board to pursue grants and protect the tree canopy as new neighborhoods go in.
Lee’s Summit R-7 board reduces its voluntary property tax rollback
On Sept. 29, 2026 the Lee’s Summit R-7 Board of Education cut its voluntary levy rollback from 65 cents to 25 cents, effective in December. The district’s combined 2026-27 levy is $5.3708 per $100 of assessed valuation.
$520,000 federal grant for Sylvia Bailey Park
On Oct. 19, 2026, Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation announced a $520,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, for Sylvia Bailey Park. Phase one is estimated at $3,225,500, with a $2,705,500 local match, and covers a farm-themed playground, trails, a community garden and part of the parking area. The roughly 49.6-acre park sits on the historic Bailey Farm, which Sylvia Mae Bailey left to the city in 2000.
Costco opens at East Village on SE Oldham Parkway
The new Lee’s Summit Costco opened Oct. 2, 2026 on Southeast Oldham Parkway near U.S. 291 and Missouri Route 50. It anchors East Village, a mixed-use project with retail, dining and apartments.
Council approves rezoning for entertainment district
On September 21, 2026, the Gardner City Council voted unanimously to rezone about 214 acres along I-35, between 167th and 175th streets, for an arts, education and entertainment district proposed by Kansas City-based Velocity Arts. Plans call for a 2,500-seat performing arts center, a 15,000-seat concert pavilion, a 6,000-seat esports arena, a 300-room hotel and a college campus. The site is within a mile of New Century AirCenter, so the Johnson County Airport Commission and county commissioners must also review it, and the developer is targeting a summer 2029 opening.
Source: KCTV5 – Gardner city council approves rezoning for potential entertainment district →
Land acquisition approved for 167th, 175th and Grand Street projects
On September 8, 2026, the council voted 5-0 on three condemnation ordinances (2889, 2890 and 2891) so the city can acquire land for the 167th Street and 175th Street improvement projects and for Grand Street roadway improvements between Pine and Center streets. The council also approved a contract with Price Construction Management for alleyway improvements.
Council annexes land at US-56 and Waverly Road
At the same September 8, 2026 meeting, the council voted 5-0 on Ordinance 2892 to annex land at the southeast corner of US-56 and Waverly Road, reaching across Waverly Road to the railroad tracks, under voluntary consent agreements with the owners.
Garland Park to close for methane vent repairs
Garland Park, at 301 Roswell Ave., sits on a former landfill and will close for several months starting in October 2026 so crews can repair damaged methane vent pipes and regrade areas where water pools. Officials said the closure is not because of a health hazard. The work is expected to be finished, and the park reopened, by spring, weather permitting.
Indian Lane culvert replacement and low-water crossing repairs
The city repaired the stacked stone walls at the Mission Drive/Indian Lane low-water crossing near the Kansas City Country Club entrance, reopening it August 7, 2026. A second phase replacing a failing stormwater culvert under Indian Lane north of 63rd Street was scheduled to start August 10 and close that stretch for about six weeks.
Verona Columns restoration study under way
The Verona Columns, a J.C. Nichols gift dedicated in 1925 and last restored in 1986, are showing damage from long-term moisture behind the retaining wall, per a June 2026 review by Strata Architecture, Inc. In July the City Council approved a contract with Strata for a non-destructive investigation, including disassembling the western column on September 15, with design over the winter and construction planned for spring 2027. The park is closed to photography permits from September 1, 2026, and expected to stay closed until fall 2027.
Belinder Avenue street and stormwater rebuild nears finish
Pyramid Contractors, Inc. was awarded the city’s 2026 capital project on May 14, 2026, covering Belinder Avenue from Tomahawk Road to the south city limits plus 70th Terrace from Belinder to Overhill Road. Work follows WaterOne, Kansas Gas Service and Google utility relocations that began in late 2025, including replacement of water lines more than 100 years old. As of the September 17, 2026 update, mill-and-overlay was done north of 69th and sod was going in, with a contingency allowing completion in early 2027.
City adopts 2024 International Building Codes
On January 20, 2026, the Board of Aldermen adopted the 2024 International Family of Building Codes (Ordinance No. 3290, replacing Chapter 500), along with new contractor licensing requirements, updated permit fees and erosion control standards. The city issued 256 building permits worth $71.4 million in 2025, including 44 single-family permits totaling $22.4 million.
Creekside West: 246 homes approved along Highway 45
On March 17, 2026, the Board of Aldermen approved rezoning and preliminary plans for Creekside West, 246 units on 58.87 acres along Missouri Highway 45: 84 single-family homes, 57 duplexes and 16 triplexes. Developer Brian Mertz bought the land, previously unincorporated Platte County, in December 2025, and the site sits east of the end of his 300-plus-acre Creekside development. The city is working with MoDOT on traffic safety at the Highway 45 entrance.
The Mighty Bike sculpture opens at R Park
The 12-foot climbable ‘Mighty Bike’ sculpture at R Park’s traffic garden opened to the public in mid-June 2026 after the city added panels and netting to resolve playground entrapment findings. Total cost reached $370,000, funded by $171,865 in private donations, a $3,613 grant and $194,522 from the city’s special infrastructure fund. A ribbon cutting was planned for July 22.
51st Street rebuild from Cedar to Maple
The city’s 2026 51st Street Improvements project reconstructs 51st Street from Cedar Street west to Maple Street and adds an 8-foot multipurpose trail on the south side. The estimated $1.5 million cost is funded by the city’s half-cent special street sales tax, a $922,000 Johnson County CARS grant and $8,000 from the City of Mission, with no special assessment. Construction was scheduled to start the first week of August 2026 and finish by the end of November 2026.
Shawnee bans consumer fireworks
In August the City Council voted 7-1 to repeal Chapter 5.70 of the city code, which had allowed fireworks sales and use, so selling or setting off fireworks is now illegal in Shawnee. The repeal also undoes 2023 amendments that set who could sell fireworks and which days they could be discharged. Professional shows, such as the city’s Parked event at Stump Park, are still a legal way to see fireworks.
Community time capsule for America’s 250th
The Grain Valley 250 Committee collected letters, photos, menus, event flyers and other 2026 keepsakes from June 1 through July 31, 2026, with drop-off at City Hall, 711 Main Street. The capsule is to be sealed later in 2026 and reopened in July 2076 for the nation’s 300th anniversary. Future residents will finally learn what a 2026 restaurant menu cost.
Planning begins for a new park at Duncan and Dillingham
The city is running a master planning process for a future park site at the corner of Duncan Road and Dillingham Road. The first public open house was held September 17 at Prairie Branch Elementary, 2100 Dillingham Road, and a second is scheduled there for Monday, November 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. Residents can review the plans and share input.
Nebius data center campus planned at EastGate
Nebius is exploring up to four data center buildings, about 2.5 million square feet on roughly 400 acres, in the EastGate Commerce Center northeast of Little Blue Parkway and Highway 78. The City Council voted 5-2 on March 2, 2026 to approve a Chapter 100 tax abatement for the project, which the city says would bring about 125 permanent jobs and be built in phases over three to five years. No rezoning is needed because data centers are allowed under the site’s existing zoning.
Council approves Aldi and upgrades at Merriam Town Center
In June 2026 the City Council approved plans for an Aldi grocery store in the former OfficeMax space at Merriam Town Center. Mayor Bob Pape put the overall Town Center redevelopment at about $30 million, with Aldi’s portion at about $5.3 million, funded in part by a district that adds a 1% fee to Town Center purchases, with groceries exempt. Goals include better walking and biking access and more green space, and the mayor said he hoped Aldi would open within a year.
Source: KCTV5 – New Aldi grocery store to replace OfficeMax at Merriam Town Center →
Sunflower Development plans 180-unit Encore apartments on Martway
Kansas City, Missouri-based Sunflower Development Group bought the closed Mission Wendy’s on Martway Street and proposed The Encore, a four-story building with about 180 mostly one-bedroom apartments, a parking structure, a pool and a Rock Creek Trail connection. The firm is seeking tax increment financing and hopes to start construction in 2026 and open by mid-2028. The City Council took up a funding agreement to study incentives on Nov. 19, 2025.
Oaks of Edgewood Plat 17
Bill No. 26-15, approving the final plat for Oaks of Edgewood Plat 17, was on the July 20 agenda along with a review of accessory structure setback requirements.
White Road bridge engineering and electric franchise
The board considered an engineering agreement with Great River Engineering, not to exceed $187,100.67, for the White Road bridge replacement, and an electric franchise for West Central Missouri Electric Cooperative. Other items included the North Creek Plat 3 final plat and $21,375.79 in wastewater plant blower repairs.
Design standards for new homes
Planning and zoning and the city council held a joint session on “anti-monotony” design standards for new residential construction.
Ray-Pec $45 million bond passed
Voters approved Prop RP 2026 with about 70% yes, funding safety upgrades, a Shull Early Learning Center renovation and athletic and activity facilities with no tax-rate increase.
City has approved about 1,800 new homes in recent years
Spring Hill has approved about 1,800 new residential dwellings over the past four to five years and issued about 400 new building permits last year, with most development on the Johnson County side. The community development director projects another 2,000 to 3,000 residents over the next decade. A developer withdrew a data center application for 191st Street and Renner Road in early March, and the city says sewer capacity, water lines and roads are its main growth concerns.
191st Street and five neighborhoods get new pavement
Crews replaced underground pipes and repaved 191st Street from U.S. 169 to Woodland Road, with full closures in phases from July 13 to August 3 and completion expected by August 26. Johnson County’s CARS program covers nearly half the construction cost. Separately, the 2026 Street Maintenance program resurfaced streets in Blackhawk, Brookwood Farms, Maple Ridge, Sweetwater and Woodland Ridge from July 20 to about August 21.
Source: City of Spring Hill – Road Closure, New Pavement Coming to 191st St. →
Comprehensive plan update opens for public input
Spring Hill is updating its comprehensive plan, the long-range framework for how the city prioritizes growth and development. Pop-up input events began September 26, with a Community Visioning Workshop and Open House planned for October 13-15. Housing growth and economic development are key topics, including how the city responds to a data center proposal residents opposed earlier in 2026. Details are posted at springhillkscompplan.com.
Source: KSHB 41 – Spring Hill hosts pop-up events to get public input on comprehensive plan →
KDOT grant puts South Street sidewalks on a faster track
Spring Hill won a Kansas Department of Transportation grant of more than $2.6 million for new sidewalks and crosswalk improvements on South Street, from just east of U.S. 169 to Webster Street. The grant covers 80% of expected costs, with the city’s share estimated at about $650,000. Spring Hill was one of 33 grant recipients statewide; the city still has to choose a design-build team, and construction is likely to start in 2028.
Source: City of Spring Hill – Sidewalks Coming Sooner Than Expected to South Street →
A $50 million-plus water plant
Work began on a new water treatment plant north of the city cemetery, about double today’s capacity and out of the flood zone, plus a new 300,000-gallon water tower. Construction is expected to take two to three years.
Two new-home districts approved
The commission approved housing incentive districts for Shadow Ridge North (146 lots southwest of Eudora High) and Holladay Woods (about 119 houses and 49 duplex units north of K-10). For scale, the city issued 12 single-family permits the year before.
Data center proposal withdrawn
Beale Infrastructure withdrew its application for a 300-acre data center near the northeast corner of 191st Street and South Clare Road on May 6, 2026. The withdrawal came after the city told the company no public incentives would be granted, and after more than 30 people spoke against the plan at the May 4 council meeting.
Source: KCUR – Gardner data center plan withdrawn by company after resident opposition →
New homes, townhomes and commerce along 175th Street
Several Gardner projects are underway in 2026, including Horizon Point (246 single-family homes at 175th Street and Four Corners Road) and Flint Trails (264 townhomes at 167th Street and White Drive). At 175th Street and Clare Road, the first building of the 2.8-million-square-foot Crossroads Commerce Center is under construction, and infrastructure work has started on the roughly 60-acre, $22.9 million Clare Crossing mixed-use development. KDOT and the city are also working on the I-35 and Gardner Road interchange.
Source: Johnson County Post – We’re watching these developments in Gardner and Edgerton in 2026 →
Planning Commission recommends 335-acre district
On August 24, 2026, the Gardner Planning Commission recommended approval of the 335-acre mixed-use entertainment, arts and education district near 175th Street and I-35. The design by Populous for Velocity Arts also includes convention space, retail, restaurants, public parks and waterfront gathering areas. Some nearby residents raised questions about traffic and local services before the plan moved to the City Council.
Source: KCTV5 – Gardner entertainment district moves to City Council →
Chiefs and Hunt Midwest form developer for KCK stadium district
On August 31, 2026, the Kansas City Chiefs and Hunt Midwest announced Two-Point Development, a joint venture that will serve as master developer for mixed-use districts around the team’s planned stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, and its new Olathe headquarters. In KCK, the district is planned to include entertainment, hospitality, retail and residential space. The roughly 70,000-seat stadium is planned to open for the 2031 NFL season.
Hollywood Casino breaks ground on 140-room hotel
Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, near Village West, broke ground on September 25, 2026, on a 140-room hotel. The casino’s former buffet space will become an event area for up to 200 attendees. The hotel is expected to open in 2028.
Source: Spectrum News – Hollywood Casino breaks ground on hotel →
First TIF piece approved for ‘Plaza of the Northland’
On May 21, 2026, city leaders approved the first piece of ‘Redevelopment Project J’ and set tax-increment financing boundaries for about 400 acres near NE Shoal Creek Parkway, I-435 and Highway 152. The plan envisions single-family homes, townhomes, apartments, shopping, restaurants, a hotel, offices and entertainment uses. Five percent of captured TIF revenue still goes to local taxing districts each year.
Port KC approves up to $1.4B in bonds for Country Club Plaza
On Aug. 24, 2026, Port KC approved bond financing (reported as up to $1.4 billion) for Gillon Property Group’s plan to reinvest in the 19-block Country Club Plaza, adding hundreds of apartments and condos, retail space and hotel options. Bonds begin in 2027 and run 30 years, with improvements targeted for completion by 2037. Kansas City Public Schools sent a letter saying it does not fully agree with the decision.
New Land Development Code adopted
The City Commission adopted a rewritten Land Development Code that took effect April 1, 2025. It allows accessory dwelling units, three- and four-plexes and small-lot housing, and sets maximum rather than minimum parking for commercial sites.
Short-term rental rules adjusted ahead of World Cup
Commissioners temporarily lifted the three-license limit per owner from May 25 until the Kansas City World Cup matches end in July, and amended zoning for non-owner-occupied rentals in low-density districts.
City Hall annex purchase approved
The City Commission voted 5-0 to buy the former Journal-World printing buildings at 609 New Hampshire St. and 630 Massachusetts St. for $2.1 million to serve as a City Hall annex. Renovation is expected to be phased.
Two-year data center moratorium
The City Commission unanimously approved a two-year moratorium on large-scale data centers and started a Land Development Code text amendment to regulate them. The moratorium includes a public-hearing exception process.
Police headquarters expansion under construction
Work began in February 2026 on the expansion and renovation of the Liberty Police Department headquarters at 101 E. Kansas St., funded by a voter-approved sales tax. Police operations moved temporarily to 1908 Plumber’s Way, Suite 400, and the city expects the finished facility in summer 2027.
City Council approves $1.4 billion Metrobloks data center
On March 23, 2026, the Liberty City Council approved $1.4 billion in industrial revenue bonds and $202.7 million in tax abatements over 25 years for a three-building, roughly 568,800-square-foot Metrobloks data center near Old Hughes Road and Hughes Road. The state says the project will create at least 30 permanent jobs averaging $95,649 a year, and the council also approved a 25-year, $27.75 million community benefits agreement directed to the Liberty Institute for Science and Ethics. The city says it will not back the bonds.
Dakota Bodies expanding with $21.9 million investment
Dakota Bodies, a maker of utility and service truck bodies and part of the ATW Truck Equipment family, will invest more than $21.9 million to double its Liberty manufacturing footprint and create 172 new jobs. The state announced the project April 6, 2026, with Missouri Works incentives estimated at about $1.39 million, subject to verification.
Big Grove Brewery opens in the former Macy’s at the Shops of Prairie Village
Big Grove Brewery opened a 13,000-square-foot taproom in May 2026 at 7060 Mission Road, on the upper level of the redeveloped former Macy’s building at the Shops of Prairie Village. It was the first tenant to open in the $26 million redevelopment, which also planned an indoor golf venue, GolfTRK, at 7068 Mission and a new lower-level Hen House store expected in September 2026.
“Brighter Basehor” sales tax took effect
Voters approved a roads-and-parks sales tax in November 2025, taking the combined rate from 8.5% to 9% on April 1, 2026.
155th Street roundabout in design
The city is procuring design for a 155th Street roundabout and downtown corridor improvements, and Falcon Lakes may add about 78 to 85 lots.
65 acres on Kansas Avenue rezoned
Council rezoned about 65 acres north of Kansas Avenue to R-1B single-family, allowing up to 5 homes per acre on 7,000-square-foot minimum lots.
Mill levy held flat, plus a homeowner rebate
The 2027 budget keeps the city levy at 33.938 mills and adds “Basehor’s Back to You,” which refunds the city’s share of increases for homeowners whose value rose more than 3%.
New housing land near 132nd and K-7
Council approved a replat and rezoning to mixed residential, allowing up to 18 homes per acre.
City Council sets process to fill District 3 seat
After a District 3 vacancy, the City Council took applications in August and scheduled a Sept. 8, 2026 special session with a public candidate forum and vote. The appointee serves until April 2027, when the seat goes on the ballot.
City Council approves the 2026 property tax levy
After a public hearing at its Sept. 22, 2026, meeting, the City Council approved the city’s 2026 tax levy for properties in Jackson and Cass counties. The City’s Property Tax webpage explains how the levy is set.
Joint Operations Center opens on NW Main Street
The City held an open house and ribbon cutting on Sept. 1, 2026, for its new Joint Operations Center at 1001 NW Main St. The building houses Fire Administration, the Lee’s Summit Communications Center and the city’s Emergency Operations Center. It was one of the public safety projects in the city’s 2023 no-tax-increase bond package.
Ground broken on a 98,000-square-foot indoor sports complex
Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation broke ground on Sept. 3, 2026, on a new indoor sports complex at 201 SW Oldham Parkway, on an 8.5-acre site near U.S. 50 and Missouri 291. The building will exceed 98,000 square feet, with 10 basketball courts, 14 volleyball courts and 20 pickleball courts. The roughly $29.5 million project is funded by a voter-approved quarter-cent parks sales tax and is expected to open in late fall 2027.
Nearly 6 new miles of trail proposed
A trail alignment study brought to the council proposes four new connections: Clear Creek, Canyon Creek, Powerline (Mize Road) and Black Hoof, linking Buffalo Meadows and Black Hoof parks. Staff recommend building Black Hoof first.
A 261-room dual hotel opens at City Center
The AC Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott opened at 8710 Penrose Lane, next to the Public Market and Rec Center.
2027 budget cuts the mill levy again
The council adopted a $275.2 million 2027 budget at 25.984 mills, down 0.25 from 26.234 and the city’s ninth straight rate cut.
Six Olathe schools will close after 2026–27
The school board voted to close Black Bob, Heritage, Scarborough, Tomahawk and Walnut Grove elementaries and Indian Trail Middle School. New boundaries go to a vote in January 2027.
119th Street “missing link”
A $55.7 million extension with an 800-foot bridge and a roundabout at Northgate is set to open to traffic around the end of October 2026, with final work in early 2027.
Quarry expansion near 151st and Old 56 Highway approved
On Oct. 6 the City Council unanimously approved a roughly 109-acre expansion of the Johnson County Aggregates quarry southeast of 151st Street and Old 56 Highway, growing it northwest toward the Oak Run and Lakestone Estates neighborhoods. The Planning Commission had recommended approval 6-2.
New $25 million animal shelter
A 21,600-square-foot shelter at Santa Fe Street and Ridgeview Road began construction in summer 2026 and takes about a year to build.
Clock Tower Landing opens downtown
The city held a ribbon cutting on June 5, 2026, for Clock Tower Landing, a $34 million farmers market pavilion and plaza off Santa Fe Drive that runs from the clock tower down to Marty Street. After 18 months of construction, the pavilion lets the market operate year-round, with heat in winter, shade in summer, a fountain and 12 restroom stalls instead of two. On market days, visitors can park in the Edison garage at 8029 Overland Park Drive, which is free on weekends.
Planning Commission backs 139 homes at 159th and Metcalf
In July 2026, the Overland Park Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of Blue Valley Crest, a Hoppe Development plan for about 139 apartments and townhomes on roughly 7.2 acres at the northeast corner of 159th Street and Metcalf Avenue, near Bluhawk. The request (case REZ2026-00005) would rezone the site from CP-1 commercial to RP-6 and RP-3 residential. The City Council makes the final decision.
Source: Hoodline – Overland Park panel greenlights 139 homes at 159th and Metcalf →
Incentives advance for Windward Estates and the Capital City Townhomes rehab
On April 21, 2026, the council approved a project plan and started the RHID process for Windward Estates, 40 four-bedroom duplex rental units at SE 45th St. and SE California Ave. It also advanced a TIF district and a property tax rebate to rehabilitate 47 rental townhomes at the former Pioneer Homes on SE Massachusetts.
Council rezones east Topeka site for 24 townhomes
On May 5, 2026, the City Council voted 8–2 to rezone about one acre at 2450 SE 25th St. from single-family to multiple-family use. The change allows 24 two-story townhomes of about 1,650 sq. ft. each, built by Calupi Investments.
Data center plan tabled for more information on generators and noise
DAMAC proposed converting a 400,000-square-foot Logistics Park warehouse into a data center with 60 outdoor diesel generators, an electrical substation and an Evergy switching station. City staff noted that the industrial park is already zoned for data centers.
Planning Commission rejects data center site plan; council declines a moratorium
The Planning Commission voted 3-2 against DAMAC’s final site plan, citing concerns about diesel generator fuel storage and noise. The City Council then voted 3-2 against a six-month moratorium on new data center applications.
Council & planning meetings
City Council meets Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. The Planning Commission, where rezonings and new plats are heard first, meets Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Merck Animal Health: an $895 million expansion
Merck is expanding its existing plant at 35500 W. 91st St.: an $860 million, 200,000-square-foot manufacturing addition for animal vaccines and biologics, plus $35 million in lab upgrades. The plan calls for about 2,500 construction jobs and 200-plus permanent jobs on top of the roughly 300 people already working there, with production targeted for 2030. The City Council approved industrial revenue bonds carrying an 85%, 10-year property tax abatement for each of four phases. Planners tabled the site plan in November 2025 over parking, fire lanes and construction traffic.
Six-year capital plan adopted
The 2026–2031 capital improvement plan includes the 83rd Street corridor and a proposed community center.
Street sealing program
The city’s 2026 pavement preservation program is wrapping up, including streets in the Oak Country neighborhood.
Industrial rezoning on Energy Way
Ordinance 2684 rezoned land at the southwest corner of Energy Way and Lexington Avenue from rural (RUR) to light industrial (M-1). If you are looking at homes nearby, factor that in.
City Council meeting schedule
The City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 438 Main. The phone number is 785-584-6155.
Planning commission OKs 149-unit apartments on Rainbow Boulevard
The Unified Government planning commission approved final plans for a seven-story, 149-unit apartment building at 4601 Rainbow Boulevard, south of KU Medical Center and next to Woodside Village North. The 1.89-acre project includes an internal parking garage connecting to West 46th Avenue. Developers are Tanner & White Properties and Block Real Estate Services.
Source: Ingram’s – UG Planning Commission OKs final plans for 149-unit apartment building →
2026 budget raises the city mill levy by 4 mills
The council unanimously approved a 2026 budget that raises Westwood’s rate from 21.199 to 25.199 mills to cover a projected capital-improvement shortfall. For the average home, the city estimated its share of the tax bill at about $1,313 in 2026.
2026 budget adopted; building code update from the 2003 to the 2024 IBC
On August 11, 2025, the council adopted the 2026 budget with a mill rate of 19.843. The city hired GBA to move its building code from the 2003 to the 2024 International Building Code and held a public workshop on October 23, 2025. It also replaced street signs with brown signs, the color used for historic districts.
Source: City of Westwood Hills August and September 2025 Newsletters →
A new justice center is in design
The city bought a site at 58 Highway and Pine Street for police, dispatch, municipal court and emergency management, hired PGAV Architects, and is weighing an April 2027 bond vote.
58 Highway and Dean Avenue road work
The Dean Avenue access management and 58 Highway overlay projects started in 2026, along with mill-and-overlay on N. Madison Street and Gore Road.
Chick-fil-A opened on Foxwood
The first Chick-fil-A in Raymore-Belton opened at 1918 W. Foxwood Dr.
600-plus new home lots approved
The city issued 220 residential permits in 2024, and more than 600 single-family lots are approved across White Tail Run, Park Side, Creekmoor, Madison Valley and Creekside Ranch.
Timber Trails apartments and retail advance
Council gave first-reading approval to bond packages for the Timber Trails/Iconic multifamily and retail phases, and rezoned Good Ranch Tract 12 for a proposed federal records-storage facility.
Slower speed limit on Crimson Avenue
The limit dropped from 30 to 25 mph because of new homes and traffic in the Firetree neighborhood.
New US-56 crosswalks
A flashing-beacon crosswalk and new sidewalk at Santa Fe Drive now connect the Heritage neighborhood to town, and the 8th Street crossing was upgraded.
134 acres annexed north of K-10
Longtime Johnson County developer Clay Blair’s land west of Winchester Road was annexed; “a few hundred” homes were discussed, but no plans have been filed.
The Chiefs are coming to Olathe
The Kansas City Chiefs plan a $300 million headquarters and training facility on about 155 acres near College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road, targeted to open before the 2031 season.
Halo Ridge broke ground at 119th & Renner
A $320 million fully accessible district with an amusement park, a 5,500-seat arena with two ice rinks, a hotel and a care center is under construction, with opening expected in 2027.
$389 million school bond passed
The bond funds two new elementary schools that replace four older ones, a Meadow Lane rebuild and security upgrades, with the bond levy held at 14.342 mills.
50 new home lots at Enclave at Twin Creeks
The council approved rezoning and a preliminary plan for 50 single-family lots on 33 acres at 83rd Street and Clare Road. Earlier in 2025, Cedar Canyon West Villas swapped 40 duplex units for 29 single-family lots near 99th Street and Canyon Creek Boulevard.
Fire Station 6 approved on the old City Hall site
The council voted 8-0 on a preliminary plan to replace the old City Hall on 87th Street Parkway with Fire Station 6 and city IT headquarters, about a $28 million project.
Rebuilt Ad Astra Pool opens
The $8 million pool at 8265 Maurer Road reopened July 4 with zero-depth entry, lap lanes, diving boards and a 180-foot current channel, paid for by the 3/8-cent sales tax.
$16 million grant for a K-10 and Lone Elm interchange
A federal BUILD grant will help KDOT and the city add a new diamond interchange at K-10 and Lone Elm Road plus two miles of auxiliary lanes between K-7 and Woodland Road.
48-unit senior villas open
Bonner Springs Senior Villas, a three-story, 48-unit community for residents 55 and older, opened at 700 S. 132nd St.
93 apartments approved downtown
A four-story building at Front and Oak streets, on the former Thriftway site, will have 43 market-rate and 50 moderate-income units, backed by a $1.7 million state housing grant.
Tag renewals at City Hall
Bonner Springs City Hall became a walk-in tag renewal site on Mondays and Thursdays, saving a trip to Kansas City, Kansas.
Mattel Adventure Park deal approved
The city approved incentives, including $175 million in STAR bonds, for a roughly $540 million Destination KCK park with Barbie and Hot Wheels rides, hotels and retail at 118th and State Avenue. KCUR reports it could open around 2031.
US-24/40 slowed to 55 mph
KDOT and the city lowered the speed limit on US-24/40 through Basehor from 65 to 55 mph between 150th and 158th streets.
Ad Astra property rezoned residential
Council rezoned the Ad Astra Basehor property (“Track 2”) to R-2 residential on a 3–1 vote.
Chasing $17 million in road grants
An updated five-year capital plan adds four projects tied to $17 million in Mid-America Regional Council grant requests, including a 155th Street connector.
Data center zoning under review
Planning Commission agendas on May 20 and Aug. 18, 2026 list “Data Center Moratorium / Zoning Classifications” for discussion.
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