COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR RESOLUTION NO. 100175, AS AMENDED
Directing the City Manager to
prepare a plan to provide sanitary sewer service to the First and Second Creek
and Little Blue River Watersheds of Kansas City, Missouri and report back to
the Council in 90 days.
WHEREAS, during
Council debate, concerning annexation of the Tomahawke Ridge area, north of the
First and Second Creek Watersheds, the issue of "leap frog"
development and the lack of infrastructure in the Northland was the focus of
much concern; and
WHEREAS, there are approximately 5,000 acres of developable property
within the First Creek Watershed and 10,000 acres of developable property
within the Second Creek Watershed, all located east of I-29, south of I-435,
west of 169 Highway and north of 152 Highway; and
WHEREAS, the extension of sewers within these watersheds has been
contemplated by the Black & Veatch study since 1957 and promised since the
1960 voter approved $75,000,000.00 sewerage system revenue bonds; and
WHEREAS, more recently, the 2005, $250,000,000.00 water bond issue made
similar promises concerning the proposed sewer improvements within these
watersheds; and
WHEREAS, the area drained by the First and Second Creek Watersheds is
similar to "a big undeveloped doughnut hole" in the middle of what
had been a booming Northland area because there are inadequate sewers in these
watersheds; and
WHEREAS, the City Water Services Department has again pushed back the
commencement of construction of these improvements to 2014 or later because of
the Missouri Department of Natural Resources new regulations requiring improved
disinfection practices at Kansas City's seven wastewater treatment plants; and
WHEREAS, the City has had authority to issue sewer bonds since 1960 and
has issued such bonds but has not made the improvements, thus, depriving these
areas of their ability to develop and create additional property sales and
earnings tax revenue for the City; and
WHEREAS, despite the best efforts of private developers to proceed with a
public-private contract sewer program to accelerate sewer construction in the
area, said program has not been implemented by the City; and
WHEREAS, the Little Blue River Watershed has experienced similar issues
related to land and economic development due to the lack of sewers in the
watershed; and
WHEREAS, a modest investment in the extension of sewers in the Little
Blue Watershed may yield more than two hundred times that investment in new
development; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
That the City Manager is hereby directed to proceed with the preparation
of a plan to implement and construct sanitary sewer infrastructure improvements
in the First and Second Creek Watersheds and the Little Blue River Watershed in
conformance with the City's Master Plan and Major Street Plan and report back
to the Council within 90 days with a schedule of implementation thereof and a
plan for stakeholder advisory on said implementation.
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