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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