COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR RESOLUTION NO. 180725

Directing the City Manager to review the building permit process for efficiencies and to eliminate any barriers for development of new housing construction, particularly in affordable housing construction.

WHEREAS, in November 2017, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 170825 that directed the City Manager to provide information on the overall state of housing policy at the federal, state and local levels; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 170825 also directed the development of a report on the overall state of housing resources, housing policy, programs and funding options for the City, including the role of affordable housing in the development of the City; and

WHEREAS, regulatory barriers add unanticipated costs to housing construction with a deleterious effect on housing production, including the affordable supply; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. The City Manager is hereby directed to conduct a review of staff guidance or concerns pertaining to the following proposals to expedite building permitting procedures to allow construction of more housing in Kansas City, Missouri:

(a)                Within seven (7) days after receipt for an application for a building permit for single-family residential construction, the City shall review the application and shall request submittal of all additional information the City, by and through its different departments, is permitted by law to require. Within thirty (30) days after receipt of such additional information, the City shall review it and may request only that information needed to clarify such additional information or to answer new questions raised by or directly related to additional information.

(b)               Without explicit authority contained in the City’s Code of Ordinances, the City or a department therein may not require as a condition of approval for a building permit, or as an item to complete a pending building permit application, that an applicant obtain a permit or approval from any other local, state, or federal agency.

This review shall be completed within twenty (20) days and a report of the review shall be made back to Council at its completion.

Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed to conduct a review of staff guidance or concerns pertaining to the following proposals to remove regulatory barriers to further development of affordable housing construction:

(a)                Requiring that all future ordinance revisions proposed by staff be reviewed to ensure the proposed changes do not contradict or negatively impact any affordable housing policies, programs or processes set by the City and that regulatory changes be posted for public stakeholder consumption in sufficient time for public comment and review.

(b)               Review platting process to streamline the approval process and to eliminate any duplicative reviews and identify efficiencies.

(c)                Evaluate cross department input and timing of public improvement requirements for housing development.

This review shall be completed within twenty (20) days and a report of the review shall be made back to Council at its completion.

_____________________________________________