PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF LAND TO WEST AND
NORTHWEST
OF PRESENT CITY LIMITS OF PARKVILLE, MISSOURI
March 14, 2000
(NOTE: These minutes are
intended to give a report on the presentation made by the City of Parkville,
and responses by speakers. They do not purport to be a verbatim transcript.)
The meeting was held in
the cafeteria of Graden Elementary School at 7 p.m.
PRESENT FOR THE CITY OF PARKVILLE:
Mayor William M. Quitmeier
Ward 1 Aldermen Jack Friedman & Charlie Poole
Ward 2 Aldermen David McCoy & Dave Rittman
Ward 3 Aldermen Marvin Ferguson & Linda Arnold
Ward 4 Aldermen Gerry Richardson & Brian Atkinson
City Administrator Patrick Hawver
Police Chief Bill Hudson
City Attorney Jack Campbell
City Clerk Barbara Lance
Master Plan Committee Chairman Gary Smith
Mayor Quitmeier thanked
Graden for the use of the school. He said this was the second of three hearings
on the subject of this proposed annexation. The third and formal public hearing
will take place on May 2nd just prior to consideration that same
evening of the ordinance of annexation. That hearing will be held at Parkville
City Hall, in the Board Room, at 7 p.m., and will be the first order of
business of a regular Board of Aldermen meeting. He said that notices would be
sent to all property owners in the area.
The purpose of these
hearings, the mayor said, is to hear comments and answer questions. At the last
meeting, an informal gathering held in February at the Heartland Presbyterian
Center, there were questions which we answered. Since that meeting, W. K.
Jenkins, who owns property in this area and in another area which was annexed
into the city by involuntary annexation earlier, contacted the mayor to say he
would not oppose this annexation because it was reported that in the first
meeting an accommodation would be reached on the matter of hunting in the area.
The Barth brothers, developers near the area proposed for annexation, have met
with the city and are in discussions about developing within this area.
He realizes the area is
rural at this point, Mayor Quitmeier said, We believe it will develop and will
urbanize. We will accept it as rural.
The mayor introduced other
city officials, listed above.
He said this all began
with The National, a new development housing two golf courses and large
residential areas. Alderman Gerry Richardson heard that the Windbrook Golf
Course had been sold, and suggested Parkville officials go see the buyers about
coming into Parkville. Officials made the visit, and the buyers’ reaction was
very favorable, resulting in voluntary annexation of all the property they
bought for The National. They said the sense of community emanating from
downtown Parkville was what they wanted for their development.
Mayor Quitmeier said Mr.
Richardson then suggested that Parkville ought to look at the master plan again
in light of this new 1,000-acre development. The existing master plan was done
in 1995, when The National had not been conceived. The Master Plan Committee
was reactivated in 1998, and they began to study the issue. The mayor said
everyone is welcome to attend these meetings to help us plan; the next one is
Monday, March 20th, at 6 p.m., at Parkville City Hall, 1201 East
Street. Among those on the Master Plan Committee, he said, are Gary Smith, who
acts as chairman, surveyor Charlie Kutz, Stacy Pulse, Harold Brown, Aldermen
Dave Rittman and Gerry Richardson, and himself. We’re not trying to control
you, he said, we’re trying to join you to shape the growth of southern Platte
County.
Between NASCAR and KCI
Airport, the mayor said, there are not enough hotels. These corridors will
become commercialized. Kansas City Councilman Ed Ford wrote us a letter and
said "That’s ours." Where are tax revenues going to end up? An answer
from the audience was "south." The mayor said "That’s right. But
if the area becomes Parkville the tax revenue will come to us, all of us in
southern Platte County, and will be spent here to build parks and bridges and
better roads."
His "druthers,"
he said, would be not to see all this developed. He loves the view of woods as
he drives Highway 45 between Riss Lake and Tremont, and the rolling hills west
of the city. He’d like it to stay. He and Mayor Pauli Kendrick of Weatherby
Lake, Neil Davidson of Parkville, and Betsy Hulen of Riverside were the
founding members of the Platte County Land Trust. They formed to provide a
collective force to preserve some of this open land. They have already received
20 acres off Union Chapel Road, and would join with anyone present to try to
preserve their land in the same way.
How will this develop, he
asked, "Do we want huge county subdivisions?" St. Louis County
officials wish they had done it differently, as they try to serve their
numerous large subdivisions. Mayor Quitmeier said he didn’t think it would be
in the best interest of any of us to have the county develop as county
subdivisions. Neither did he think it was in anyone’s best interests to have
this land go into Kansas City. He said the advantages of joining this area with
Parkville are:
He
said we all share this community – "Our parks are your parks – we invite
you to use them." He spoke about English Landing Park and the Nature
Sanctuary, both of which have been developed and enhanced by volunteers from
inside and outside the city. He said our kids play together. We share the Park
Hill School District, the Southern Platte County Athletic Association, the
Southern Platte County Fire Protection District. We shop in the same places,
suffer through bad development, and our lives are enhanced by good development.
He referred to the Boy Scout philosophy, which asks "Did we leave this
place a better place then when we received it?" He said "Parkville
has open, good, free and responsive government, and we want you to be part of
it."
He
said Graden would like us to be out of the building by 10 p.m. So he would ask
that the questions and comments be to the point and not repeat a lot of what’s
already been said.
Mr.
Hawver spoke about city services. He said the city would be moving toward
annexation of commercial areas to generate additional sales tax, which would
pay the costs of servicing these large non-commercial areas in the years before
the I-435 corridor is developed commercially. We can provide adequate police
protection, snow removal, and street maintenance. The road district will
continue to maintain Union Chapel Road. Jones-Myer Road doesn’t actually serve
anyone in the annexed area, and the city would be working with the county and
the residents to see what (upkeep) to do on this road.
He
said city stickers on vehicles are $5 apiece, and allow residents to use the
facilities of our cleanup sites and the hazardous household waste sites MARC
makes available in Kansas City and at its mobile sites in participating cities.
Everyone
is welcome to use the recycling site in Parkville, whether residents or not.
All city residents get the services of our public works department, and code
enforcement. Our building codes are similar to those of the county. Since our
last meeting we found that an area we had thought vacant is actually part of a
large subdivision; our map did not show the construction there. We took ten
parcels off the original map.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he would like to recognize Sheriff Dick Anderson, who was
present along with some of his law enforcement staff.
Chief
Hudson said Sheriff Anderson has a good professional police department. So does
Parkville, he said. It is well-funded and well-equipped. The Board of Aldermen
has consistently provided what the Police Department needs. The chief said he
had emphasized from the beginning that we had to plan for police services to
the new area, and we have. Two more police will be added to the force (one has
already been added). As things grow he will go back and ask for more.
Essentially we will have districts; there will be a lot of changes, but he is
ready to adapt.
Mr.
Campbell said he noticed a number of other attorneys in the audience and
invited them to contact him for information. The purpose of this meeting was to
bring the people in the area our Plan of Intent which was distributed that
night. The public hearing is actually about the annexation ordinance. The
formal hearing will be held May 2nd at City Hall. The procedure for
annexation requires the City to file for a declaratory judgment in circuit
court. Not all property owners in the area need to be named as defendants in
the suit, but we do have to name some owners who are opposed and some owners
who are in favor of the annexation. He asked people who are opposed to signify
that by marking "opposed" on their sign-up cards and leaving them
with the city clerk. Those in favor should contact Mr. Hawver or Mayor
Quitmeier.
He
said the law changed during the 1999 session, giving cities the option of
having the election(s) before going to court for the declaratory judgment
action. The declaratory judgment action is actually a class action. There are
about 109 property owners in the area proposed for annexation. The City does
not have to name every property owner as a defendant in the action. The City
does have an obligation to name a representative group of people -- large
property owners, small ones, and both agricultural and residential land owners.
A person named in the suit doesn’t necessarily have to do anything. Any
property owner who is not named in the suit can intervene and be part of it.
The action requested from the court is a judgment that the annexation is
reasonable and necessary to the development of the city, and that the same
services provided to residents in the city can be provided to those in the area
proposed for annexation.
If
the City decides to go to court first before an election, the court must
declare the annexation reasonable and necessary to the development of the city.
Then the election would follow. The election is held in two places, the
incorporated area and the unincorporated area. If both areas approve the
annexation by a simple majority, the annexation is accomplished. If it fails in
the unincorporated area, a second election is held, and the votes are tallied
together. The annexation needs to win by a 2/3 majority of the total votes cast
in the second election. If it doesn’t, then the City of Parkville cannot
attempt to annex the same area again for two years.
If
the election(s) take place before the court rules, and the result is favorable
for annexation, the court still has to rule that the annexation is reasonable
and necessary to the development of the city before the annexation is
accomplished.
The
Parkville Board of Aldermen has not yet decided whether the court action or the
election(s) should come first.
Mike
Sienicki (not a resident of the area proposed for annexation) spoke. He said
the mayor said "Our parks are your parks," and asked why he said
earlier "Get out of the wagon and pull." Mayor Quitmeier said he
apologized for that remark, but he did think cities subsidize roads in county
subdivisions, road districts, etc. He didn’t want ever to give the impression
these parks are not for you. Twenty per cent of the people using the parks and
the Parkville Swimming Pool are Parkville residents. The City of Parkville pays
all the expenses. Alderman Linda Arnold is one of the committee members who
went and monitored the pool. He took back the remark about the wagon, and said
come on down. It’s for everybody.
Mr.
Sienicki said his taxes have doubled in the year he’s been living here. They
will only be worse. He is getting more government than he wants. He spent five
years behind the Iron Curtain.
Mayor
Quitmeier said the City of Parkville has lowered its annual property tax levy
from 85 cents per $200 of assessed valuation in 1993 to 65 cents per hundred
dollars of assessed valuation in 1999. Some of the increased taxes are because
the school district is building more schools, adding that it is a darn good
school district.
Mr.
Sienicki said if most of these people there wanted to live in Parkville they
would be there already.
Linda
McFarland, a resident of the area proposed for annexation, said this one area is
being eliminated because of new homes, but you’ve got forty families living on
the (other) property. She thinks the only reason "you’re annexing us
instead of them is because you’re big enough and you can beat us." She
said they live on a farm. They don’t belong in the city.
Mayor
Quitmeier said they didn’t want to force people to come into the city. Mrs.
McFarland said they (the City) didn’t want people with money to oppose them.
William
Lay, an attorney who lives in Fayette, Missouri, and owns property in the area
proposed for annexation, said the city was apparently avoiding whole
subdivisions, and asked why.
Mayor
Quitmeier said about twenty years ago there was a big political bloodbath. Some
people in Walnut Creek Acres wanted to come into the City of Parkville, but
many fought against it. The Master Plan Committee said the city can’t do much
with subdivisions already developed. The city wants to annex vacant ground to
help develop the growth in a way that’s satisfactory. We don’t want to repeat
the mistakes of the past. Some subdivision residents have expressed interest in
being annexed; voluntary annexation is much easier than involuntary.
Mr.
Lay said "So your concern is to get annexation through, is that
correct?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said yes, both ways. If we tried to annex all these subdivisions we
would have to rent a larger auditorium to hold all the people. He said he
thought the whole area would eventually be in Parkville.
Mr.
Lay asked him if he had any idea what the assessed valuation is on the
properties (in the area proposed for annexation). Mr. Hawver said no, but that
information is available in the office. The mayor asked Mr. Lay to call the
office and speak with Mr. Hawver about it.
Mr.
Lay asked what year Riss Lake was annexed. Mayor Quitmeier said he thought it
was 1986 or 1987, noting that the major part of it was already in Parkville;
only a portion of it was brought in by annexation (voluntary).
Mr.
Lay asked if the section added was about 40 acres; Mayor Quitmeier agreed that
was probably about right.
Mr.
Lay said "Then the Jenkins’ property? Then the golf course?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said also River Hills Estates, which was another voluntary
annexation.
Mr.
Lay asked if the City of Parkville is planning on providing sewer services to
this area, or is it provided by the County.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we can provide sewer services to some of it, but a lot of it is
in the Platte County Regional Sewer District already. We’d have to look at the
land, see where it is. Typically, he said, developers provide sewer lines.
Mr.
Lay said "But you do provide sewer services to some people, don’t
you?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said Riss Lake put in its own sewer lines.
Mr.
Lay said you do provide to the rest of the city.
The
mayor said in the subdivision in which he lives (above Highway 45) the sewerage
goes to Kansas City, and the City of Parkville bills him and pays Kansas City.
The golf course sewerage will go partly to the Platte County Regional Sewer
District and partly into the Parkville sewer system.
Mr.
Lay asked if there were increased costs connected with this annexation.
Mayor
Quitmeier said yes, for police, snow plowing, streets, etc. Two commercial
areas would be annexed along with this one: Crestridge and Fast Stop. There are
no voters in these areas.
Mr.
Lay asked how much vacant land is in residential.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he didn’t think we had any land other than what is already being
developed -- we’re pretty tapped out. There is some commercial zoning along
Highway 9.
Mr.
Lay said "So you have no available land for development in the existing
city, is that correct? "
The
mayor said that’s generally true.
Mr.
Lay said in the 1995 Master Plan it was not suggested that you take in this
entire tract up this way, was it?
Mayor
Quitmeier said no, but it was projected that in the future the city should
consider that.
Mr.
Lay said but not this far north. You have no plan on that?
Mayor
Quitmeier said not at that time.
Mr.
Lay said "Since then?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said yes, our Plan of Intent is right here.
Mr.
Lay asked if he knew how many people per acre Parkville has.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we estimate our population at 4,000, and our area at 8.75 square
miles.
Mr.
Lay said that’s a little over an acre per person currently.
Bob
Jester, an attorney who lives in the area proposed for annexation, said he had
been reading in the newspaper that Parkville can anticipate as much as a 50%
increase in sewer taxes. Would that apply only to residents presently using the
sewer system?
Mayor
Quitmeier explained that the anticipated increase is not in sewer taxes, but
monthly sewer system user fees, and it would apply only to people using the
sewer system, and to residents like himself, who live above Highway 45 and use
the Kansas City sewer system but pay Parkville. We have some aging pipes. He
thinks the average monthly fee would from about $10 to $15. The rates have not
been raised in over twenty years. It would not apply to the annexed area unless
sewer services from the Parkville plant were provided to those residents.
Mr.
Jester said the mayor indicated at the last meeting there was no plan for the
area to be annexed with reference to what the city plans to do with it. Is that
right?
Mayor
Quitmeier said the City wants the people there to participate. You’re more
important, he said. We want to bring you into the planning process. We don’t
want to control you. We want us to control us.
Mr.
Jester asked if there were any key projects allocated monies in the proposed
annexed area.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we’re built out right now. Shafer Kline & Warren are our
engineers. He would be going to the Board and asking them for money to hire a
full-time planner, largely devoted to the new area. Missouri is not like Kansas
where we put in roads ahead of development. Missouri doesn’t do it that way.
Mr.
Jester asked if we had not allocated any funds or established projects.
Mayor
Quitmeier said where Highways 45 and 152 intersect with I-435 he anticipates
they would be nicely developed areas, with hotels and restaurants and
facilities to serve NASCAR and the airport, but there is no formal plan.
Mr.
Jester said you have indicated there would be another layer of taxes. You have
also indicated we should fear Kansas City – that tax money would go south. He
said he read from your alderman’s web site that many key projects have been
left undone. Many other needs have been left unaddressed. He asked if this
other layer of taxes would go to old Parkville as opposed to south of Kansas
City?
Mayor
Quitmeier said first you would have to buy into that campaign rhetoric and he
doesn’t. He thinks it’s balderdash. The City is making inroads on some of these
capital improvements, substantial inroads. Residential areas are pretty much
quid pro quo, so don’t think the city makes a tremendous amount of profit from
residential property taxes. Of our 1.9 million dollar budget, about $800,000
comes from sales taxes.
Mr.
Jester said tax dollars would be credited to the existing budget, right?
Mayor
Quitmeier said no.
Mr.
Jester said you are not going to be providing us with sewers, gas, lights, etc.
You are not providing normal city services. You promised us a plan that you
don’t have and half a policeman. Is that all we would get?
Mayor
Quitmeier said no. You would have a substantial voice. He thinks the County
does a great job of policing and providing you services. But we’re very proud
of Parkville police and the service they provide. He was down at MAST today and
they were proud of a 7.5 minute response. It doesn’t take that long in
Parkville.
Mr.
Jester said you are taking credit for other areas. You can’t tell us you’re
going to have a 7.5 minute response.
Mayor
Quitmeier said another station is planned in our area.
Mr.
Jester said they haven’t seen it.
Mr.
Richardson said he honestly didn’t know when or where this document was
published (projected costs for the annexation area) but it is available to you.
Maybe it depends on what you define as a plan. He would not presume to make a
commitment for the Board of Aldermen, but he has looked at revenue vs.
expenses. It shows that over time you would be receiving $83,000 more in
services than you would be paying in taxes. The city is not in this just for
the money. We are genuinely concerned about how this area grows and develops.
Mr.
Jester said the city has a low tax base to begin with. You’re annexing an area
that has no infrastructure. You have a very Pollyanna attitude. Citizens of
Parkville should be aware that a lot of money will have to go into this.
Mayor
Quitmeier said that’s why these two commercial areas would be brought in, and
asked "When was the last time government put in trunk lines? Developers
put them in."
Mr.
Jester asked if the developer would build a new sewer plant. He said you don’t
take in my road but I’ll still have to rely on County services to do that road.
Parkville police would have no authority there. You have gerrymandered so you
can make a land grab. He doesn’t think there is any equity there for people who
are going to live in the area you are proposing to annex.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he didn’t think Mr. Jester had a great risk from Kansas City,
but the I-435 corridor has. There is a tremendous probability that Kansas City
will take it. He said Mr. Jester’s attitude was kind of selfish – let Kansas
City take it and let that money be spent elsewhere. The mayor said he pays
taxes to fix Union Chapel Road; by State law the road district has to return to
the city 25% of taxes collected from the city, but 75% of his tax dollars go to
fix county streets. He had a right to say that’s unfair to him.
Mr.
Jester said he wanted a share of the tax money he spent in Parkville.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he’s heard that sales tax argument and he doesn’t buy it. He
pays a road tax that he doesn’t get any benefit from but that fixes his (Mr.
Jester’s roads). Every single person in the City of Parkville is subsidizing
his road repairs. Maybe fairness isn’t an issue.
Mrs.
McFarland asked why these people pay school taxes (indicating people sitting
near her) – they have no children in school.
Ann
Thrall, a resident in the area proposed for annexation, said she has lived on
Union Chapel Road for 28 years, and has seen all these places develop. They
bought their land to be in the country. There are restrictions in the city. You
say there would be restrictions. She asked the City to outline its restrictions
on burning trash and animal regulation.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he didn’t think you could burn trash anywhere.
Mrs.
Thrall said you could burn to clear your land.
Mayor
Quitmeier said the City doesn’t regulate burning; the South Platte Fire
Protection District does.
Mrs.
Thrall said if you’ve got five acres why tie your dog up?
Mayor
Quitmeier said he agreed. That’s the kind of thing we want brought to our
attention.
Mrs.
Thrall said what if one citizen comes up and says he lives in Parkville, too –
why do I have to tie my dog up?
The
mayor said he didn’t see that happening.
Mrs.
Thrall talked about trash, noise, and city regulations. If the city doesn’t
like noise you’re making, you can get a ticket for that.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we could tell people that’s a non-urban area. Parkville didn’t
develop mini-warehouses, didn’t build large subdivisions in the county. That’s
happening outside of Parkville.
Mrs.
Thrall said they pay all our services themselves. She said "You said you
bypassed all the subdivisions. Why not consider Union Chapel Road? Why not make
it a subdivision and leave us alone?".
Mayor
Quitmeier said he thinks we need to come to an arrangement and work together
with the road district (on Union Chapel Road). That’s why we’re having these
public hearings, to see if we can accommodate that.
Mrs.
Thrall said Union Chapel Road is developed all along the road.
Mayor
Quitmeier said the Platte County Land Trust got 20 acres of undeveloped land
off Union Chapel Road.
Mrs.
Thrall said she (the donor) donated that willingly.
Mayor
Quitmeier said that’s right. He thinks other people would be willing to do
that. He wants to make sure that if land is developed it is developed in a
quality way.
Mrs.
Thrall said she fought BFI for years until they got the landfill closed. She
doesn’t mind a good fight and they’re not quitting a fight now.
Mr.
Atkinson asked if she ever imagined the development that’s taken place out
there.
Mrs.
Thrall said yes.
Mr.
Atkinson said he had been on the board for just ten months. He could see where
she’s coming from; she wants to keep it country, wants to keep it rural. He
knew it’s been said Parkville awakened the sleeping dog, but everything they
(Kansas City representatives) have said indicates they weren’t sleeping. He was
sorry if Mrs. Thrall thinks we’re making a threat.
Clark
__________, Union Chapel Road, said "You really don’t give a damn because
you’ve got it all locked up -- this board has already made up its mind --
you’ve got more votes in Parkville than we’ve got -- no-one is going to change
my mind."
Mayor
Quitmeier invited him to come to City Hall to talk about it.
Clark
________ said "This (Plan of Intent) wasn’t sent to my house -- you’ve got
an advantage."
Mayor
Quitmeier said if he (Clark) was trying to talk the City out of annexing, he
himself (as mayor) doesn’t have a vote in passing ordinances (except in case of
a tie); he could talk to aldermen about abandoning the plan. But what he’s
suggesting is that’s unlikely to happen. He said he (Clark) is more apt to
convince them to pass ordinances with different rules for rural areas.
"We’re all ears," he said. There is plenty of time to digest this
(Plan of Intent) before May 2nd. Come to City Hall, he said, and
talk with him, or with City Administrator Pat Hawver, Police Chief Bill Hudson,
or City Clerk Barbara Lance. He said Parkville residents have to vote, too, and
might vote against it.
Clark
said they were outvoted. Half the people don’t even live on their property.
"Are you listening to any of these people out here?" he asked,
"Is anyone listening to these people?".
Mr.
Poole said "That’s why we’re here tonight. I haven’t made up my mind. I’m
listening to input. This meeting is an opportunity for aldermen to listen to
the people, and for them to hear what we’ve got to say."
Clark
addressed the audience and said "They (aldermen) didn’t hear any of you
people -- this is gonna be whether you like it or not. They didn’t care whether
you like it or not. This is just a done meeting – it ain’t gonna change the
outcome of this."
John
Carter, a resident of the area proposed for annexation, said he put up a house
on 20 acres. He doesn’t want more taxes. He asked how many people that
represent Parkville own land in this area to be annexed that will benefit from
it financially?
The
answer was none.
Mr.
Carter said "None of your friends?"
Again
the answer was no.
Mayor
Quitmeier talked about property taxes. He said W. K. Jenkins referred to the
increased taxes on the property he owned which was annexed a few years ago as
"just a pimple." Parkville city taxes on a house with an assessed
valuation of $100,000 would be about $120 a year.
Mr.
Carter asked if they happen to run a sewer by his property would he have to pay
a special assessment?
Mayor
Quitmeier said probably, if he’s in the Platte County Regional Sewer District.
Mr.
Hawver said everyone in the unincorporated area of Platte County is technically
in the Platte County Regional Sewer District. If they come into Parkville, it
is possible the City could represent them in discussions with the PCRSD.
Mr.
Carter said someone up on Highway 92 got a $33,000 special sewer assessment.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he wished we (the City of Parkville) had this land before the sewer
district was formed.
Mr.
Carter asked if tax breaks would be given to commercial developers on this
corridor?
Mayor
Quitmeier said that would be up to officials at that time. When he set up a TIF
(Tax Increment Financing) committee some years ago he was careful to include
people from the school district, fire district, road district, etc. Those
people shot the proposed TIF down. TIF’s are mostly for blighted areas. If you
live in Parkville you can tell your aldermen you don’t want that. He said Kansas
City took the I-29 corridor next to Liberty. They offered a TIF to Wal-Mart,
which then left Liberty and came across the road to Kansas City. Tax dollars
from that area adjacent to Liberty now go to Kansas City. He said if people
think their voice would be heeded by Kansas City councilmen more than by these
people here (Parkville aldermen), they should go to Kansas City.
Mr.
Carter said annexation just means more taxes, more development, more
restrictions.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he’s not trying to encourage development. He’s trying to make
sure that what development occurs will be done in a quality fashion, with green
space preserved.
Mr.
Carter said the cost (to the city) to develop one square mile around these
intersections would be a big expense.
Mayor
Quitmeier said in Missouri developers pay that expense. The City can’t tax
anybody without a vote of the people because of the Hancock Amendment. The
infrastructure is done by the developer. Kansas City is seeking an impact fee.
Developers pay the costs themselves.
Mr.
Carter said "You don’t have a real good answer for this but why were all
other subdivisions excluded? They would have provided a broader property tax
base, etc."
Mayor
Quitmeier said "If you think it’s fun sitting up here and being told we’re
scoundrels and have people clap at those remarks, just magnify that by one
hundred." He added that we can’t do anything to control the development of
established subdivisions, such as Misty Woods.
Mr.
Hennessey, a resident of River Road, asked why Parkville wants control.
Mayor
Quitmeier said quality (of future development).
Mr.
Carter asked if they were annexed could they be labeled "Parkville 2"
and have a different tax base/
Mayor
Quitmeier said, he didn’t think in a Missouri 4th-class city you
could discriminate. The golf course financed its infrastructure by borrowing
money through two NIDs (Neighborhood Improvement Districts) . One was approved
by parkville and one by Platte County. They got cheap government bond money and
will levy assessments against those homes there. Future residents will pay for
the infrastructure. If they don’t do it that way developers get the
infrastructure expenses back in lot sales. NIDs are done in certain
neighborhoods, and leave other neighborhoods untaxed.
Bill
Donahue, no address given, asked "When you made this determination to give
new meaning to gerrymandering, who made the decision?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said our Master Plan Committee did, then brought it to the Planning
Commission, and then the Board of Aldermen, who approved the plan.
Mr.
Donahue asked if anybody ever contacted citizens in the subdivisions that were
there or was it an assumption that because of what happened in Walnut Creek
20-plus years ago ....
Mayor
Quitmeier asked why that would be the City’s responsibility? Why wouldn’t the
people come to us if they wanted to be annexed. A few years ago Kenny Hevalow
circulated a petition among his neighbors and brought it to the Board of
Aldermen, and we brought in sixteen homes by voluntary annexation.
Mr.
Donahue said you have talked about a sense of community, yet you have told
everybody "We don’t want you." He asked the chief how his officers
would get to I-435 for accidents.
Chief
Hudson said Highway 45 will be annexed.
Mr.
Donahue said "You would go past my house with sirens blaring. Because we
live there and because you might have a problem with getting an ordinance
passed, just say Kansas City is a Class One city."
Mayor
Quitmeier said he could ask for voluntary annexation.
Mr.
Donahue said he’s hoping you understand why he would rather not be annexed by
anyone. (NOTE: Mr. Donahue’s name does not appear on the list of property
owners in the area proposed for annexation.) You’ve gone ahead and taken an
annexation plan for which the first premise is that Kansas City will annex if
you don’t. You don’t want to spend money on services in built-up areas, so you
left the rest for Kansas City.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he stated earlier that he expected the whole area would become
Parkville someday, and everybody booed.
Mr.
Donahue said no, everybody chuckled. Tax bills for other areas are all ready to
go out.
Mr.
Smith introduced himself as chairman of the Master Plan Committee. He said the
planning began without regard to Kansas City. It started with the premise that
these areas were going to grow and because of traffic and shopping patterns,
the growth in southern Platte County is going to affect Parkville whether it is
in the city or not. Subdivisions have essentially been developed to their full
capacity. We wanted to take vacant land which had not yet been developed and
have the ability to coordinate its development with that of the entire area. We
are limited by State statutes as to how much we can annex at any given time –
the limit is 15% based on contiguous area. Even if Countrywood wanted to be
included in this same annexation, it could not because of that factor. However,
because of the shape of the annexation Countrywood would be in a very good
position to come in by voluntary annexation.
Mr.
Donahue said it would be too late once Kansas City decided they want it.
Mayor
Quitmeier said in that case he would still have to put up with the noise of
police cars responding to incidents beyond his home.
Chief
Hudson reminded Mr. Donahue that someone is responding now.
Mr.
Donahue said they’re not coming from the east.
Tim
Carr (not a resident of the area proposed for annexation) asked how firm were
the boundaries and were there going to be some off-line discussions about
"noodling" with those boundaries.
Mayor
Quitmeier said the sooner the better for any such discussions. He asked Mr.
Carr to come into City Hall and talk with city officials.
Mr.
Carr asked if there could be carving out of areas.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we already carved out some areas.
Mr.
Carr said he used to live in Parkville. He wants to remain in (unincorporated)
Platte County. He is very pleased with services there: the Sheriff’s
Department, the roads. There is a definite perceived value by people who want
to live in the country and not in the city. People want horses, etc. He made a
move out of the city. What logic is there on the western boundary? Just make
sure you don’t go near Fox Road, he said. Parkville is always in some kind of turmoil
– riverboat or something.
Mr.
Smith said the western boundaries end along the section line. They were very
careful not to go right down the middle of a single-owner tract. A lot of time
and thought went into it.
Mr.
Carr said a woman said three farms were split up.
Mr.
Smith said that was inadvertent on our part.
Mayor
Quitmeier invited Mr. Carr to come to City Hall and point that out to us.
Dr.
Lewis, there to represent Crestridge Shopping Center, asked if the mayor said
Crestridge was in favor of being annexed.
Mayor
Quitmeier said no, he said it was our intent to seek annexation there.
Mr.
Campbell said he would like to respond to a comment by Mr. Donahue about a
first-class city. He said Kansas City at this time is not any different than
Parkville regarding annexation. The process is pretty much the same. He would
like to make a minor point, which takes a shot at his profession.
He
said the intersections at Highways I-435 and 45 will generate commercial
taxation for somebody in whatever jurisdiction they are in. We took in a lot of
property in the Jenkins annexation, and the amount of taxes Mr. Jenkins now
pays, and he will be the first to admit this, none of us in this room will live
long enough to see his taxes rise enough to pay for what the City of Parkville
paid his firm in legal fees for that case.
He
said the place people should be complaining about annexation is Jefferson City.
There is a limited burden cities have to go through to get to annexation. The
only people making money (on annexation cases) are lawyers for the city and the
lawyers you are going to hire. You ought to vent some of your spleen to your
State legislators. City people, in his opinion, don’t do annexation to get tax
revenue. They try to do annexation because they don’t want people outside the
boundary lines to do something to hurt people inside the boundary lines.
It
is always better to have people working together to effect good results, Mr.
Campbell said.
Doug
Nesbitt, a resident of the area proposed for annexation, said it was great to
see some of the common people speaking. Last time it was the developers. The
lawyer is absolutely right, he said. This process can happen with Parkville or
Kansas City. For himself, he’d rather be in Parkville. "We can sit here and
talk to these people about our concerns" he said, and asked if they
thought hey could do that with Kansas City.
Mr.
Nesbitt said Saddle Club Estates comes in and the upper road is paved. Now
Union Chapel Road gets paved down to the river. Now all that traffic comes
right down our chute. Just west of Union Chapel that’s a done deal. BFI took
all the dirt off Shields’ property and put it on the dump. The sewer line is
already there, already run up that creek. It is all going to develop. The County
has planned for it. We’re not getting anything from the County. We will all end
up in Parkville. Richard Hevalow does not even get water. Mr. Nesbitt asked
Parkville officials "If you come in, please do something for us." He
said he read the Plan of Intent and saw we have four wards. He’d like to see
five wards so they could have some representation.
Mayor
Quitmeier said Mrs. Lance had suggested that a fifth ward be added to take in
the new people in the annexed area and in The National and River Hills Estates.
Mr.
Nesbitt said that’s right. Half of Union Chapel Road is in the area to be
annexed, and half isn’t. The people who are in don’t want to be – the people
who aren’t in do want to be. He said he’d rather go down to Parkville and talk
to the common people. His base recommendation is let’s go along with these
people. You’re talking about working with us. Most of the land is agricultural
land. What makes property go up is developers coming in. It’s gonna happen, he
said. If he has a voice, he’d rather do it in Parkville than in Kansas City. He
added that Platte County has a great sheriff’s department.
Mr.
Nesbitt asked about Neighborhood Improvement Districts, specifically asking
that when developers put roads "up there," could they please pay for
the roads themselves. No-one is paying for the roads now. It used to be a
gravel road. If we work together we can make these newcomers more responsible –
make them put in parks, proper roads, etc., and make our values come up. He
doesn’t want to pay E-tax in Kansas City.
Chuck
Olsen of Smart Estates, adjacent to the area proposed for annexation, said he
sees the area Parkville is looking at every day. He runs ten miles a week on
Brink-Myer Road. He has a vision for that he wanted to share. He doesn’t look
forward to seeing a valley of gaudy neon. He could anticipate a valley with a
good jogging trail that goes from River road up to Tiffany Park with care as to
how it’s laid out, so I-435 is seen as a beautiful gateway to the county where
the terrain of hills is respected and not destroyed by developers. What goes on
below his property is kind of who gets it with the highest dollar. Is there
resolve to come up with a plan and stick with it? He doesn’t want to see big
signs like he sees along I-29. He trusts Parkville more than he would trust
Platte County or Kansas City.
Mayor
Quitmeier said Mr. Olsen’s vision was shared by Parkville. The city is limited
by State statutes, but we would do all we could.
Mr.
Friedman said our development ordinances require a certain percentage of land
for parks and green spaces. When they widened Highway 45, it was Parkville
representatives Bill Quitmeier and Pat Hawver that got them to include a median
and sidewalks. We have some pull and some say, especially because everyone is
involved. He’d like Mr. Olsen and the others there to come in and help prepare
ordinances that will preserve our way of life and control what goes in there.
We have a sign ordinance. He didn’t know what control we would have over a
federal highway.
He
said our Nature Sanctuary went from nothing to 46 acres, and then the State
added 66 acres. A volunteer organization developed trails, including
handicapped trails. We were the first to put in a park along the river. It took
us a long time to buy that land but we did that with volunteer help and with
determination to keep this city looking as beautiful as it can be.
For
The National we required certain size roads, and a lot of green space came in
with the golf courses. Their trails will go all the way down for anyone to use.
We also got money from the developer to connect to the trails along the river.
The mayor is very interested and very involved in regional trails. We hope
Parkville keeps working the way it does right now – we’d like to have that control
versus what Kansas City does. If this area becomes Kansas City, it will look
like Barry Road and I-29.
Mayor
Quitmeier said the only place the regional trail system is already in is
Parkville.
Mr.
Smith said he too is a runner. He said they had a discussion after this trail
had been laid out about the trail system. He was going to a meeting the next
day to discuss it. There is the potential of extending the river trail through
English Landing Park all the way along the riverfront, as well as the potential
of extending the trail all the way up that creek to the northern limits of the
annexation area.
Mayor
Quitmeier invited Mr. Olsen to join in trail discussions.
Mrs.
McFarland said Mr. Olson is not going to be in area to be annexed, but you’re
inviting him?
Mayor
Quitmeier said she is invited too.
Mrs.
McFarland said the Presbyterian Camp will not allow anything in there that
would entice the children to come out of the camp. Also, she said that the new
development Mr. Barth is building will have million dollar houses, and those
people will not like anything to develop there.
Mr.
Sienicki said he had a very hard time thinking that any government official is
not interested in something for the money, and added "Municipal
governments tried to tax items bought on the Internet. They don’t need that
extra government. Parkville may or may not be right about the threat from
Kansas City. There is no reason to pay any more taxes than what we’re paying.
They don’t need an extra police car. We’ll protect ourselves. I’ll protect
myself. The government which governs best governs least."
Richard
Kopp said he one of the principals of a number of partnerships around the
intersections on both sides of the highway. He also owns a 40-acre tract. There
is a variety of zoning out there. The property along Brink-Myer Road between
there and Highway 45 is zoned planned industrial and the front is zoned
commercial. That is not to say they will develop it as heavy industrial. It was
rezoned by Brush Creek Development partners. They have no special plans to
develop at this time. Mr. Barth submitted a plan for a new subdivision with
30-some lots – houses would run up to $1,000,000. The plat was being approved
that night. Mr. Kopp is in partnership with him doing some cost-sharing on road
improvements.
Mr.
Kopp said a few people are getting warm and fuzzy about jogging trails. Bear in
mind, he said, that these properties are zoned industrial and commercial. He
can’t speak for Mr. Barth, but he and his partners intend to hold property until
2002 or 2003 and see what to do then.
Mayor
Quitmeier asked if he saw Parkville’s point of view in coming out there.
Mr.
Kopp said the target is tax revenue off assumed development that will take
place on this property. The revenue stream is "mega" compared to
single-family residential homes. We were paying a $15,000 to $16,000 tax bill,
he said. Your additional tax on his ground, he assumed, would add almost $2,000
to that. Also, he said, there would be sales tax and city stickers for
vehicles. "We may have a situation where sales tax would have a negative
impact on us," he said. He wants no part of Kansas City – if he had a
choice he would sign on to your plan, but he is not ready to endorse it just
yet.
Mr.
Kopp said Parkville has a small development on Bell Road that is not high
dollar. He was hoping to stay far enough outside of both cities to avoid
annexation. He wants to make sure that Parkville is being honest with everyone
here in this room. It is all about taxes. It is not about a sense of community.
Mayor
Quitmeier said he didn’t think it was all about that. Mr. Friedman talked about
how hard the city worked to try to keep the qualify of life. The Master Plan
Committee did not include this land in its plan written in 1995, but the advent
of NASCAR and the annexation of the Jenkins property made it part of their
review. He said there is no doubt we are interested in the tax revenue.
Mr.
Kopp asked if Parkville is willing to basically support services for this area
until the revenue stream is there. "The biggest single tax bill will be
mine," he said. "No revenue stream will come from sales tax in the
beginning, except for sales tax on vehicles and heavy equipment. You will
actually need to take tax dollars from the current city limits to carry this
area," he added
Mr.
Smith said no, we have looked at the annexation of commercial areas to bring in
simultaneously. Those tax revenues would underwrite the cost of providing
services to the annexation area.
Mr.
Kopp said that’s his point. Annexation of this area is going to require
revenue.
Mr.
Smith agreed, but it will not come from citizens of Parkville, he said, but
from the new source.
Mr.
Kopp asked about commitments on Highways 45 and I-435.
Mayor
Quitmeier said it is very important to us that that money be spent in southern
Platte County. If Kansas City swoops down and takes it, Parkville is blocked
from expanding forevermore.
Mr.
Kopp said the other issue is what Parkville can do to manage the growth in the
area. It is really screwy now. Missouri American Water is providing water to
Parkville. Water District No. 1 is a difficult district to deal with in terms
of commercial development. Its officials are not very willing to accommodate
commercial growth.
Mayor
Quitmeier said they are buying all their water from Kansas City.
Mr.
Kopp said he went through an enormous struggle to get a water-sprinklered
building. He said sewers are controlled by this independent sewer district,
which is pretty much driven by developers. The city is not going to involve
itself or invest in a sewer system out there. So, he said, the city can’t help
with water or sewer services. Parkville pays into the road district but has no
control. River Road is a big concern. It is a terrible road – too narrow, with
slides and structural failures. There are no funds to fix it. It is a major
east-west route. " How on earth are you going to fix it," he asked,
"How do you get developer to participate?"
Mayor
Quitmeier said he thought Highway 45 is much more liable to be developed into
four lanes now. Whether Parkville gets this area or the County keeps it,
developers should be encouraged to deliver their traffic onto Highway 45. In
downtown Parkville the traffic expense is upon the citizens of Parkville. We’re
providing a connection point between two state highways. That is another reason
we want to have some input from people in your area, he said.
Mr.
Kopp asked how Parkville is going to fix it. The tax base is not there. FF will
be a multi-million dollar job. It is state highway for a limited distance, and
then it’s back to River Road again. It looks like David Barth and he are going
to foot the bill for Brink-Myer Road. He’s looking at a $500,000 road. He will
put in $300,000 and the County will put in an insignificant part. Barth will do
part. Parkville doesn’t have the money to fix the road system. It took 30 years
to get Highway 45 improved.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we’re willing to sit down and come up with a solution. He
doesn’t know how it can be put more articulately than Mr. Kopp did. We can’t
just bury our heads in the sand and hope it goes away. What’s the solution?
Let’s all work together.
Mr.
Kopp said we’ve got a better chance of solving problems if we went rural Platte
County or Parkville than Kansas City. "I’ll throw in with you on
that," he said. A major issue is that Platte County has really moved into
this century with a good Planning & Zoning Department. It is pretty
professional now. Parkville needs to do the same thing.
Mayor
Quitmeier said we use a professional outside engineering firm, Shafer Kline
& Warren. He would like to hire a planner full-time. It would be up to the
Board of Aldermen. He and Mr. Hawver will recommend that if the annexation is
successful.
Mr.
Kopp said we would have to go with industry standards -- APWA, etc. He talked
about law enforcement. He said right now they couldn’t ask for better law
enforcement; the Platte County Sheriff’s Department is doing a bang-up job.
There are plenty of people out there on road patrol. His biggest fear is that
they’re at the end of the peninsula all the way out. He wants a commitment for
a third car on every shift. He asked that we nail it down. He is looking for
increased funding for the chief just to run his office out there.
Mr.
Hawver said that is in the Plan of Intent.
Chief
Hudson said the Sheriff’s Department is not going anywhere. They’ve been a good
neighbor to us. They have absolute responsibility. But he’s got a good Police
Department, too. Residents out there would get exactly the same service the
rest of Parkville does.
Mayor
Quitmeier said there would be another public hearing May 2nd.
Mr.
Kopp said he wanted to see a plan in writing and very important commitments:
Mr. McCoy said they did
form a group, and came up with comprehensive document. They worked with the
South Platte Fire Protection District. Largely all of these concerns were dealt
with effectively. We have a very good working relationship now. He said he
"couldn’t agree with you more."
Mayor Quitmeier said if
this area were annexed into Kansas City, residents would be required to pay taxes
to fund their fire department; they are already in the South Platte Fire
Protection district, so they would be paying double taxes for fire protection.
Mr. Kopp asked about the
resolution he requested.
Mayor Quitmeier said they
would have to discuss it. They do have a commitment; it is not clear whether we
would ever be able to do that (withdraw from the fire protection district). He
will show Mr. Kopp that document.
Mr. Friedman said he had
no objection to putting together an ordinance as long as the level is
maintained at the high quality it is right now. Our relationship is great.
Everything is fine.
Mayor Quitmeier said it
would be up to the Board of Aldermen.
Mr. Kopp said people have
been receiving benefits of good fire protection for years now, and they don’t
want to get into a tug of war.
Mr. Friedman said he would
bring up such a proposal to the Board of Aldermen.
Mr. Kopp said he wants
people in the annexation area to have a clear vision.
Mr. Calvert, a resident of
the annexation area, asked who owns the fire station.
Mayor Quitmeier said the
fire district. They voluntarily annexed another station into the City of
Parkville last year.
Mrs. Arnold said she
agreed with Mr. Kopp completely, and they would discuss it. She said if he
would come into City Hall and ask about problems he’s going to be taken care
of. She has a little house in the county. Dealing with the sewer district is
not easy. She would love to have the City help her. She has called the sewer
district many times and not got answers or been talked to. She would have no
problem signing the document about the fire district.
Mr. Kopp said if you want
support of the people you need to put a lot of this in writing -- signed
resolutions clearly stating your position on each of these issues, the fire
district, the sheriff’s department patrols, hunting, etc.
Mr. Friedman said they
need somebody from that area to come in and sit down and help us.
Mayor Quitmeier said Mr.
Kopp was the obvious person to do that.
Mr. Kopp said there are
problems in Platte County with multiple road districts, water districts, etc.
No-one talks to anyone else. There are numerous issues about the Barth
subdivisions.
Mr. Friedman said that’s
one of the reasons we want it in the city. We required Riss Lake to put in
their intersection and their boulevards. If building produces a negative impact
we have to work on that.
Mr. Kopp said income from
each household is probably not adequate from all these standpoints.
Mayor Quitmeier said the
solution is for developers to do a quality job, and for the City to develop the
sales tax.
Mr. Kopp said you have to
have that to survive.
Mayor Quitmeier said no,
not in existing Parkville. But if Kansas City takes the area those dollars will
be lost to us. Money should stay here to help solve the problems.
Mr. Kopp spoke about
zoning. He said they put together several partnerships. A number of those
parcels they acquired based on the zoning. He is concerned about Parkville
making an attempt to downzone. That would be met with strong opposition. They
may request to downzone. He hopes that you will put in your resolution that you
will not downzone.
Mayor Quitmeier said the
rules are we take property in at county zoning. If we were to try to downzone
it we’d have to go through due process.
Mayor Quitmeier asked if
there were any other questions. He said some of them would stick around for
questions. He asked the audience to drop by City Hall if they wanted other
information.
The meeting adjourned at
9:33 p.m.
Submitted
by _______________________________________
City Clerk Barbara J.
Lance - March 24, 2000