The last Parkville Board of Aldermen meeting of the year was a busy one, with approvals of the 2020 budget, a new redevelopment plan for downtown and more.
The board gave final approval to the Downtown Parkville Redevelopment Plan, established the area as blighted and authorized tax abatements at the Tuesday, Dec. 17 meeting.
“This blight is a different definition than what most people might think of,” said mayor Nan Johnston, at the Tuesday, Dec. 3 meeting reiterating statements made since the matter arose.
The current initiative was triggered, in part, by the reconstruction of the former Finders Keepers buildings on Main Street earlier this year by developer Brian Mertz. In April, the city declared the buildings blighted to speed the developer’s efforts to seek public financial assistance through Missouri Department of Economic Development Chapter 353 tax abatement on property taxes for up to 25 years.
Since, attorneys for the developer have pressed the city to consider a wider Chapter 353 assistance plan for downtown. Last month, the board approved a contract with Development Initiatives to complete a blight study.
Jim Potter of Development Initiatives outlined findings of that blight study at the Dec. 3 meeting, picking out buildings in the downtown district in need of extensive repair. He noted the area has recently seen a steep drop in assessed value, although that number is skewed due to the relocation of the city water plant.
A proposed ordinance to change the hours of operation for construction work was unanimously denied by the board. In 2004 — during the tenure of then-mayor Kathy Dusenbery — the board limited the hours of noise-making construction equipment to create quiet zones between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. on weekends.
Director of community development Stephen Lachky said developers and contractors have often asked about the prohibition, arguing that the restrictions are burdensome, especially in the summer when crews try to start work early to beat the heat.
Lachky said after investigating the hours allowed by neighboring cities staff proposed to change the starting hours to 8 a.m. or even earlier on weekends.
Mayor Nan Johnston suggested the construction noise requirements be waived for the Creekside development during its preliminary construction, due to its remote location on the far western side of Parkville.
Chief of police Kevin Chrisman said the boundaries between the city and unincorporated areas make enforcement of construction noise complaints complex. During construction of the Altitude 970 apartment complex off Highway 45, located in Kansas City, he said Riss Lake residents in Parkville heard the construction. Because the building site was located in Kansas City, Parkville police could do nothing to abate any noise complaints.
Alderman Mark Sportsman disagreed with allowing work on weekend mornings.
“We all have those neighbors who get out the weedwackers and leaf blowers on Saturday morning and there’s nothing we can do about that, but we don’t want to add construction noise to it,” Sportsman said.
Aldermen were split on whether the ordinance should be left alone, if allowances should be made or if weekend work should be limited.
After discussion, the board unanimously denied the change in hours, allowing the noise ban to stand.
2020 PARKVILLE BUDGET
The board unanimously approved the budget and salary schedule at the meeting, having heard the budget presentation by city administrator Joe Parente at the Dec. 3 meeting.
The operating budget includes projected revenues and expenditures for 16 governmental funds: General Fund, Emergency Reserve Fund, Debt Service Funds, Parks Donation Fund, Economic Development Fund, Fewson Fund, Nature Sanctuary Donations Fund, Park Donations Fund, Veterans Memorial Fund, Projects Fund, Sewer Enterprise Fund and Transportation Fund. The total operating budget is approximately $22.3 million.
Budget priorities outlined during the presentation included a focus on basic services and infrastructure, economic development, parks and recreation and ensuring financial stability. The city has grown its reserves to prepare for the need to backstop special assessment delinquencies for the Brush Creek and Brink Meyer Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NIDs). With the sale of city owned land in the NIDs and the start of the Creekside development, the city projects most of the special assessment delinquencies will be paid for by revenue from land sales and special assessments. There are no transfers included in the 2020 Emergency Reserve Budget for the NIDs.
While the board approved the budget at the Dec. 17 meeting with no further discussion, members did make comments at the Dec. 3 meeting.
“The city’s finances have never been in this good of shape,” Sportsman said.
Alderman Dave Rittman pointed out that the city’s finances were sound and that the county’s credit rating woes had not negatively affected the city’s credit rating.
Johnson said she wanted to dispel any misinformation in the public about the Creekside development in relation to city finances.
“The development is positive for the city,” she said. “The city is out from under the NID payments and will collect tax income from the development.”
A five percent sewer fee increase was also given preliminary approval, with final approval scheduled for late January. Funds will be used to complete sewer repair and update programs next year with director of public works Alysen Abel stating during an analysis of surrounding sewer rates, Parkville’s rate will be on par with that of the Platte County Regional Sewer District.