PLANNING COMMISSION
GLADSTONE, MISSOURI
August 4, 2008
7:30 pm
Present: Council & Staff Present:
Ms. Newsom Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Rudi
Mr. McCullough Councilman Wayne Beer
Mr. Shevling Scott Wingerson, Assistant City Manager
Ms. Smith Melinda Mehaffy, Econ. Dev. Admin.
Mr. Whitton Chris Helmer, Planning Specialist
Ms. Abbott Becky Jarrett, Admin. Assist.
Ms. Alexander
Mr. West
Mr. Garnos
Chairman Hill
Absent: Ms. Babich
Mr. Steffens
Item 2 on the Agenda: Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Hill led the group in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Item 3 on the Agenda: Approval of the July 21, 2008 minutes.
MOTION: By Ms. Newsom, second by Mr. Shevling to approve the July 21, 2008, minutes as submitted. The minutes were approved as submitted.
Item 4 on the Agenda: Communications from the Audience.
None.
Item 5 on the Agenda: PUBLIC HEARING: on the Gladstone Comprehensive Plan. File #1298.
Mr. Helmer outlined the purpose of the meeting by stating that the City Council appointed a Steering Committee that met half a dozen times on the issue of the Comprehensive Plan and discussed and addressed various land use issues – housing, economic development, etc. The point the Plan is at now is the final stages of implementation. Mr. Helmer said that Mr. Kokes from BWR came to the Commission in July to update them and after that a similar presentation was given to the City Council on the process. Tonight is the opportunity to legally hold a public hearing to address any concerns or comments the community might have. Mr. Helmer added that Mr. Kokes is available tonight to give a presentation tonight if the Commission should desire. He let them know that the final adoption or the authority of the Planning Commission through the Comprehensive Plan is to further the guiding document of the City for the general health, safety and welfare and overall accordance with the City Code and development potential. From here, staff will take a resolution of support to the City Council and ask their blessing, then it will come back to the Planning Commission with a resolution for final adoption and authority.
Chairman Hill asked Mr. Kokes if there have been any changes made since the last presentation.
Kevin Kokes, BWR Consultants, addressed the Commission. Mr. Kokes answered that the staff at BWR has been working on grammatical and formatting changes for the last couple of weeks. He said there has been no change in content or the intent of any of the sections.
Chairman Hill asked if there were any questions from the Commissioners.
Ms. Abbott said that she was thinking as she drove seven miles over to a grocery store today, so she could shop in Gladstone, that’s a little far to drive with gas at $4.00 a gallon! She hasn’t heard anything about a grocery store that’s going to be west of Antioch.
Chairman Hill jokingly said that he’s not planning on opening one!
Ms. Newsom said that at one time she thought there was talk about having a grocery store at Gladstone Plaza, but now that project is on hold.
Ms. Abbott said that they have always expressed a need for one on the west side of town and the great amount of sales tax that’s being lost to Price Chopper and Hy-Vee (in Kansas City) because the people that live down in Briar Cliff have to drive even father than she does. She remarked that there are only two grocery stores in Gladstone anyway.
MOTION: By Ms. Newsom, second by Mr. Whitton to recommend the Comprehensive Plan to the City Council.
VOTE:
Ms. Newsom
Mr. McCullough
Mr. Garnos
Ms. Smith
Mr. Shevling
Mr. Whitton
Ms. Abbott
Mr. West
Chairman Hill
The motion carried. (10-yes, 0-No)
Item 6 on the Agenda: Communications from the City Council and City Staff.
Mayor Pro-Tem Rudi thanked the Commission for their work on the Comprehensive Plan and also let Ms. Abbott know that what they have approved does not eliminate that possibility. She said if anyone knows of someone who would want to come in and put a grocery in on that side of town, please let her know. They would be happy to have them here.
Mr. Helmer thanked the Commission for coming out on a night when there is not a full agenda. It is important to keep the project moving and thanked them for understanding that.
Mr. Wingerson apologized for missing the core of the meeting, but he was in the lobby speaking with residents who believed, with good reason, that their public hearing for QuikTrip was tonight. He thinks they have most of it cleared up and the rest of it staff will work on tomorrow. The next meeting will consist of a resolution adopting the Comprehensive Plan and the QuikTrip public hearing.
Item 7 on the Agenda: Communications from the Planning Commission Members.
Ms. Abbott said that she has a dam and a lake in back of her house and they are real concerned because if all that water and mud comes down on them they are in bad, bad, bad trouble.
Mr. Wingerson said that Ms. Abbott is referring to the Leimkuehler pond at 59th and Broadway and gave a brief history of the pond. He said that the concern is that the dam is overgrown with vegetation and that the vegetation will breach the dam. The City is currently trying to find out if that is true and also who is responsible for it. If the City has some responsibility they are going to get in there are trim some things out. If they don’t have any responsibility, they have already contacted the State and they have claimed no responsibility.
Ms. Newsom asked if the picture on the cover of the Comprehensive Plan could be updated to reflect the newly painted Chamber of Commerce.
Chairman Hill said he didn’t know if it’s part of the economy right now or what, but that driving down Antioch Road he is seeing one sign after another that is in violation of the City Sign Code. He mentioned signs at Ballet North, CVS, Popeye’s Chicken, Westlake Ace and Little Caesars Pizza. He asked what staff is doing about all of these signs.
Mr. Wingerson said that staff has been working with CVS on their sign.
Chairman Hill said that CVS also still has their metal storage trailer behind their building.
Mr. Wingerson commented that staff has been trying to work with Westlake as well and hopefully the others are fairly new, but he does think that more people are trying more creative ways than they ever have because of the economy; however, that is no excuse for not complying with the Sign Code. Mr. Wingerson said they will try to focus a little more on Antioch and Oak and see if it doesn’t help.
Ms. Newsom said there are real estate signs sitting in the greenway all over town.
Item 8 on the Agenda: Adjournment.
Chairman Hill adjourned the meeting at 7:56 pm.
Respectfully submitted:
______________________________________ Approved as submitted _____
Becky Jarrett, Recording Secretary
______________________________________ Approved as corrected _____
Brian Hill, Chairman