KCRag Forum

Midtownkid wrote:New, larger residential projects should be concentrated on Broadway, Main Street, and Linwood. Empty lots and post-WWII building sites should be prioritized first. Maybe provide incentives for replacing empty lots and surface parking with new buildings.

Any time a historic building is going to be demolished for a project, save the historic facade and incorporate it into the project. That should keep both sides happier. Seemed to work on the east coast.

It wont, they are gearing up to fight the new apartments going in on Main street right now, I know this for sure. They will fight anything that adds density and harms parking.

JBmidtown wrote:Midtown is fucked.

We're not fucked, but WE are not making ourselves heard. We need to organize.

I agree. We need to show up to any public meetings and planning sessions, because the anti-anything people will show up in force. I don't expect to get everything I want, but neither should they and I think more than anything they need to understand there ARE people in the area who are for sensible development. I'll commit to showing up and making my voice heard and hope others will do the same.

Does anyone know what happened with the Westport Vacation (which appears to have turned into a sidewalk vacation) at CPC this past week? Did they recommend approval?

Shields has introduced two ordinances that would vacate the sidewalks in Westport. They are on the agenda for PZE next week.

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Docum ... 7zAxMBesOZ

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Docum ... 2Z5MDl7Sk1

Also- Moderators may want to split out the Westport Vacation discussion to its own thread. Its tough to follow all of the conversations happening in these threads.

kboish wrote:Does anyone know what happened with the Westport Vacation (which appears to have turned into a sidewalk vacation) at CPC this past week? Did they recommend approval?

Shields has introduced two ordinances that would vacate the sidewalks in Westport. They are on the agenda for PZE next week.

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Docum ... 7zAxMBesOZ

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Docum ... 2Z5MDl7Sk1

Also- Moderators may want to split out the Westport Vacation discussion to its own thread. Its tough to follow all of the conversations happening in these threads.

it's on the CPC agenda for 11/7.

ah, ok. For some reason I thought it was discussed this week.

It is interesting that Shields already introduced this ordinance. I would think they would wait until CPC has discussed and given a recommendation. It reminds me of the moratorium ordinance that moved forward without usual CPC process.

What good does sidewalk vacation even do? I'm glad they aren't going for a full street vacation, but with a sidewalk vacation, whats to prevent me from riding a bike or driving a car straight past the checkpoints? (I assume jaywalking enforcement would keep me from walking past on the street)

The idea is to barricade the street, which would force people onto the private sidewalks, where they could be wanded for guns. It's an absurdly transparent end run around state laws and very likely the Constitution. Sadly it's appeasement enough for some of the local urbanists who see giving away some ROW as opposed to all of the ROW as a good compromise, despite that in practice both can be used to screen out whoever the WRBL doesn't want entering Westport.

chaglang wrote:The idea is to barricade the street, which would force people onto the private sidewalks, where they could be wanded for guns. It's an absurdly transparent end run around state laws and very likely the Constitution. Sadly it's appeasement enough for some of the local urbanists who see giving away some ROW as opposed to all of the ROW as a good compromise, despite that in practice both can be used to screen out whoever the WRBL doesn't want entering Westport.

Ah look, a voice of reason!

the above ordinances won't be passed with an accelerated effective date, so they could be subject to referendum. here's how it works: http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/liveweb/faq/f ... .aspx?id=3

No.

loftguy wrote:No.

I strongly advise you write to your city council rep ASAP.

Just dusted off my email from August and updated it for the latest scheme. I wish it weren't so efficient to oppose bad ideas...

Westport street vacation is held until Dec 13th. Lucas has introduced an ordinance to change the street vacation/right-of-way process. There is a redline version at the link.

Hall and Shields are solid yes votes. Barnes is a solid no. Prevailing wind gusts on the morning of the vote will determine the other two votes.

In other news the Gold's Gym is closing.

mykn wrote:

Midtownkid wrote:New, larger residential projects should be concentrated on Broadway, Main Street, and Linwood. Empty lots and post-WWII building sites should be prioritized first. Maybe provide incentives for replacing empty lots and surface parking with new buildings.

Any time a historic building is going to be demolished for a project, save the historic facade and incorporate it into the project. That should keep both sides happier. Seemed to work on the east coast.

It wont, they are gearing up to fight the new apartments going in on Main street right now, I know this for sure. They will fight anything that adds density and harms parking.

Given the uptick in high profile violent crime in the general Wesport area (see robbery/murder just east of 40th and Main a couple of days ago), it seems more than a little counterproductive to fight density. Density brings people, activity, light and security cameras to an area increasing the odds that perps will be caught which drives crime rates down (at least locally). Many in KC erroneously seem to assume the opposite and have unwarranted fears of density. Westport would be a safer place if more people actually lived in the immediate environs.

But Johnson County is low crime and low density.

Highlander wrote:

mykn wrote:

Midtownkid wrote:New, larger residential projects should be concentrated on Broadway, Main Street, and Linwood. Empty lots and post-WWII building sites should be prioritized first. Maybe provide incentives for replacing empty lots and surface parking with new buildings.

Any time a historic building is going to be demolished for a project, save the historic facade and incorporate it into the project. That should keep both sides happier. Seemed to work on the east coast.

It wont, they are gearing up to fight the new apartments going in on Main street right now, I know this for sure. They will fight anything that adds density and harms parking.

Given the uptick in high profile violent crime in the general Wesport area (see robbery/murder just east of 40th and Main a couple of days ago), it seems more than a little counterproductive to fight density. Density brings people, activity, light and security cameras to an area increasing the odds that perps will be caught which drives crime rates down (at least locally). Many in KC erroneously seem to assume the opposite and have unwarranted fears of density. Westport would be a safer place if more people actually lived in the immediate environs.

The argument I've heard is that there will just be more "targets". Now the person that told me this was a grade-A moron, however, fairly representative.

I honestly think anti density people would rather see the neighborhood completely rot, a ghost land/shell of a place as long as it preserves that historic feel