City Planning Commission: Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas, Kansas (March 9, 2026)

By Za’Carriah Simmons, Kansas City Documenter

These notes were produced through Kansas City Documenters, which trains and pays community members to take fact-checked notes at public meetings, strengthening transparency and accountability in local government.

Summary

• The commission deferred discussion and plan review of the proposed East Side Energy battery storage facility until the April meeting. 
• During discussion of a new housing development along Parallel Parkway, a neighbor raised concerns about a pond on the property. The commission approved the proposal, which will be considered at the Board of Commissioners meeting on March 26.
• The commission unanimously approved all applications presented except for the energy storage project, which was held.

Notes

Meeting Attendance

• Jeff Carson, chair (in-person)
• Karen Jones, vice chair (online)
• Beverly Easterwood (online)
• Jake Miller (online)
• Jim Ernst (online)
• Mark Mohler (online)
• Aaron Ward (in-person)
• Duane Beth (in-person)
• Byron Toy, Unified Government planning staff (in-person)
• Osiris Espinoza, Unified Government planning staff (in-person)
• Maria Mongil, Unified Government planning staff (in-person)
• Rose Morris, Unified Government planning staff (in-person)
• Rodney Lucas, Unified Government planning staff (in-person)
• Michael Farley, legal counsel

• Consent Agenda
  • The commission approved the consent agenda items, 7–0. 

• SP2025-094 and PR2025-039: East Side Energy Storage Facility 
  • The proposed project is a battery storage facility at 8900 Metropolitan Ave.
  • Applicant Josh Skogen of East Side Energy Storage LLC, who traveled from Minnesota, requested a delay so the development team could hold additional community engagement before the commission considers the project.
    • Skogen said the company had already begun meeting with some stakeholders who spoke in opposition at the previous meeting and planned to host a neighborhood meeting on March 10 to gather feedback from nearby residents.
    • The commission voted to hold discussion of the project until the April 13 meeting.
    • Commissioners approved the request to delay the item 6-0.
      • Commissioner Jake Miller recused himself from the vote, stating that his wife had done work on the project.

• COZ2025-032/PLAT2025-042: Parallel Parkway housing development 
  • A neighbor spoke in opposition to the development along Parallel Parkway involving 35 single-family homes.
    • The resident said some of the proposed lots are in the middle of a pond that has been there since 1946.
      • He asked if any Army Corps of Engineers officials had been consulted about moving the pond. He claimed the original owner intended for it to be wilderness land for wildlife after his death, and he claims to have leasing rights to the property and the original deeds. He said he had been told that from his backyard to the pond is where the original owners extracted water when they lived there.
      • The neighbor noted that this wasn’t on the agenda at the previous City Plan Commission meeting. Carson reassured him that it will be addressed at the full commission meeting on March 26.
        • When asked about the pond, the applicant’s representative said the low area where water collects would be relocated to a stormwater detention area on Track A for better water management. 
        • The project engineer said the pond would be dried up and soil inspected before homes are built. 
        • The retaining walls along the north, northeast and northwest areas will be 6 feet to 8 feet tall. The engineer said the walls wouldn’t obstruct the view of the site from the outside. 
    • Planning staff recommended approval. 
    • The commission voted  7-0 to approve both the zoning change and the preliminary plat. 
    • The proposal will next go before the Board of Commissioners on March 26.

• COZ2025-033: Duplex zoning correction
  • Applicant Tyler Coey is requesting to rezone his property, which has historically been a duplex, so it can legally function as one again. 
  • Coey stated it has operated as a duplex since before his purchase, and it is currently split into two living spaces. He plans to keep it as a duplex. 
  • In 2000, it was zoned from RP5 to R1B. It has been a duplex dating back to  1995. Changing the zoning to R2 would correct its legal status.
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• SP2025-063: Liquor store addition
  • Applicant Albert Hermans is requesting a permit to build a 284-square-foot addition to an existing liquor store on 825 Kansas Ave.
  • He plans to enclose an area of the building that is currently on the exterior. The project would also include site improvements, such as moving the dumpster to the back. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• SP2025-097: Short-term rental at 4101 Francis St.
  • Applicant Matthew Ostermann is requesting a permit to operate a short-term rental that will act as a guest home and Airbnb when not used by guests. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• SP2026-002: Short-term rental at 13109 Everett Court
  • Emily Thornton is requesting a permit for a short-term rental. The property has limited accessible parking outside of the garage. This permit will last one year. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• SP2026-003: Used car dealership
  • Dennis Mendoza recently purchased the property, and he wants to turn it into a used car dealership. There would be no more than nine cars on the site for sale. This permit will last two years. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• SP2026-004: Event barn at 13380 Donahoo Road
  • Andrea Nelson is requesting a special use permit to use a barn and surrounding area for small private events with 99 guests or fewer, called The Branch KC. The space would be used for small community gatherings and events. The homeowner who lives in front of the space has agreed to allow Nelson to use the property. Good communication has been maintained between Nelson and the owner.
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• PLAT2026-002: Lot split at 3401 N. 47th St.
  • T. Judson Stanion is not planning to build onto the property, but instead plans to divide the existing eight-acre lot into two parcels. The smaller parcel will be on the northwest boundary of the property. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• PLAT2026-006: Parcel combination at 3363 N. 73rd Drive and 3445 N. 73rd St.
  • Ascension Munoz is requesting to combine a split parcel in the north to create one lot. Munoz was not present. 
  • The request is not tied to a new development. The goal is to allow for a larger yard.
    • A neighbor stated that the parcel borders the back end of his lot. To his understanding, 21 years ago when he first purchased the property, the boundaries extended far west, approximately 3 to 6 feet beyond his fence line. He said a sectional marker behind his property had been removed, and he questioned whether that was legal. 
    • Commissioners said they could not resolve boundary disputes and advised that the neighbor contact a surveyor.
    • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• PLAT2026-007: Subdivision of a lot
  • Applicant Sam Malinowsky requested approval to split off a lot for future sale. No development plans were presented. The request was solely to subdivide the lot. 
  • The commission approved the request 7-0.

• Special use permits will be heard again at the Board of Commissioners meeting on March 26 at 5:30 p.m. Everything else will stand approved.

Observations & Follow-Up Questions

What topics might members of the public raise about the East Side storage application before it returns to the commission on April 13?

Read more about this meeting and see all Kansas City Documenters notes here.