[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6471212,"mediaKeyId","5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010","parentId",5778306,"title","Council approves demolition-phase GMP amendment with Nabholz for animal shelter property; members request broader shelter discussion","audioSeconds",265,"startMs",922000,"endMs",1187000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010&start=922&end=1187","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010/thumbnail_922000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6471212/Olathe/Johnson-County/Kansas/Council-approves-demolition-phase-GMP-amendment-with-Nabholz-for-animal-shelter-property-members-request-broader-shelter-discussion","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471212-d683239dd6f2dbab9f8c68443468d461/orig.mp4?Expires=1776169635&Signature=LmnOBUHjEIeItpEx8H~pr655fSDh9dUHy55bAM7oBs2hIn7RuWCTzaeP-ehtvN1FRSXcmb44KkVVEcKtGW1ImnOYTv1DFQ~RWMt3isX1xew89r5YqGxX1MLxMi~xq7wZPXgEIqlhX3EOw4BHyY1-mlhPNUx91IMgzkEc4sj8BOqdSz4t0tQ4069PdwXOQDaR4ckqVg47VOqKh50dge0NKfnFESOtMJDx3zk-MxvNLv8CfwhLxNdtnmKLWZLW2PyGwne5Hy2GhaeL8klbTd-TVqsLNy82eJMBXPybY-uI0ZSsFgumRN~1ww5HrS5O~PWgGxeA824gnf0fca8J9CGqag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Olathe","date","2025-09-16T17:00:00Z","article","The Olathe City Council unanimously approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) amendment with Nabholz Construction for Phase 1 demolition and construction management services tied to a property purchased by the city for an eventual animal shelter. Council action on the amendment (agenda Item P) passed 7-0 on Sept. 16.

City staff said the amendment covers demolition of existing buildings on the city-acquired parcel so the land can be repaved and reconfigured into three parcels; two of the parcels are planned for immediate sale facing Santa Fe, with the remaining parcel intended for the eventual animal shelter. Director of Quality of Life Mike Jensen (identified in council discussion) explained the intent was to clear existing structures that had become targets for homeless encampments and to ready the property for redevelopment. “The property that we acquired for this has buildings on it now that need to be demolished. And then it'll be broken into 3 parcels, 2 of which will be for sale right up front on Santa Fe,” Jensen said.

Council Members Paul Felter and (identified in the transcript) Skidover said they pulled the item from the consent agenda to record their interest in having more council-level input into shelter planning because of the project’s dollar value and the broader policy choices involved in a new animal shelter. Felter said he supported the demolition contract but asked staff to return with proposals for partnerships and additional options for the shelter program and funding. “I will support this item, but I still want the presentation on [the] animal shelter,” Felter said.

Council Member Skidover echoed the request, noting existing shelter conditions are inadequate and that the capital-improvement program already contains a line for a new animal shelter in the $18–19 million range. Multiple council speakers noted the council will have additional opportunities to consider scope and function as staff brings forward facility options and financing plans; several members praised staff’s work and asked for future briefings on partnerships and programmatic elements.

A roll-call vote on the GMP amendment recorded seven yes votes. The council directed staff to continue coordinating demolition work with site-readiness and to return with programmatic and partnership options for the animal shelter project as part of future briefings and CIP discussions.

Votes and next steps: GMP Amendment No. 1 to the Nabholz agreement for Phase 1 demolition services approved 7-0; staff to proceed with demolition services and return to council with animal-shelter operational and partnership options and further scope details before broader construction funding decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Olathe - City Council on 2025-09-16 7:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Olathe’s City Council approved a guaranteed maximum price amendment with Nabholz Construction for Phase 1 demolition of a recently purchased property intended for a future animal shelter, voting 7-0 on Sept. 16.","taxTitle","Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas","taxId",3606,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471217,"Olathe council approves rezoning for Lineage Logistics cold-storage center over neighborhood objections",7373,1188000,8561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010&start=1188&end=8561","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010/thumbnail_1188000.jpg","/articles/6471217/Olathe/Johnson-County/Kansas/Olathe-council-approves-rezoning-for-Lineage-Logistics-cold-storage-center-over-neighborhood-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471217-b56a721c1e59e1053be8eecf1001be41/orig.mp4?Expires=1776169635&Signature=GTtPFvtOtk4by2p4DWW-KArTqabMum5JtNoPiDRwqsf-8RwMTVOFimspyCAt~53lzml9c2i7I2rHC0mkw6AFOI9GEdeKegTy-SvnllT1c1QuccUWGL32B-2ZmhKYTHxwxOD8LvcfoqlnOJKDbZaU0Hmd0oxNrlYlHTC0xja4E8EjgKwR8bA1kTp1dVUsT4X37~z1ZbR9rkC3hagdkIiWnlfh3DO2IC2AvZ2mHh9oYYlP0hUuFfQTPJmhAh12KpxkKKqe5p-atJD-~OuHLcSdTX~fQDq1cHXJ-I~7N6ZDfQg71B08tJuL33A7X89O~Q9riNVUBJJ7YGS4BzXAicp6tQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Olathe City Council on Sept. 16 approved an ordinance to rezone roughly 145.78 acres northeast of West 170th Street and Lone Elm Road to community center (C2) and general industrial (M2) zoning to allow an employment park anchored by Lineage Logistics, an automated cold-storage operator. The council approved Ordinance 25-31 (RZ25-007) by a 5-2 vote after a public hearing and extended staff presentations.

Staff and the applicant said the rezoning aligns with Olathe’s comprehensive plan and the city’s Lone Elm vicinity plan, and described site design, traffic mitigation and emergency-response measures intended to limit impacts on nearby Nottingham Creek. Senior Planner Jessica Schuler told the council the proposed building would be up to 140 feet tall to accommodate automated racking, that the structure is permitted under the Unified Development Ordinance without waivers, and that it would be set more than 1,000 feet from Lone Elm Road and roughly a half-mile from the nearest Nottingham Creek home. “Staff is recommending approval of the rezoning and preliminary site development plan as the proposal aligns with our comprehensive plan and unified development ordinance,” Schuler said.

Developer and applicant representatives presented technical studies and visual simulations and said they had worked with staff on stipulations that limit certain high-intensity uses on future lots and require screening and setback measures. Curt Petersen and Kirk Peterson (both identified in the record as representing the applicant and the master developer) said the facility would bring jobs and investment and that the project team had designed staging and access to avoid trucks queuing on public arterials. Peterson described the refrigerant and operations used in modern cold-storage facilities and defended Lineage’s safety record: “Lineage has outperformed its peers in the industry continually when it comes to inspections of regulations. . . . They have never once had ammonia get outside of a building and hurt someone. Not once,” he said.

City staff and the developer cited a traffic-impact study that estimated about 500 average daily truck trips for the phase-1 Lineage use (presented as 250 inbound and 250 outbound truck trips on average), and staff said that required turn lanes and other access improvements would be built as part of the project. Chief Development Engineer Charlie Love told the council the study met city requirements and that, with required turn lanes, Lone Elm and 170th would operate within the Highway Capacity Manual’s level-of-service thresholds. Love also said private on-site staging would allow roughly 2,600 linear feet of private driveway providing space for about 30 trucks before the gate.

Fire Chief Jeff DeGraffenreid outlined Olathe Fire Department capabilities and automatic mutual-aid arrangements, noting the department’s ISO Class 1 rating and countywide hazardous-materials support agreements. “If a resident needs us because of a fire or medical emergency, we send the closest fire truck,” DeGraffenreid said, describing evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures and mutual-aid practices.

Opponents, who spoke during a 15-minute public-comment period, pressed council members on truck volume, the use of anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant, building height and roadway capacity. Residents said they feared impacts to Lone Elm and to Nottingham Creek, including noise, truck staging, and the risk of a hazardous-release incident. Speakers said planning commission members had voted 2-5 against approval and urged the council to deny rezoning or require additional protections. Several residents said Lineage offered payments to the subdivision’s HOA; the developer and council discussions characterized payments and negotiations differently. The planning commission’s denial and residents’ comments were included in council packets.

Council members who voted to approve the rezoning cited long-term land-use planning, infrastructure commitments and the view that control of development is better exercised by Olathe than by another jurisdiction. Council members voting no said they were not convinced the site’s impacts to nearby residents were adequately mitigated. The roll-call vote recorded five yes (Councilmembers Felter, Vakas, Bakas, Gilmore and Bacon) and two no (Councilmembers Schoonover and Essex).

The approval includes staff-recommended stipulations, required traffic-turn-lane construction, updates to the traffic study for future phases, on-site stormwater detention and treatment that staff said would meet Title 17 stormwater requirements, and state permitting requirements including KDHE reviews. Staff also recommended limiting heights for unspecified future lots in the M2 district to 55 feet and in the C2 district to 35 feet, while allowing the Lineage facility to use the 140-foot building envelope permitted in M2 for automated cold storage. Staff indicated architectural waivers for articulation and glass percentage would be recommended due to the building’s unique function.

The developer said phase 2 remains conceptual and subject to additional review and that city-required updates to traffic and stormwater plans would be required before later phases proceed. The council’s approval allows the applicant to move forward with the preliminary site development plan for phase 1.

Votes and next steps: Ordinance 25-31 (RZ25-007) passed 5-2; staff will continue to manage stipulations, required roadway improvements, state permitting reviews, and future site development plan reviews for subsequent lots and phases.","The Olathe City Council on Sept. 16 approved an ordinance to rezone roughly 145.78 acres northeast of West 170th Street and Lone Elm Road to community center and general industrial zoning to allow an employment park anchored by Lineage Logistics, despite neighborhood concerns about truck traffic, refrigerant use and building height.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471202,"Olathe city auditor outlines risk-based audit program, asks council to rank priorities for 2026 audits",183,7653000,7836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010&start=7653&end=7836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010/thumbnail_7653000.jpg","/articles/6471202/Olathe/Johnson-County/Kansas/Olathe-city-auditor-outlines-risk-based-audit-program-asks-council-to-rank-priorities-for-2026-audits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471202-fe5afe7cae7bf3ab12fb1f0c0decd9c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776169635&Signature=blRe8rbcbExAj08hahZfWRSOysserNAPCLopoMmFERvsRyl1OmNklFBRYnCkz5Y2hs1Iyj2THMHXMWHPtBWWRCXLGtwwUuAiIcDYaIuZSJuTPaDkxPMMvG3EYrX9g0a6gt-sRcF87Du-O8dGGLthcPbxMQPk8L89u3z0QQg5mDvCEUH4kG58N4huysEiQ2-SNVBw0q1gJ2qZAMaLFnWea0TmCYnt6lye-RFNoG6R6ylXmm3xgmKojrDL~TLC1yhfsmzXLA33FFnSNPxME6xgL-Pbis2xgEAbWKOIP2-Na-aeCScFWEkGO36VRxNBhCCSNgQ5mZraOMn8-upHGEwfyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Olathe’s newly appointed city auditor, Caitlin Clark, told the council on Sept. 16 that she is shifting the city’s internal-audit work toward a risk-based approach tied to Government Accountability Office (GAO) Government Auditing Standards and a formal quality-management framework.

Clark said she is updating the audit charter and establishing an audit policy, an operations manual and base audit programs to align internal audit practices with GAO standards and to require periodic peer review. She described the audit process — risk assessment, audit planning, fieldwork, reporting and audit-resolution steps — and said those processes include regular communication points with management and council oversight such as approval of the annual audit plan, review of finding outlines and draft-report review and finalization.

To develop a risk-based audit plan for 2026, Clark said the office will complete a citywide risk assessment by focus areas and asked council members to complete a short ranking survey of potential audit topics. That survey will inform the draft plan that Clark expects to present for council approval. The auditor said proposed audits would be scheduled between Oct. 2025 and Sept. 2026 once the risk assessment and prioritization are complete.

Clark said a risk-assessment approach will help prioritize audit resources on the city’s greatest risks and avoid surprises while improving oversight and transparency. She said she has developed policies and a draft operations manual and sought council input on the audit charter and audit priorities.

No vote was required; Clark asked council members to complete the audit-plan survey and indicated the audit office will return with a proposed work plan for calendar-year 2026.

What’s next: City Auditor’s office will finalize the audit charter updates, complete a citywide risk assessment with department focus-area input, and present a proposed 2026 audit plan for council approval.","City Auditor Caitlin Clark presented a proposed shift to GAO government-auditing standards, a new quality-management framework and a risk-based audit planning process. Clark asked council members to complete a short survey ranking audit topics that will guide the 2026 audit plan and described peer-review and audit-resolution steps.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471207,"Olathe council adopts 2026 budget and five-year CIP; council shifts debt mills to general fund and raises resident utility discounts",1630,5474000,7104000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010&start=5474&end=7104","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5778306-7853fb37a32f1f02cbbd91ac31bbc010/thumbnail_5474000.jpg","/articles/6471207/Olathe/Johnson-County/Kansas/Olathe-council-adopts-2026-budget-and-five-year-CIP-council-shifts-debt-mills-to-general-fund-and-raises-resident-utility-discounts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471207-dc827ec1aab507ed0423f6e5da667847/orig.mp4?Expires=1776169635&Signature=Y45lNpX-aPJi2lHmWWArTOsR19CgyVc02tpnixHWzkbNh1yfAIJju9k170V~lBY7GMXyu9Jr9uCiW3iQbfSUXvf3zpCtjZhxjPHi-9HNktwnAbXmjnrDe45telxJ5B6eHhOoDYsIcVDJ7WmhQoMilld9E~YviaBBWM4OWT2QAgvr9NKRdtHtyR-GE7EzJ0B~kflMLaKMv6WwMSgWetshs8BMqUpFqmTFCID4CDBs8OcZ-cSzkO0O7YKKr0WEd3abBZbJDQoqdm0cEAftijeiY8F8oqelJz02mbdhK3D44JjTMezs~QKpNFTyqqlMnIIFB9VMBCdsrBYfTGOZHPU-SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Olathe City Council adopted the 2026 annual budget, the five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and an updated schedule of city fees at its Sept. 16 meeting.

Budget manager Clara Bernauer presented the final budget proposal, describing how staff balanced slowing sales-tax growth, inflationary pressures and rising personnel costs to present a balanced plan. The 2026 proposed budget the council adopted is roughly $626–627 million across all funds, of which the general fund operating budget is approximately $227 million. Staff proposed leaving the overall mill levy unchanged at 23.317 mills while shifting mills that had been dedicated to the debt service fund into the general fund and using transfers to meet debt-service targets; staff said the change improves flexibility while keeping the total levy stable.

Bernauer emphasized that property tax bills will vary based on county appraisals: the city’s mill rate did not rise, but average home assessments pushed the average Olathe homeowner’s city portion higher by about $7.42 per month. The proposed 2026 budget includes a $250,000 property-tax rebate program for low-income residents and veterans; Bernauer said the city had already awarded 431 rebates in 2025 for a total of about $232,000 and that roughly half of awards had gone to veterans.

On utilities, the budget includes proposed rate adjustments; combined, the average monthly residential utility bill (water, sewer, stormwater and solid waste) would increase by about $7.36 per month to an average of about $135. Bernauer noted the city expanded its water-and-sewer utility discount from $4 per month to $12 per month per utility (a combined $24 monthly discount) and broadened eligibility to households up to 80% of area median income with no age requirement.

The council reviewed the 2026–2030 CIP, which staff described as scaled back from a particularly large prior CIP cycle but still notable: staff presented a five-year CIP totaling approximately $741 million with major projects including I-35/Santa Fe improvements, a Nineteenth Street extension, and a West Cedar Creek sewer interceptor, together with continuing street preservation and reconstruction programs. Staff said outside funding and grants helped underwrite about 19% of the CIP.

Council discussion touched on tax burdens for seniors, the idea of alternative, constrained “budget-by-choice” scenarios to show trade-offs, and avenues for state-level or local programs to provide property-tax relief for older residents. Several council members thanked staff for a detailed and difficult budget process.

Roll-call votes: The budget ordinance (Ordinance 25-33) passed 5-2, with Councilmembers Gilmore and Essex recorded as voting no. The CIP resolution (Resolution 25-10-82) and the fees-and-charges resolution (Resolution 25-10-83) each passed unanimously, 7-0.

What’s next: Staff will implement approved FY2026 operating budgets, continue CIP planning and proceed with the planned rate changes and the expanded utility discount and property-tax rebate programs. Councilmembers said they plan to continue public outreach and to discuss longer-term options for senior property-tax relief.","City Council adopted the 2026 annual budget and the 2026–2030 Capital Improvement Plan on Sept. 16. The budget keeps the overall mill levy stable, shifts debt-dedicated mills into the general fund to improve flexibility, funds a $250,000 property-tax rebate program and expands utility discounts for low-income residents; the budget ordinance pas","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves demolition-phase GMP amendment with Nabholz for animal shelter property; members request broader shelter discussion

Olathe council approves rezoning for Lineage Logistics cold-storage center over neighborhood objections

Olathe city auditor outlines risk-based audit program, asks council to rank priorities for 2026 audits

Olathe council adopts 2026 budget and five-year CIP; council shifts debt mills to general fund and raises resident utility discounts