Raymore Planning and Zoning Commission recommends FY26 capital improvement plan to city council

At its Sept. 2, 2025 meeting, the Raymore Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the city’s proposed FY26 Capital Improvement Plan, a $6.8 million portfolio of projects that includes street and curb work, park improvements, sewer upgrades and water system maintenance.

The commission heard a staff presentation and public hearing before making its recommendation. Finance Director Lisa Williams opened the staff presentation, noting the national guidance behind multiyear capital planning: "The Government Finance Officers Association recommends that governments prepare and adopt a fiscally sustainable and multiyear capital improvement plan to ensure effective management of capital assets," she said. The plan presented to the commission identifies projects across buildings and grounds, parks, sanitary sewer, stormwater, transportation and water supply funds.

Key items in the FY26 proposal include: city hall landscaping and tree replacement ($39,600); city hall refresh including conversion of front parking to concrete and a speed table ($277,420); council chamber projector replacement ($10,000); a park signage program ($130,000); TB Ham Station (TBHANA) park expansion phase 1 including purchase and removal of a house at 204 S. Adams ($164,000); continued trails maintenance (ongoing through 2027); sewer lift station upgrades (to be split into four separate pump projects and presented to council in September); Owen Good force main replacement, phase 2 (approximately $1,358,496, funded from sewer connection fees and the enterprise capital maintenance fund); Owen Good lift station screening ($63,600); inflow and infiltration reduction work in the Alexander Creek interceptor and Middle Big Creek areas (ongoing); a combined stormwater and transportation annual curb replacement program ($1,098,000 this year); a Dean Avenue curb replacement standalone project ($500,000); a North Cass Parkway/Dean Avenue left-turn signal ($40,000); North Madison Street reconstruction ($370,000); ITS security upgrades focused on parks ($65,000); hydrant replacement ($204,733); inspection/cleaning of the Kentucky pump station and Foxwood Springs tower ($11,500); and original-town valve work ($74,200). Several ongoing server and IT projects and trail maintenance items were also noted.

Staff explained funding sources as a mix of sales taxes, development fees and transfers from operating funds. City Manager Jim Fearborn discussed available fund balance and said he planned to recommend to council that some available balance be dedicated to transportation work: "we are estimating right now, of over $2,000,000. Going to be recommending to the council that they spend a million 3 of that just like they did last year and dedicate it strictly to transportation," he said. Fearborn outlined a multi-year approach if council follows that recommendation, saying it could allow work on 58 Highway from Dean Avenue to Fox Ridge in an initial stage and, over three years, complete the corridor (he estimated the total project could exceed $4,800,000).

Public works presentation items included a note that the sanitary sewer lift station upgrade will be split into four discrete pump projects so each can be tracked separately; public works director Trent Salisbury identified the need to bore under Highway 58 for part of the Owen Good force main work. On transportation, staff said the annual street preservation contractor will return for a second mobilization in October. Economic development director Jordan Lee and public works staff highlighted traffic stacking at the North Cass Parkway/Dean Avenue intersection tied to Nuuly’s operations; staff noted Nuuly’s planned expansion and an estimated 1,800 additional employees as a reason to prioritize signal improvements.

The commission opened and closed the required public hearing (no members of the public spoke) and then voted on two routine items: approval of the Aug. 5, 2025 minutes (motion by Vice Chair Fizer; second by Secretary Smith; passed 6-0) and a motion to recommend approval of the FY26 CIP to the city council (motion by Secretary Smith; second by Vice Chair Fizer; passed 6-0).

The recommendation now goes to the Raymore City Council for review and final action. Staff told the commission that several of the large transportation and curb projects would be discussed in greater detail during the council budget work sessions this fall, and that some items (notably the split sewer pump projects) will return to council for refinement before final budget adoption.