The Spring Hill Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend the city’s 2026–2030 capital improvement plan (CIP) to the City Council as compliant with the existing comprehensive plan. Commissioners and staff discussed new projects added for 2026–2030, funding sources and follow-up actions; staff emphasized that many projects remain contingent on grants and intergovernmental agreements.

Why it matters: the CIP lays out multi-year investments in transportation, sewer infrastructure, public facilities and equipment that will shape development, traffic safety and service capacity in Spring Hill for the next five years.

Rhonda, who presented the plan for the finance department, highlighted completed projects and said the city will undertake more than $12 million in projects in 2025. She described the Bucyrus sewer acquisition as a notable new entry: Spring Hill would take over wastewater conveyance from Bucyrus’s plant, expanding the city’s service area. Presenters said the city’s net cost to acquire the line is approximately $650,000 in 2026; the city would also assume some Bucyrus debt. Commissioners discussed the physical extent of the expansion; participants described the distance as “about 5 miles” but no definitive length was specified in the meeting record.

Transportation projects featured prominently. Staff described planned safety improvements and potential roundabouts at high-traffic intersections, safety work around U.S. 169 (including Lowen and Lone Elm), and signal work on 190th Street at U.S. 169. Jacob Spear, the public works director, noted that most items are conceptual at this stage: “We don't have any, like, specific plans,” he said, adding that the CIP sets money aside so the city can act quickly if grant funding or partnerships with KDOT and Johnson County materialize. The commission also heard that the county’s CARS program typically funds roughly 50% of construction costs for eligible road projects; staff emphasized that the city’s out-of-pocket share can be small when grants and partnerships are secured.

Staff discussed equipment and facility needs in the plan, including required repairs at the police department, periodic upgrades to the Axon body-camera system (previously purchased with ARPA funds), and vehicle replacements such as a sewer-vacuum truck and a pothole patching truck. The CIP also includes long-range planning for a new civic center, subject to future studies and public input.

Funding and intergovernmental dependencies were emphasized repeatedly. Staff said many projects will rely on a mix of grants, KDOT involvement for state highways, Johnson County participation through the CARS program, and reimbursements from neighboring counties when applicable. Miami County reimbursement was cited as an example: staff noted the city was reimbursed about $800,000 from Miami County last year for work in that jurisdiction.

The commission approved the motion to recommend the CIP to council—"I move to recommend the 2026 to 2030 capital improvement plan to the Spring Hill City Council as compliant with the comp plan"—and recorded a unanimous 6–0 vote to forward the plan. The recommendation does not appropriate funds; council action is required to authorize specific spending, bond issues, or contract awards. Staff will continue project-level planning, pursue grants, coordinate with KDOT and Johnson County, and return with more concrete design and cost estimates for near-term projects.