Lee’s Summit council approves Oldham Village rezoning, CID and TIF after hours of public comment

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — The Lee's Summit City Council on Jan. 13 adopted a series of ordinances and resolutions that clear the way for the Oldham Village mixed‑use development at the southwest intersection of U.S. 50 and M‑291.

The council approved the Oldham Village Phase 1 preliminary development plan, a rezoning and preliminary plan for Phase 2, the project’s tax‑increment financing (TIF) plan, a petition to form a community improvement district (CID) and a redevelopment plan under the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA). Council votes on the cluster of items were recorded between 6–1 and unanimous depending on the measure.

The measures together set the zoning, public‑finance framework and redevelopment authority needed for the private developer and city to negotiate specific project agreements.

Why it matters: Council approval gives the developer the land‑use entitlements and a path to seek public financing (TIF and CID) to reimburse eligible project costs. Opponents urged the council to reconsider which properties would be included in the CID boundaries and pressed for guardrails on how public funds would be used.

Public comment and council discussion: During the meeting multiple people spoke against including Hy‑Vee and Hy‑Vee customers inside the CID boundaries. Alex Burns, a Hy‑Vee representative, said the proposal as presented ‘‘seems to prioritize private development interests’’ and urged the council to ‘‘pause and reassess’’ and to remove Hy‑Vee from the CID boundary. Christine Bushehead,…