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Council grants variance to allow partially visible rooftop HVAC at Overland Station after debate; 10–1 vote
Summary
After extended discussion about aesthetics, code consistency and retrofit costs, Overland Park council granted a deviation April 7 to allow rooftop HVAC units at Overland Station to remain partially visible, with the council voting 10–1 to approve the variance and directing staff to consider code guidance for future cases.
The Overland Park City Council on April 7 granted a deviation to allow rooftop HVAC units installed at Overland Station to remain partially visible from public view, overriding a planning commission denial. The motion to grant the variance passed 10–1.
Planning staff had presented DEV2024-00122 and noted the Unified Development Ordinance requires rooftop equipment to be fully screened with an architectural treatment. Staff recommended denial, and the planning commission denied the deviation. Staff and commission members raised concerns that allowing an exception could weaken the screening standard. Planning staff also proposed that council consider UDO changes to address the increasing frequency of larger replacement rooftop units.
Kimbal Hales of Finkle Williams Architecture, the applicant's representative, told council that industry trends and newer energy codes have produced larger replacement units that sometimes extend above older parapets. Hales said retrofitting full, structural screening is expensive; he cited bids received to add structural screens for the seven units in this case with a low bid around $106,000.
Councilmembers debated competing priorities: enforcing aesthetic standards and the UDO versus discouraging routine maintenance and upgrades to more efficient HVAC systems for existing commercial buildings. Several members said they want to protect the screening standard for new construction while treating older buildings differently. Councilmember Newland moved to grant the deviation (including staff stipulation A) and the motion carried 10–1.
Councilmembers also asked staff to develop guidance for the UDO update to address how to treat rooftop equipment on existing buildings, including possible alternatives such as architectural solutions, painting, or other mitigation measures. Staff said it would bring recommendations during the UDO process.
