The Raytown Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 5, 2024, voted 8-0 to conditionally approve Evergy’s request for a conditional-use permit to expand an existing electrical substation at the southeast corner of East 50 Ninth Street and Woodson Road.

City planning staff recommended approval with conditions that include recording a five‑foot ADA sidewalk easement with Jackson County, submission and city approval of a stormwater study and management plan before construction, ongoing maintenance of required landscaping, a minimum eight‑foot solid screening wall or equivalent (the applicant proposes a nine‑foot solid wall), and a photometric lighting plan demonstrating 0 foot‑candles at property lines.

Shana Kelly, city planning staff, told commissioners the property is zoned R‑1 (low‑density residential) and that the municipal code allows substations in residential districts only with a conditional‑use permit. Kelly said the city and applicant chose expansion at the existing site because it avoids finding a new location and re‑routing transmission infrastructure. She summarized the code standards the commission used to evaluate the application and listed the four staff recommendations that were added as conditions.

Chris Carey, a consultant for Evergy, and Mark Rothmeyer, Evergy senior project manager, said the expansion modernizes equipment and improves the utility’s ability to maintain and repair transmission and distribution lines, which they said should increase reliability for Raytown and surrounding areas. Rothmeyer said the project adds a tie to the transmission grid and a single new transformer; one existing transmission span will be decommissioned and removed as part of the work.

Evergy proposed a nine‑foot solid wall on three sides of the expanded yard and said it would retain an existing chain‑link fence on the south side to avoid removing well‑established trees there. The commission and staff noted that chain‑link is not an approved long‑term screening material under the code, but staff explained the current application covers only the new expansion area and not the historical facility to the south. Landscaping in front of the wall and a continuous sidewalk along Woodson and East 50 Ninth Street were included in the application materials.

Commissioners asked about customer bills, construction impacts and property values. Carey said building on adjacent property is less costly than purchasing and developing a new site and that the project’s costs ultimately flow through utility rates, so the expansion itself is not a direct, guaranteed bill reduction for customers. He said the project is intended to reduce the frequency and duration of outages by improving operational flexibility and maintenance access. Rothmeyer and Carey said construction is planned to begin in mid‑ to late‑2025 and the substation is expected to be energized in 2026, subject to budget and schedule changes. They said most work will occur during normal business hours, but limited weekend or evening work is possible; Evergy provided cards and contact information for neighbors to report concerns.

Nearby resident Jenna Terrell, who said she has lived at 11609 East 50 Ninth Street for 41 years and is the closest house east of the expansion, told the commission she is worried about proximity (she estimated 30–50 feet), noise when transformers fail during storms and impacts on property value. She said she is on Social Security and fears not being able to sell or maintain her home. Evergy representatives said they would remain available to talk and provided contact information.

The commission’s motion to approve the conditional‑use permit was made on Dec. 5, seconded by Mr. Bringer and carried unanimously (recorded yes votes from Emerson, Stock, Sneddon, Bringer, Morales, Jean Paul, Thurman and Myers). Staff told the applicant the ordinance will go to the Board of Aldermen on first reading Jan. 7 and second reading Jan. 21.

The approval includes the staff conditions noted in the record: the recorded five‑foot ADA sidewalk easement, an approved stormwater study and management plan prior to construction, maintenance of required landscaping, and conformance to the municipal code’s screening, setback and lighting standards (including a photometric plan showing 0 foot‑candles at property lines). The application materials and staff packet were entered into the hearing record.

What’s next: Evergy will refine engineering and construction plans, obtain any necessary permits, and coordinate with city public works on stormwater and any public right‑of‑way work. The commission’s action is a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen; the ordinance adoption and final legal authority rests with the Board of Aldermen at the January hearings.