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Raytown delays Evergy substation expansion after waiver vote fails
Summary
Raytown aldermen held a public hearing on Evergy's request to expand a substation at East 50 Ninth Street and Woodson Road. Planning staff recommended approval with conditions; a motion to waive rules for an immediate second reading failed to meet the two-thirds threshold, so final action was scheduled for Jan. 21, 2025.
A public hearing at the Raytown Board of Aldermen's Jan. 7 meeting considered Evergy's application to expand an electrical substation at the southeast corner of East 50 Ninth Street and Woodson Road.
Planning staff presented the conditional use permit and recommended approval with conditions including a recorded 5-foot ADA-compliant sidewalk easement, an approved stormwater study, required landscaping and an 8-foot masonry screening wall (the applicant will build a 9-foot wall). "The applicant has complied with all of these requirements and I will add, while the requirement is for an 8 foot solid wall or fence they're doing a 9 foot, solid wall," planning staff member Shana said.
The applicant team joined remotely. Chris Carey of PPB EnviroSolutions, a contractor supporting Evergy, told the board construction would take about 12 to 18 months, with work hoped to begin in July 2025 and the substation in service in 2026. "We're hoping to begin that this next summer, so, like, July 2025, and then have the substation in service by 2026," Carey said.
Aldermen asked about security where the applicant proposed to leave an existing row of mature trees instead of extending masonry wall across the entire southern edge of the property. Shana said an existing chain-link fence is already on the south property line but the chain-link material is not allowed for new construction and the application calls for solid masonry where new wall is proposed.
Several aldermen pressed for assurance neighbors had been notified. Shana said the applicant held a neighborhood meeting on Nov. 7; three neighbors attended that meeting and the planning commission heard one resident at its hearing. Evergy representatives said they had also followed up directly with concerned residents.
The board debated waiving the rules to allow a second reading of the ordinance the same night. Alderman Emerson moved to waive the rules; Alderman Garza seconded. The mayor called the roll and announced a simple majority in favor, but planning staff reminded the council that a two-thirds vote is required to waive the rules. Planning staff confirmed the two-thirds threshold had not been met, and the mayor said the waiver did not pass. The matter was continued to the Jan. 21, 2025 meeting.
The hearing record includes the parcel identification given during the reading (parcel ID 44-320-14-04-00000000) and references to the City of Raytown Municipal Code standards the planning staff used in the recommendation. The mayor thanked Evergy for attending remotely and told the applicants, "we'll see you on the 21st."
