Shawnee staff outline development, infrastructure and costs for Hickok Zara TIF district

City staff on Friday briefed a Shawnee council committee on the Hickok Zara tax-increment financing (TIF) district, laying out land-use planning, transportation priorities and financial projections while urging caution about committing large local dollars before grant outcomes and development are clearer.

City Manager Paul Kramer opened the session, saying the district is “a unique feature in the city of Shawnee, designed to bring development to this 2.5 square mile, 1,648 acre area” that includes existing homes, utilities and some substandard infrastructure. He told council members staff would focus on planning, transportation and finances and that Bristol Highlands is already generating increment for the district.

The briefing showed staff land-planning work that, based on ownership and topography, anticipates most of the undeveloped acreage will be built as planned single‑family housing. Community Development Director Doug Allman said the preliminary plan indicates roughly 235 single‑family lots on about 138 acres in the area that has been preliminary platted, adding that a band closer to Monticello was intentionally left as mixed use to accommodate attached housing, townhomes and neighborhood retail. “That was what was the first economic engine to be done,” Allman said of Bristol Highlands, which he described as the driver for early TIF revenues.

Public Works Director Kevin Manning listed three transportation projects staff has prioritized: the Woodland north–south connector, a 75th Street extension (including the roundabout at Monticello) and an interchange at K‑7 and 75th Street. Manning said the city has pursued state and federal grants, including a KDOT local consult request for the K‑7 interchange and possible STBG applications for Woodland, but that funding is competitive and timing remains uncertain. “It’s like a snowball rolling down the hill,” Manning said, describing how incremental housing growth could generate revenue that enables further projects.

On finances, Kramer showed conservative projections in which Bristol Highlands produces modest increment now and larger revenues as additional units come online; he noted current expenditures from the TIF fund are developer reimbursements for 2024 and debt payments tied to 80th Street construction. Kramer also said the city has committed up to $15 million of local funds toward a roughly $43 million K‑7/75th interchange, which would create an annual debt payment of about $1.2 million starting in 2030 if the city covered the full $15 million. “That pledge helps our scoring and helps that bridge get done faster,” Kramer said, while adding the city can still pursue grants and other funding sources.

Staff emphasized tradeoffs between small, near‑term improvements that directly benefit current residents—mill‑and‑overlay work, street lighting and spot repairs—and large regional projects that would consume much of the district’s potential revenues. Kramer said development agreements will be an important tool to shape commercial outcomes around 75th and Monticello and urged the council to be “mindful” of incentives the city uses as projects come forward.

Council members pressed staff for clarifications: whether the Overlook at Midland apartment project is the previously approved seniors complex (staff said it is a separate LIHTC‑funded project expected to be 168 units if completed), which areas on the map are preliminary‑platted Bristol Highlands (staff said white areas), and whether smaller street investments would proceed if larger projects do not. Staff offered to follow up with permit and occupancy counts for 80th Street development.

No votes were taken on TIF policy or project commitments. The committee lost quorum and adjourned after a motion and second. Staff indicated follow‑up information would be provided to council members on permit counts and any outstanding rezoning or application status.

Ending

The meeting closed without formal action on TIF funding choices; staff recommended continued grant pursuit and careful use of development agreements to steer future investment decisions and promised to return with additional data on permits and occupancy to inform council decisions.