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Gardner council updates access-management rules, approves bond refinancing, funds development review and annexations
Summary
The Gardner City Council adopted an updated access-management ordinance that encourages roundabouts, approved KMEA bond refinancing expected to save about $918,000, authorized a $60,000-funded review of the Velocity Arts proposal, and accepted two voluntary annexations.
The Gardner City Council on Monday adopted an update to the city's access management code, approved a refinancing resolution for bonds tied to the Dogwood Energy Center, authorized a paid review of a proposed Velocity Arts development and accepted two voluntary annexations.
City engineer/planning staff member McDonough told the council the 2012 access-management code still works “but we just needed to make some minor tweaks.” He said the most significant change adds guidance on roundabouts and that the city’s “preference is that anytime collectors we have a collector intersection that it would be a roundabout, but we’re not mandating it.” Council members asked about exceptions, and McDonough said right-turn lanes and other geometric features would still be allowed where traffic studies show they are needed. The council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2873.
On a separate finance item, staff member Hunter said refinancing bonds through the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency (KMEA) for the Dogwood Energy Center would reduce costs for the participating communities. “Technically, we’re looking at about a $918,000 savings by renewing these bonds,” he said, and added the new bonds would keep the same term structure as the existing debt. Council adopted Resolution No. 2189 to allow the refinancing.
The council also approved a resolution to authorize the city to review a proposed mixed‑use Velocity Arts development west of I‑35 and north of 175th Street. Staff said the developer will provide an initial deposit of $60,000 to cover outside counsel and consultant fees for legal and financial due diligence; staff said the city will seek reimbursement for any review expenses that exceed that deposit. The council adopted Resolution No. 2190.
Two voluntary annexations passed in separate ordinances. The first, Ordinance No. 2874, accepted annexation agreements for several parcels near 167th Street and Claire Road to support a planned development; the second, Ordinance No. 2875, annexed a single property adjacent to city-owned land south of 167th in the Kill Creek area. Staff said the annexations will help facilitate coordinated plan development for the properties.
All council actions on the agenda passed in recorded votes; the clerk called the roll after each motion and recorded affirmative votes for the members present. The meeting opened with proclamations designating March 29, 2026, as Vietnam War Veterans Day and a First Responders Wellness Week in March 2026, and closed after brief council updates and adjournment.
The council did not receive public comment during the allotted public-comment period. The city will move forward with implementing the ordinance changes, bond refinancing as coordinated through KMEA, the developer-funded review of the Velocity Arts proposal, and the newly annexed parcels.
