The Lee’s Summit City Council met January 14 to discuss these issues.
Religious Freedom Day Proclamation
Mayor Baird issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 16 as National Religious Freedom Day, celebrating the right to religious freedom for all citizens. The U.S. and Missouri constitutions affirm the right to freely exercise religious faith or nonreligious beliefs in public without depriving of other rights and privileges. Lee’s Summit welcomes, protects and encourages all residents of diverse backgrounds to hold and support a pluralistic society, protecting human dignity, strengthening society and fostering a culture of tolerance and peace.
PRI Property Status
City Council received an update from the City about the status of the Suburban Land Reserve for the development of 4,203 acres owned by Property Reserve, the property investment arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The 1,064 acres north of Northeast Colbern Road and east of Interstate 470 highway are designed to have commercials, residential and industrial property, and two parks. The 3,141-acre property southwest of Downtown Lee’s Summit is designed for commercial, multi-family, single-family, has 1,002 acres on the market and will have six parks.
Property Reserve plans to release land in five-year tranches, which Suburban Land Reserve will sell to developers. The size of the tranches will depend on the market and infrastructure improvements. There will be at least two releases, and there could be more.
The next steps are to continue to develop land use plans, evaluate financing scenarios and develop an infrastructure financing plan.
Parks & Recreation Project Updates
The Parks Board presented Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation (LSPR) project updates to City Council. In 2024, LSPR invested $740,000 in neighborhood park renovations and $540,000 in playground surface replacement for $1.3 million in park improvements. Some highlighted upcoming projects include a park at the Resource Recovery Park, Longview Master Plan and pickleball complex, Bailey Farm Park and Nature Center, and Safety Town.
The park at the Resource Recovery Park will be located at the former landfill and is planned to have a welcome center, playground, trails, tubing hill, natural stone stair climb, bike course and more. The next steps for the project are formalizing an agreement with the City, obtaining community input, hiring a consulting team, funding the project and planning phase one, which will begin in fiscal year 2027.
A master plan is being developed for 13 acres acquired from the Metropolitan Community Colleges/Longview. The master plan includes the first phase development of 8-12 pickleball courts with lighting, a plaza area with shade structures and seating, fencing, landscaping, and site furnishings planned to be built in the summer or fall of 2025. Future development at Longview includes a large playground, park pavilion with restrooms, walking trails, interpretive areas, scenic lookout tower, food truck area and ADA parking improvements. Next steps include gathering feedback from local pickleball player groups.
Parks and Recreation plans to develop the Bailey Farm Park and Nature Center on land donated by the Bailey family on Ranson Road in 2000. Currently, the park has a community garden with 48 plots constructed in 2016. The Bailey Farm Park Master Plan includes the development of a visitor center, a nature center, an event space, practice fields, shelter structures, seasonal corn maze space, an expanded parking lot, walking trails, an incubator space to showcase farming techniques, an orchard and a themed playscape. Next steps include $7.5 million in funding through a CIP through fiscal year 2028, updates to the master plan and designs in 2025, and construction in 2026. LSPR is seeking a partner or donation to realize the full project scope and plans.
The Safety Town project would be an indoor and outdoor venue teaching life safety skills for children. Safety activities would include pedestrian, bicycle and traffic safety, playground safety, utility safety, severe weather safety, stranger danger, 911 procedures, fire safety and poison prevention. The project has $1 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 and will begin site selection and planning in spring 2025.
Council Vacancy Fulfillment Process
The council discussed the process the Council Rules Committee recommended to fill the open District 4 seat. Beginning immediately, qualified residents of District 4 who have an interest in filling the vacant seat can apply by visiting the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall during business hours. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Jan. 29. A forum will be held on Feb. 11 for candidates moving forward in the process. The public can submit questions for the candidates to answer during the forum by emailing the City Clerk’s Office. A list of applicants will be maintained on the City’s website.
Following discussion, the council approved a resolution establishing the procedure for appointing a new council member following a vacancy on the city council.
The next meeting is January 21.
