• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Friday, July 4, 2025
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Historic preservation district sought at Parkville

Bill O'Malley by Bill O'Malley
June 23, 2005
in Parkville
3
SHARES
87
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Parkville’s Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a new ethics ordinance on Tuesday night, after entertaining a tension-filled debate to garner the board’s support to designate the city’s downtown area as an historic preservation district.

The ethics ordinance codifies more stringent expectations on all of the city’s municipal officials. Among other mandates, all officials are now required to attend an ethics seminar. The ordinance proposes to address past ethics concerns that the city has confronted and seeks to anticipate new challenges that could arise in the future.

RelatedNews

Historic ‘local gem’ being preserved

Summer concerts set on courthouse lawn

Parkville to decide use tax, sales tax on weed

While the chamber erupted in April when the city first considered the matter in the aftermath of the April 5 municipal election, on Tuesday the ordinance passed without dissension after a brief discussion by City Attorney Jack Campbell.

Members of the Parkville Original Plat Neighborhood Association petitioned the board to support their effort to seek certification of the city’s downtown core as an historic preservation district for designation as a Certified Local Government (CLG) with the State Historic Preservation Office. The office is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The petitioners argued that certification is necessary as the development pressures on the burgeoning city risks altering the character of its historic downtown corridor. While the city is cognizant of the compromises that future growth can bring to its unique personality, supporters of the process insist that current zoning ordinances are insufficient to maintain the current atmosphere of downtown Parkville.

The opposition’s concerns centered on what might be required by property owners in the future.

While he stated that he is leaning towards supporting the district, Alderman Dave Rittman argued that there are already stringent zoning requirements in the area. He indicated that he would first like to ensure that the majority of affected homeowners support the proposal before moving forward.

Rittman also pondered that certifying the area with the state might bring a different dimension to the challenges that the city will face.

“It’s a whole lot of different teeth,” he argued.

After a lengthy and often passionate debate, the board opted instead to approve Alderman Dave McCoy’s substitute motion to support the continued study of the issue. The motion also held that supporters must specifically define the program as well as address the specific concerns that were raised by speculative board members and two citizens who rose in opposition to the proposal.

The motion fell far short of the supporters goal to proceed in the process with the city’s support.

Alderman Jack Friedman served as the association’s sole champion on the board. He provided the lone dissension to McCoy’s motion.

Friedman offered an impassioned appeal on behalf of the petitioners and insisted that the primary concerns had already been researched and answered. He believed that the supporters were being held to unreasonable expectations to move forward with the process.

“The board was given the full CLG program in their packets,” Friedman admonished. “And, now you’re asking for it again.

“They’ve [already] put in a ton of work already,“ he added, “It’s unfair.”

“Yes,” Maria Sprague applauded Friedman from the gallery, “We’re frustrated. And, we’re tired.”

Sprague was one of the principal supporters of the effort.

If the association received the board’s official support, the city’s certification as a CLG would not be final until the board approved it in final passage after reviewing the specifics of the program.

The ardor continued after the board’s vote as the discussion spilled over to the sidewalk outside city hall where supporters continued to attempt to persuade unconvinced holdouts to their cause.

Main Street Parkville President Tom Hutsler did not want to leave speculation about his position on the issue. He voiced his support of the effort when he rose to address another matter for the board’s consideration.

Hutsler stated, “ Just for the record, … I’m for the CLG.”

The board approved police officer Eric Sligar’s promotion to the rank of Sergeant. Chief Bill Hudson sought to expedite the scheduled promotion two weeks prior to schedule, citing that the department has “been shorthanded long enough.”

Sligar attended the meeting with his wife, Natalie.

Grant Gould, who is with Boy Scout Troop 1433 from the Heartland Presbyterian Camp, addressed the board to earn credit for his Communications Merit Badge.

 

Tags: David Rittmanelectionsethicsparkvilleplatte countypolicePublic Safety
Bill O'Malley

Bill O'Malley

Related Posts

Fireworks

Fireworks show in Platte City

by Ivan Foley
July 4, 2025
0

DISPLAY BEGINS ABOUT 10 P.M. FROM SCHOOL CAMPUS Now that the daytime celebration in Downtown Platte City has ended, it's time to focus on the nighttime show. The City of Platte City is sponsoring a nighttime fireworks display again this...

45 Years Ago–July 4, 1980

by Ivan Foley
July 2, 2025
0

Platte County Fair schedule set: carnival, queen contest and other events are planned. Grandstand show each evening, Pony Express, demolition derby, and more activities are planned at the Platte County Fairgrounds in Tracy. The Platte County Sheriff’s Department has received...

30 Years Ago–July 6, 1995

by Ivan Foley
July 2, 2025
0

Laurie Everett, newscaster for KMBC-TV Channel 9 of Kansas City, served as celebrity emcee of the Zed Martin Day parade on Saturday in Platte City. She was assisted in announcing the entries by Platte City residents Bill Brown and Jim...

15 Years Ago–July 7, 2010

by Ivan Foley
July 2, 2025
0

Interstate 29 travelers in Platte County may notice a slower pace of traffic and increased police patrols around mid-day Thursday. President Barack Obama will be in Platte County on Thursday. The president is scheduled to arrive at KCI aboard Air...

Next Post

More than 20,000 attend Parkville extravaganza

Popular News

  • Golf course at Creekside

    Nine-hole golf course planned at Creekside

    76 shares
    Share 30 Tweet 19
  • Free food, drink ready for July 4th celebration

    22 shares
    Share 9 Tweet 6
  • Fireworks show in Platte City

    8 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • Chick-fil-A coming to Metro North Crossing

    31 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • Historic ‘crazy quilt’ exhibit ready at Platte County museum

    7 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved