Overland Park has started to solidify its electric vehicle plans, taking steps to possibly add more electrified vehicles to its own fleet and expand its public charging infrastructure.
The Overland Park City Council on Monday voted 11-1 to adopt the new Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan. Councilmember Jeff Cox cast the lone dissenting vote, questioning whether it was the city’s business to foray into the EV realm at all.
The vote this week on the new plan falls short of formalizing any policy decisions — like whether or how much to charge drivers to use any public charging stations. Those discussions are expected to happen later.
Instead, the 95-page plan is meant to help the city make plans “to implement a thoughtful strategy identifying needs and best practices” for EVs.
Read the full adopted EV readiness plan here.
Majority of councilmembers see EV plan as a right step
- Councilmember Melissa Cheatham called the EV Readiness Plan “essential,” adding that its adoption is “timely, if not overdue.”
- Council President Logan Heley was also positive about the plan, saying that it’s a question of “when, not if” the city moves to convert more of its collection of vehicles to electric.
- “This is a proud moment for Overland Park,” Mayor Curt Skoog added, noting that Overland Park has a history of leading the way and acknowledging some shortcomings in electric transportation technology available now. “This is a trend that is coming; it’s happening.”
- Skoog also said that Overland Park over the years has followed a “test … study … implement” mindset. For EVs, the city is now in the “implement” phase.
Overland Park could add more EVs to its fleet
- Some vehicles in Overland Park’s fleet are electric, albeit very few.
- With that in mind, the new EV readiness plan cites a need to “establish a clear and measurable goal for the transition.”
- Nearly 20% of Overland Park’s standard fleet could be replaced with electric vehicles “at the end of their current service life,” according to the plan.
- The city identified an additional roughly 20% for “possible EV transition” soon, but those vehicles may be harder to move over.
Overland Park could ramp up public charging infrastructure
The plan also lays out strategies for expanding the availability of charging stations for electric vehicles, focusing on public buildings and places for Overland Park to charge up its own electrified fleet.
Possible public-facing city buildings that might be a good fit for chargers, per the plan, include the Matt Ross Community Center as well as parks or pools.
Other potential locations identified are community amenities that attract visitors, like the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Scheels Soccer Complex and the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead.
Overland Park’s next steps:
- The policy discussions about charging to use the stations as well as how to set parking standards at the stations will occur later.
- Those will go through the Overland Park City Council Public Safety and Community Development Committees first.
- Then, they’ll head to a full vote before the city council.
- Additionally, any decisions about purchasing electric vehicles or installing new charging stations will come later.
Looking back: City moves forward with EV chargers at popular south Overland Park spots
