Supporters of Prairie Village’s new city hall project came out in force at Monday’s city council meeting, this time urging the city to pay for “green” sustainable features that critics say is driving the cost up.
Those same critics also mobilized at the meeting to outright oppose the entire $30 million project altogether, arguing that it’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and that Prairie Village voters should get a say in whether the plan should move forward.
Prairie Village is planning to build a new city hall on a nearby church site and remake the current city hall into an expanded and renovated police station.
Years in the making, the project now officially includes “green” sustainable components for the city hall portion of the project, specifically solar panels that would generate 50% of daily power, as well as a highly efficient, sustainable HVAC system.
The city hall project faces continued vocal opposition from some residents and a dark money group that circulated mailers criticizing the plan.
Still, at Monday’s Prairie Village City Council meeting, at least 25 of the dozens of commenters hailed the project as a good investment for the city.
Ultimately, the city council voted 8-3 to approve some “green” sustainable elements for the city hall portion of the project. Those elements would earn it a Gold standard under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification program known as LEED.
City staff said the $30 million budget project was originally budgeted to include LEED Platinum, the highest standard of certification for environmental sustainability, but it would come at a higher cost.
Councilmembers Tyler Agniel, Terry O’Toole and Lori Sharp cast the dissenting votes. Councilmember Nick Reddell was absent.
While some residents are opposed to a new city hall project altogether, others on Monday voiced strong support for the project overall and, more specifically, the city pursuing a high LEED standard for the city hall building.
LEED Gold is less sustainable than planned
Based on city council policy, city staff originally planned to build the new city hall to LEED Platinum standards — the same standard the $10 million public works building met. The cost for LEED Platinum was already baked into the city’s $30 million budget for the municipal complex project.
Keramida, an Indiana-based sustainability consultant that crafted the city’s specific climate action plan, also recommended the city build the new city hall to Platinum standards in order for the city to hit its commitment to the Cities Race to Zero.
But on Monday, the city council opted to pursue LEED Gold standards for the new city hall building partially because they faced resident pushback to the project and the LEED component, but also because of the jump in cost between the two “green” standards.
Here’s a look at the cost difference and specific items connected to each standard:
- LEED Gold: $335,000 for new city hall, includes solar panels and a variable refrigerant flow heating and cooling system.
- LEED Platinum: $644,000, includes LEED Gold items and rainwater harvest, electric vehicle charging stations, bike racks, air quality assessment, interior lighting control and more.
City Engineer Melissa Prenger said that because of utility bill savings, the solar panels and state-of-the-art heating and cooling system will pay for themselves within 15 to 20 years. LEED Platinum accounts for 4% of the total project budget, Prenger said, noting the city previously targeted keeping LEED between 3% to 5% of the total $30 million project.
Councilmember Dave Robinson said he thinks LEED Platinum is a worthwhile goal, but it’s “hard to get there” with the jump in costs.
Similarly, Councilmember Cole Robinson called LEED Gold the “Goldilocks” of LEED options before the city council. He said he sees the city benefiting from investments in solar and HVAC systems, but agreed that it’s “harder to get there” as far as Platinum goes.
Supporters of project hail it as a good investment
Of the dozens of public commenters on Monday, at least 25 people voiced support for the municipal complex project and, more specifically, pursuing LEED Platinum on the new city hall.
Supporters, including former councilmembers Piper Reimer and Pat Daniels, called on the city council to invest in LEED Platinum for the future generations.
Bob Berkebile, a resident and retired architect who helped create LEED standards, said LEED has become the global building standard, for governments in particular.
Berkebile said this is the right time to pursue LEED standards for a new city hall building, noting that his tour of the existing municipal complex shows staff’s “creativity” for making the current facility work, including by “converting closets into offices.”
“With kudos to the leadership and staff for extending the life of this facility, now is the time to invest in the future of our government,” Berkebile said.
Critics of LEED reaffirmed their larger opposition to new city hall
More than a dozen critics of the city hall project who would rather see the city scrap the entire plan also spoke up at the meeting, honing in on the proposed sustainability component.
Public commenters like resident Jim McGrath and former councilmember Jori Nelson called on the city council to let Prairie Village residents vote on the $30 million project.
City officials have previously stated that the project is moving forward without a public vote.
Noting that it won’t have to raise the mill levy or increase sales taxes to fund the project, Prairie Village has the authority to issue municipal general obligation bonds without the project going to a public vote under charter ordinance 28, according to the city’s website.
During Monday night’s discussion of the sustainability component, other critics like Jan Lane called LEED “unnecessary.”
“We elect the people who make laws, but voters have reserved the right to make important choices on taxation and multi-million-dollar spending,” Lane said. “This right should be respected, but you do everything in your power to circumvent preventing residents from a democratic right to vote.”
Opposition to the project has picked up momentum after Preserve Prairie Village, a dark money group, began sending residents mailers encouraging them to “demand input” on the project.
The group’s initial round of mailers earlier this year argued that the project will result in “rising property taxes,” “soaring maintenance costs” and “a community washing away.”
Additionally, the resident group that spearheaded efforts against attainable housing in Prairie Village known as PV United is sharing yard signs with residents that show support for a public vote, specifically in favor of the police department and against a new city hall building.
Next steps:
- The project team will bring forward additional design details as well as a bond resolution for the city council’s consideration at the June 16 meeting.
- Prairie Village City Council meetings start at 6 p.m. the first and third Monday of every month at city hall, 7700 Mission Road.
Go deeper: Watch the entire city council meeting online here, with the LEED discussion starting at 3:20:05.
