Public Comment Period for SUP for proposed homeless shelter

Rules and decorum 

The official Public Hearing for the proposed homeless shelter was held at the Aug. 26 Planning Commission meeting. While no public comment period is required at the City Council meeting, the Mayor will allow public comment for up to two hours on Sept. 17.

Given the anticipated interest in providing comments, the Mayor has instituted the following rules to maintain an orderly and efficient public comment process:

  • Comments will be limited to two minutes per speaker, and you may only speak once.
    • Comments and questions should be directed to the Mayor.
    • The Mayor will direct questions raised by the public to either staff or the applicant for response at the end of the public comment period. Certain questions may not be able to be readily answered at the meeting.
  • Rebuttals and debate between the public and applicant or staff are not allowed.
  • Members of the public are expected to conduct themselves in a civil and respectful manner. Any person making personal, impertinent, threatening or slanderous remarks, being disruptive or disorderly during a meeting or are otherwise deemed to be in violation of the Lenexa Governing Body Rules of Procedure will be directed by the Mayor to cease such disruptive behavior. If the behavior continues, the person may be removed from the meeting at the discretion of the Mayor.

Register to speak and speaking order

How to register to speak

Register online to speak at the Sept. 17 City Council meeting. Online registration closes at 5 p.m. on Sept. 17 or when 60 speakers have registered (whichever comes first). For assistance filling out the form, email cityclerk@lenexa.com or call 913.477.7550.

Register to speak during Public Hearing

Speaking order

Speakers will be asked to identify whether they live or have a business in Lenexa and will be invited to comment in the order they registered, according to the following parameters:

  • Individual Lenexa residents and business owners who pre-registered will be given priority to comment first.
  • Attendees who are not from Lenexa or who do not wish to disclose that information will speak next.

The speaking order will be displayed on the Community Forum screens and the speaker next in line will be announced by City staff. When your name is called or displayed as next in line please be queued in the aisle behind the podium. The Mayor will recognize you to speak when the previous speaker’s time has concluded.

Process

  1. The agenda item is called up for consideration by the Mayor.
  2. City Council members disclose any ex parte communication about the agenda item.
  3. City staff presents their report analyzing the proposal and outlining their recommendation (approximately 30 minutes).
  4. The applicant presents their proposal (approximately 30 minutes).
  5. The Mayor opens the public comment period (limited to two hours).
  6. Comments from the public are heard.
  7. The Mayor closes the public comment period.
  8. The Mayor and City Council members discuss the proposal, asks further questions of the staff and the applicant, and render a decision — either uphold the Planning Commission's recommendation of denial, override the Planning Commission's recommendation and approve the special use permit, or remand the application back to the Planning Commission with a specific list of issues that need to be reconsidered.

In anticipation of a long meeting, breaks will be taken approximately every two hours.

Related information

Background news story

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