Restricting Chain Store Development

In November 2000, the Kansas City Council voted to approve two new ordinances that will protect the Brookside neighborhood from large-scale, suburban-style chain store development. The first, Ord. No. 1442, creates the Brookside Business District as a special zoning district, with its own rules and requirements. The district encompasses a 10.3 acre neighborhood with a mix of residential, office, and commercial uses. The second, Ord. No. 1441, restricts retail uses in the area to 10,000 square feet, except for grocery stores, which may be as large as 25,000 square feet; prohibits drive-through restaurants; limits building heights; caps the number of parking spaces allowed; and sets architectural and design standards for the neighborhood.