Thursday in KCMO was a prime example of the power of teamwork. The City Council passed two resolutions supporting places for people: Vision Zero and an update to the City’s Climate Protection Plan. These victories were the result of community outreach and organizations standing together in solidarity for interdependent causes.
The Vision Zero resolution, which treats traffic violence as a public health and equity issue, asks the City to use data to adapt infrastructure and policy to eliminate traffic deaths by 2030. BikeWalkKC, along with LISC, Samuel Rodgers Health Center, Paseo West Neighborhood Association, Hope Faith, KC Healthy Kids/Greater KC Food Policy Coalition, KC 4 Safe Streets, Better Block KC, KC Regional Transit Alliance, Sunrise Movement KC, families of victims of traffic violence, and many of our members wrote letters of support and organized public testimony from dozens of Kansas City residents for this resolution.
Additionally, environmental groups led the drive to pass the resolution updating the City’s Climate Protection Plan, to include new greenhouse gas reduction goals, resiliency, and equity as part of City policy and operations. We are proud to have joined the Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement KC, KC for Safe Streets, and others in supporting this legislation and amplifying the testimony of over 100 individuals. We have stated in the past that sustainability and transportation are interconnected, and we see this as another example of that intersection. To that end, we are committed to working with our partners and neighbors to create places for people.
We are pleased to celebrate these legislative wins with you, but advocacy never sleeps and we have one more request: KCMO’s Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee is considering a couple of resolutions to streamline the permitting process for street cafes, parklets, and other outdoor dining spaces, expanding on a resolution adopted last year. The new resolutions will temporarily eliminate car parking minimums for restaurants, and allow them to transform parking spaces into outdoor dining rooms. The intention is to ease indoor occupancy limits and promote public health and safety during the pandemic and gradual reopening period. If you support places for people, please send your letter of support to publictestimony@kcmo.org and be sure to mention Resolution #200376 or Resolution #200377. Your voice is vital to creating a better world, and we are proud to stand in solidarity with you.
If you are able, we hope you will consider becoming a member of BikeWalkKC this Bike Month. Memberships start at $10 and provide critical resources for us to continue our work in these uncertain times. Our members are a growing collection of voices speaking up and affirming that our streets are places for people! Click here to join.