By LESLIE COLLINS
Northeast News
February 27, 2013

Establishing a Community Improvement District along the Independence Avenue corridor is coming closer to fruition.

The Independence Avenue CID Steering Committee has collected signatures of approval from more than 50 percent of the property owners within the proposed CID boundaries, which run along the Avenue from The Paseo to Ewing Avenue.

Now, it’s up to the Kansas City City Council to give final approval.

Establishing a CID will fund a number of initiatives along the Avenue ranging from security improvements to litter abatement to capital improvements to marketing the Avenue to economic development, among others.

If the City Council approves establishing the CID, property owners within the CID boundaries will pay a yearly assessment of $300 per parcel. In addition, the CID will include a 1 percent sales tax within the CID boundaries to further fund CID initiatives.

The Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the CID Steering Committee are encouraging Northeast residents to attend at least one of the upcoming city meetings to show their support.

Upcoming meetings regarding the CID include:

•March 7: Public hearing at 1 p.m. on the 10th floor of City Hall

•March 13: City Council committee meeting at 1:30 p.m. on the 26th floor of City Hall

•March 14: Full City Council meeting at 3 p.m. on the 26th floor of City Hall

City Hall is located at 414 E 12th St., Kansas City, Mo.

Area residents may also send letters of support to nekcchamber@aol.com and city.council@kcmo.org, or mail letters to:

NEKC Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 240392, Kansas City, Mo. 64124