District 5 Advisory Board
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
Christine Thompson raised concerns about delays in tree and stump removal by the city. Councilmember Johnston proposed a sales tax to reduce reliance on property taxes. Updates included fireworks safety, golf cart rules, library upgrades, park events, and a $17M road project.
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
Councilmember Johnston shared updates from the April 29 City/County meeting, covering opioid settlement use, homelessness, and service consolidation. He announced a new dog park opening. Most of the meeting covered budget talks and the process of creating a budget plan.
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
DAB 5’s meeting covered City Manager Layton’s upcoming retirement, zoning for a new hotel and parking lot behind the Walmart in New Market Square, burn ban for April, & complaints about parked RVs. WAMPO shared long-term transit goals and a discussion of the Northwest Expressway.
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
Discussion included downtown parking changes, with a possible 2% restaurant tax, and concerns about Crown Uptown's potential demolition. Other updates were airport operations, police and fire services, library renovations, road projects, and details on water conservation efforts.
Notes by Patrick Greene
Mayor Lily Wu, Councilwoman Maggie Ballard, and others attended the DAB 5 meeting, where the proposed golf cart ordinance was a major topic of discussion. The board unanimously encouraged Councilman J.V. Johnston to support regulations, while Wu said more discussion is needed.
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
Attendees received updates on public transportation, police and fire department activities, and community projects. The meeting ended with details on Wichita's Sustainability Plan, with residents voicing concerns over climate strategy, transportation, and resource use.
Notes by Donna Castillo-Garcia
A proposal to rezone a property in the Ashley neighborhood from single-family to multi-family sparked strong public opposition, citing concerns over safety, traffic, and community impact. After nearly 90 minutes of public comment, the board voted 9-1 to deny the rezoning.
Notes by Wyatt Barmann
Discussions covered upcoming library events, park activities, and updates on the Wichita Bicycle Plan, which is 95% complete but likely to require an extension. Rezoning for a new office building at 13525 W. 21st Street North was approved.
Notes by Sharon Ailslieger
The WPD reported low crime in District 5, discussed new tech like a Real Time Information Center and Flock license plate readers, and is considering strategies to reduce violent crime. Also, discussion of the restrictions from the local drought.
Notes by Randi Thimesch
Another perspective about the local business Humidor West request for change in zoning. The crowd of neighbors were divided on its request to change zoning for outdoor entertainment. After the vote approved the request, the crowd left the meeting, missing the final topic.