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The improvement of land for a retail development at the northeast corner of Kansas Avenue and Kansas Highway 7 will be partly funded by a tax-increment-finance bond.

At its Monday meeting, the Bonner Springs City Council approved the creation of a TIF district by KAVE Inc. for Bonner Springs Pointe, a 15.4-acre development that will include 73,000 square feet of retail space in three stores, including a Walgreen’s store at the corner of K-7 and Kansas Avenue, and a Burger King.

Rezoning, plat and a site plan have already been approved for the development.

Construction and improvement of the site will come in three phases and be paid for by city-issued bonds, which would be retired using anticipated increases in real-estate tax revenue. The bonds can't be used for the construction of buildings or other structures to be owned or leased by a developer. If the increase in property tax revenues from the developed land doesn't cover the bonds' repayment, the responsibility for repaying will fall to the developer.

In response to a question from a resident about whether the TIF would cost taxpayers, Mayor Clausie Smith said most of the property is currently not bringing in taxes for the city and the TIF district’s creation will result in its generating property and sales taxes for the city.

In other business Monday, the Council:

• Heard a report on the status of the Public Works Department’s policy from Director Kevin Breummer that cut back on areas that employees mowed to save fuel costs, reduce emissions and free employees’ time for other work.

The policy eliminated the mowing of some right of ways and reduced others to twice a year; it also added 138th Street from Kansas Highway 32 to Kansas Avenue, and Front Street from Cedar to Scheidt.

Bruemmer said the department had received “very few complaints,” and the policy had saved 180 man-hours, 225 gallons of fuel, which with the summer’s gasoline prices meant a savings of $896.

• Took a guided tour of the newly remodeled and expanded offices of the Public Works Department.

• Approved payment of claims for city operations for $1,867,036.

• Approved payment of Public Housing Authority claims for $48,383.

• Approved an arcade license for Speedway Bar & Grill for part of the year.

• Approved the submission of an application to the Sunflower Foundation for a grant of $17,875 to fund the final phase of the North Park walking trail along 134th Street. The application commits the city to matching the grant’s funding, dollar for dollar.

• Approved a two-year contract extension with Lowenthal, Singleton, Webb and Wilson to perform audit services for the city for 2008 and 2009.

• Approved the appointment of Amanda Quarles to the Convention and Tourism Committee.

• Approved an extension of the contract for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County of Wyandotte County/ Kansas City, Kan., mill levy funding of the Senior Center, for $20,900 and Tiblow Transit for $9,110.

• Heard a presentation of the city’s 2007 audit by Audrey Olderman, CPA, with Lowenthal, Singleton, Webb and Wilson.

• Approved a special-use permit for the Holliday Sand & Gravel Plant. The new permit was necessary because Holliday had been purchased by Ash Grove Cement and will expire Dec. 31, 2014.

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