Johnson County’s landfill, located in Shawnee, is on track to close — due to capacity limitations — in 2043. Ward 4 Councilmember and environmental committee liaison Piper Reimer said the committee was reminded about the need to divert waste from this site when Commissioner Becky Fast spoke to the city council on Jan. 18. Reimer said diversion efforts like this reduces landfill waste which, in turn, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and toxins going into air, water and soil. The environmental committee dedicated its entire $8,000 budget to the curbside mattress recycling program, Reimer said. Source: Shawnee Mission Post

It was the trees that settled it for Julie and Kevin Morris as they were choosing between homes in northern Overland Park and the Blue Valley area thirteen years ago. Shady streets under a canopy of big, beautiful trees. “We didn’t want to be out in the suburbs,” regardless of how competitive the school districts are, said Julie. Instead the couple chose their Monitor Square neighborhood — just north of 103rd Street between Nall and Roe avenues — “because we liked the feel of it. And a lot of that is the trees.” Overland Park inside the I-435 loop abounds in [...]

Plans for a fire station reconstruction in Overland Park took a step forward this week.mThe city council’s Public Safety Committee on Wednesday approved a supplemental agreement for the reconstruction of Overland Park Fire Station #41, which sits near the intersection of 75th Street and Conser, just west of Metcalf.... Project engineer Tony Rome said sustainability is a key factor of the project. Although plans aren’t finalized, he said some of the improvement possibilities include adding bifold doors, using LED lighting and removing part of the parking lot to incorporate more green space. Source: Shawnee Mission Post