Nature lovers rallied to save park land, but Jackson County official says big problem remains

In the heart of Kansas City, two miles south of the zoo, sits a nature preserve home to 300-year-old chinquapin oaks, bobcats and songbirds across limestone bluffs and miles of trails built and cleared by volunteers. This land has been owned by Jackson County for 80 years and preserved by environmental groups like the Heartland Conservation Alliance and Bridging the Gap. But instead of beloved trails, interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota saw the land — characterized as “empty” and “sitting there for decades” — as a possible solution to a problem he hopes to address before leaving office. A property tax relief program he implemented has created a big hole in the county’s budget. He had the county Legislature put out a request for proposals — essentially asking if any businesses would be interested in buying the land. In doing so, he surprised those conservation groups and even the county’s own parks department. After the initial shock, local nature enthusiasts were enraged.

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