Kansas City to mow weeds at asbestos-laden Citadel Plaza site
After the owners of the Citadel Plaza site ignored a citation from the City of Kansas City, Missouri concerning violations of the City’s Nuisance Code pertaining to weeds, the city stepped in to take care of mowing the commercial development site itself.
On July 24, Community Development Corporation of Kansas City and the other owners of the property were given 10 days to abate the weeds. When they did not comply, the city made plans to begin mowing on August 10.
Because the soil on the property may be contaminated with asbestos, the Health Department Air Quality Division recommended some safety precautions for the mowers and the general public. The Department of Natural Resources was notified so that it may monitor the work. Workers will be provided with respirators, and the mowing will take place either after rainfall or after sufficiently watering the soil. Air samples will be monitored and tested by Air Quality before and during the mowing process to prevent further asbestos contamination. Additionally, if air test results show too much asbestos in the samples, the mowing project will be halted and re-evaluated. These procedures have been reviewed by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The cost of the mowing project will be billed to the owners, and a lien will be placed against the property.
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