Sustainability

Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan

The City’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan recommends how Overland Park can prepare for even more electric vehicles on our streets.

The plan makes suggestions for transitioning some of the City’s fleet of cars, vans and trucks to battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The plan also looks at transportation corridors throughout the city, and recommends priority locations where the City should build charging infrastructure to power both its fleet and vehicles residents and visitors own. 

Comprehensive Bicycle Plan

Overland Park’s long-term, comprehensive bicycle plan outlines a coordinated and strategic effort to develop a comfortable, safe, and accessible network of bicycle facilities throughout the city by:

• Improving bicycle safety, access, and connectivity throughout the city.
• Providing support for improving bicycling in the city.
• Promoting the benefits of bicycling and bicycle safety.
• Measuring and evaluating Overland Park’s progress toward bicycle safety.

E-Bikes + Scooters

Ride electric scooters and bikes on city streets, sidewalks and trails as outlined in the City’s Municipal Code.

Where to Ride

• Bike lanes
• Sidewalks (scooters only)
• Parks and trails (unless otherwise noted)
• Streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less

Recycling Center

The Recycling Center offers residents who do not have curbside recycling an opportunity to dispose of recyclable materials responsibly. The center diverts an average of 680 tons of materials from the landfill each year, including plastics, metals, cardboard, paper, clothing and moving boxes. The center also offers holiday light recycling in December.

Recycling Events + Programs

The City hosts several recycling events throughout the year, including:

• Recycling Extravaganza
• Construction Debris Drop-Off
• Mattress Donations
• Holiday Tree Recycling

Multifamily Glass Recycling Program

The City of Overland Park launched a program in partnership with Ripple Glass to offer glass recycling as an amenity for multifamily facilities. The program is available to facilities with communal waste drop-off locations on the property that have not previously offered glass recycling.

Applications for the program must be submitted by a property manager.

Floating Wetlands

In 2018, Overland Park installed its first floating wetland project to improve the water quality of South Lake and eliminate harmful algal blooms. In 2023, the City installed 10 new floating wetlands on South Lake.

Floating wetlands are buoyant structures that allow natural wetland plants to grow on the lake surface. As the roots of the wetland plants grow, they pull algae-causing fertilizers out of the water, reducing the number and severity of harmful algae blooms at the lake.

Sanders Justice Center Prairie Restoration

Overland Park is restoring 10 acres of turf grass near the W. Jack Sanders Justice Center back to natural tallgrass prairie. Native plants, like switchgrass, big bluestem, indian grass and coneflower have adapted to our climate, making them superior to other vegetation types in surviving in our region with minimal support.

This prairie restoration will help treat stormwater pollution and further improve downstream bodies of water in the Tomahawk Creek and Blue River Watersheds.

Updated Weed and Vegetation Enforcement Act

In November 2023, the Overland Park City Council approved an update to the City’s weed and vegetation enforcement act that encourages growing native plants.

The City’s ordinance was last updated in 2011, and included an outdated definition of weeds that were not allowed to be grown in Overland Park yards. The updated ordinance creates exemptions to height rules for vegetation, allowing planned sustainable landscapes, ornamental gardens and food-producing gardens.

Energy Consumption at City Facilities

The City of Overland Park monitors energy consumption, such as electricity, natural gas and water use at 24 facilities, including City Hall, police and fire stations, Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, golf courses and recreational buildings. The City uses consumption reports to make informed decisions about managing energy use.

LED Streetlights

In 2016, Overland Park began replacing more than 6,122 streetlight fixtures with energy-efficient LEDs, saving the City more than $500,000 a year in electric costs. All new streetlights will also be LED.

Facility Upgrades

In 2021, the City completed an energy audit of 18 buildings, including replacing outdated lighting with LEDs, building weatherization projects, plumbing upgrades, and inefficient equipment. As a result, the City saves more than $420,000 in energy usage each year across those facilities. 

Fire Station 41

Solar panels installed on the roof of Fire Station 41 will power approximately 75 percent of the building. The City is expected to recoup the cost of design and installation through energy savings over 16 years. 

Maple Hills Park

Construction is underway! A newly renovated Maple Hills Park is set to reopen in 2024 with solar-powered restrooms and shelter.

Sanders Justice Center

The W. Jack Sanders Justice Center is home to the City’s first solar panel system. The 65-kilowatt panels, located on an outbuilding, power most of the campus. The system generated 70 megawatt hours of solar power in 2023.

Evergy's Renewables Direct

The City participates in Evergy’s Renewables Direct program, which offsets a percentage of energy used to power public services through a renewable resource. Approximately 40 percent of the power the City uses is produced at a wind farm in Oklahoma. In 2023, the City received $41,000 in utility bill credits through this program.