Homeowners in Lee’s Summit continue to speak out against potential landfill

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. (KCTV) - Homeowners in Lee’s Summit are speaking out about a potential landfill coming into their neighborhood.

The Mid-America Regional Council held a meeting Wednesday to discuss what it’s learned about the area.

The proposed landfill would affect around 50,000 residents, spanning from SW Peterson Rd to Horridge Rd and from 150 Hwy to 155th St.

Tom Jacobs, Chief Resilience Officer at Mid-America Regional Council, said they conducted a regional landfill capacity study indicating no imminent need for the proposed landfill.

“Our study found that we have somewhere between 19 and 37 years of remaining landfill capacity,” Jacobs said. “So, we don’t believe there is an imminent need for a new landfill. However, it wouldn’t be prudent to do nothing.”

So, Jacobs said they plan to launch a regional solid waste management plan.

“So that we can begin thinking about how we can boost recycling and waste diversion and what’s our need for different kinds of facilities moving forward,” Jacobs said.

However, residents who live nearby want nothing to do with a landfill.

“We have a lot of elderly; my neighbor and my mom are cancer patients, my son has severe asthma, my husband is a veteran and 100% disabled, who has been subjected to toxic landfills in the Middle East,” said a nearby resident Mckinze Clark Thomas. “So, we know firsthand what toxic landfills will do to your lungs and your health, and I don’t want that for my family or my community.”

Mindy Bedford has lived on Peterson Rd. for eight years and said the landfill will go directly across the street.

“That’s exactly 98 feet from my front door,” Bedford said. “Anytime there is more traffic along road or a smell, yeah, it changes things.”

Bedford said while she knows it wouldn’t come anytime soon, she worries about the future.

“You can feel anger of the whole situation and some days I do,” Bedford said. “I can only imagine the resell value of this if a landfill comes in.”

For the time being, she hopes the community will educate themselves and be thoughtful when throwing out trash.

“You just have to be smart and diligent and make sure everyone is educated so it won’t happen,” Bedford said.

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