 Welcome to the City of Olathe's quarterly Neighborhood Newsletter! We hope that you find the information in this edition helpful and share it with as many of your neighbors as you can.
Thank you for registering your neighborhood with the City of Olathe. If you have questions about the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative or want to update us on your neighborhood's contact information, feel free to contact Ben Schnelle, Planning Division at (913) 971-8526 or bschnelle@olatheks.org.
In 2019, as part of Olathe’s Healthy Neighborhood Initiative (HNI), the City of Olathe launched a grant program for residents to connect, improve, and revitalize their own neighborhood through two methods of funding.
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Last December, Persimmon Hill neighborhood used a community engagement grant for a holiday event that included food trucks, cookies, and hot chocolate.
Volunteers were key in pulling the event off. Some coordinated a hayride, some advertised the event, and one came dressed as The Grinch for photos.
With just an idea and a handful of neighbors, all sorts of events and projects for your neighborhood are possible!
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Here are just a few examples of what we've seen in Olathe and neighboring communities:
- Educational workshops on topics of physical and mental health, resume writing, computer skills, and more.
- Events with food trucks, BBQ, or other catering to bring neighbors together, sometimes using live music from neighborhood residents or a regional group like the Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra.
- Neighborhood cleanups using dumpsters provided by the City of Olathe.
- Creating a tool library, where residents can borrow tools they may not ordinarily have access to so they can complete home and lawn improvements.
- Assembling and offering safety bags to residents, including fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors.
- A mobile pumpkin patch, where families can pick up pumpkins to carve and spend time together.
- Community gardens for fresh produce.
Healthy Neighborhood grants are reviewed and disbursed quarterly, with the next review date being September 1st. Talk with your neighbors about ideas and apply online.
For any questions about what type of projects and events are eligible for funding, check out the Healthy Neighborhood grant guidelines or contact Ben Schnelle, Planning Division at (913) 971-8526 or bschnelle@olatheks.org.
 Did you know Olathe has over 37,000 utility water service lines?
Recent EPA regulatory revisions require all utilities in the nation to identify and replace all lead and galvanized steel water service lines.
With that many lines to verify, Olathe needs your help!
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All homeowners, business owners, and property managers need to verify the water service line material entering their structure.
In this short self-inspection, we walk you through how to report your line. It's quick and easy to identify!
Visit, MyWaterLine.OlatheKS.org.
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There is no direct cost to customers with found lead or galvanized steel lines. Contact Megan Spence, Distribution Compliance Manager, at 913-971-8843 or mespence@olatheks.org
 Did you know that in the 2021-22 school year, 540 volunteers contributed over 12,000 hours of service to Olathe public schools?
Even with that incredible amount of help, there are still students at each grade level who are on a waiting list to connect with an adult mentor or who need academic support.
Why volunteer? In giving just a few hours each month, you can:
- Help students meet their academic and personal goals
- Help teachers with classroom needs
- Meet other people who share your passion for supporting schools and students
- Invest in students, the future leaders of our community
There are many ways to volunteer, with roles ranging from classroom helper, lunch buddy, reading or math helper, after-school homework helper, or mentor. After a background check and training, volunteers are matched based on their interests, skills, and time availability.
For more information or to begin the volunteering, you can visit Volunteers Serving Schools or contact Pam Wolfe at pjwolfe@olatheschools.org or 913-780-8237.
Curious about what infrastructure improvements are happening in your neighborhood and around the City? One way to stay informed is by checking the City of Olathe's Active Capital Improvement Projects map.
With details on street construction and surface treatments, sidewalk construction, streetlight replacement, water main improvements, stormwater improvements, sanitary sewer improvements, trail extensions, and playground replacements, this map will keep you informed about the dozens of capital improvement projects going on at any one time.
 Selecting any of the projects allows you to read:
- what the project is
- the project schedule and current status
- the project manager and their contact information
 To see all of the interactive maps that the City of Olathe provides, visit the Olathe Data Portal. Through these maps, you can see:
- A City of Olathe Historic Properties Tour
- Planning cases for upcoming Planning Commission and City Council meetings
- Future Capital Improvement projects
- A City of Olathe public art tour
- And more!
Stormwater management is vital for our community. It helps rainfall absorb into the earth and prevents flooding, soil erosion, and polluted runoff from reaching our waterways, ecosystems, and drinking water.
Did you know that you are a key part of Olathe's stormwater management? The truth is, by adopting just a few yard care practices, we all can make a huge difference!
The City's Stormwater Management division has you covered on what to do this fall.
We look forward to learning more about you and your unique neighborhood! If you have questions about the grant program, want tips on connecting with more neighbors, or have any other questions related to neighborhoods, feel free to reach us at (913) 917-8570 or email planningcontact@olatheks.org attn: Neighborhoods.
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