Plans to remake the former Deer Creek Golf Club at 133rd Street and Metcalf Avenue into a single-family home subdivision took a step forward last night.
What happened? At its Monday meeting, the Overland Park City Council approved right-of-way acceptance for the three final plats of the incoming single-family residential project dubbed the Highlands of Deer Creek.
Why it matters: Monday’s vote to approve right-of-way access was one of the last steps before developers can start construction.
- Unlike a higher-density apartments proposal previously considered for the site after the golf course closed permanently in April, this new homes plan is already allowed under the site’s current zoning.
The details: The Highlands of Deer Creek plan calls for 68 home lots on the northeast corner of 133rd Street and Metcalf Avenue.
- Building the neighborhood also will include the building of some new streets, which would connect to existing streets in the neighboring Deer Creek subdivision.
- The new subdivision will take up 158 acres in total.
Background: This marks the end of the council-approval process on the ongoing redevelopment to the property after owning company GreatLife KC closed the golf course this spring.
- The closure followed Overland Park City Council’s rejection of the company’s plan to build a higher-density $65 million multi-family apartment building on the site.
- Both the original apartment proposal and the current plan for single-family homes have been met with opposition from many surrounding residents, who have voiced a strong preference that the site remain a golf course.
Where the council landed: After considering remaining resident opposition, councilmembers were relatively torn on Monday.
- Councilmember Sam Passer said while he did not want the property to face structure decays down the line, he understood this type of property was not what surrounding residents thought they would be next to when they bought homes there.
- “I have a tremendous degree of empathy for the residents of Deer Creek,” Passer said. “I wish there was a good decision, I feel like it’s two bad decisions.”
- Council President Paul Lyons supported moving the project forward, saying making it public infrastructure and allowing the city to maintain it would be a good step in keeping the property from deteriorating.
- “This is not ideal, but I have had experience since I’ve been on the council with trying to deal with private streets and the issues that residents have had,” Lyons said. “I think this needs to be public infrastructure.”
- The measure ultimately passed on a 7-3 vote, with Passer, along with councilmembers Scott Mosher and Scott Hamblin, voting against it.
