Developers have gained a key approval for a much-discussed apartment development on the southwest corner of 135th Street and Antioch Road in Overland Park.
Driving the news: After a lengthy discussion Monday night, the Overland Park City Council voted 7-4 to approve a rezoning request for the mixed-use project centered around an apartment complex and retail shops on the roughly 17-acre property.
- That paves the way for developer Ryan Companies to put together a more details development plan for the mostly undeveloped site.
Background: The rezoning request had initially come before the council in August which sent the item back to the planning commission due to some councilmembers’ concerns about some of the deviations requested by Ryan for the amount of parking and building size.
- In November, the developer presented a new plan to the commission that removed the parking deviation but still sought to exceed the city’s maximum building length of 200 feet.
- The city must identify “unique conditions” in order to approve such variances for proposed developments.
Project details: Ryan Companies proposes converting the mostly undeveloped property into approximately four acres for commercial use and 13 acres for the apartment complex.
- A 413-unit apartment complex would be spread out over five separate four-story buildings on the lot.
- Commercial elements for the site would include a drive-thru bank, two drive-thru restaurants and 15,300-square-foot multi-tenant retail plaza.
- Additionally, at the southwest corner of the site, a dog park and water feature is planned.
Opposition: Several residents in the nearby Nottingham Forest South subdivision, which sits to the south of the property, voiced their opposition to the rezoning request, with many of their concerns centered around “density.”
- President of the Nottingham Forest South Homeowners Association Ted McBride said he did not oppose developing that corner of 135th and Antioch, but he believed having an apartment complex there would negatively impact traffic and safety in the area.
- “This project simply does not fit the character of our neighborhood and this portion of south Overland Park,” McBride said.
Council discussion on 135th apartments plan
The majority of the council found the project had a unique enough layout to grant deviations, but a few councilmembers opposed the rezoning.
- “I think the density is too high,” Councilmember Scott Mosher said. “I think we’re trying ten pounds of stuff in a five pound bag.”
- Councilmember Holly Grummert said she felt comfortable with the additional building length due to the amount of green space the site would have.
How they voted: Councilmembers Tom Carignan, Paul Lyons, Logan Heley, Jim Kite, Sam Passer, Melissa Cheatham and Grummert voted in favor of the rezoning, while Faris Farassati, Scott Hamblin, Jeff Cox and Mosher opposed it.
