Highlawn Montessori, a private daycare and elementary school, has been given clearance to take out a home next door to its Prairie Village campus in order to expand its playground.

The city’s planning commission this week unanimously approved a special use permit for the playground expansion, which will feature a new synthetic turf area.

However, the school at 3531 Somerset Dr. did not receive approval on another aspect of its proposal: a circle drive next to the playground area off Somerset Drive, following concerns from commissioners and neighboring residents.

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A home next door will be demolished

• Kathy Morrison, the school’s director, told the Post on Friday that a resident who has lived at 3401 Somerset Drive — next door to the school — for roughly 50 years recently died, and that person’s family is selling the property to the school to make way for the playground expansion.
• When asked, Morrison said she did not know how much the home was selling for because the school’s board of directors is handling the purchase.
• Morrison said the sale of the home is expected to close later this summer, so she did not have an exact timeline for when demolition and work on a playground might start.

Neighbors voice concerns about traffic

• One resident, Adam Gasper, said he supported the playground expansion, but he and other neighbors were concerned that a circle drive that was also part of the school’s proposal would cause traffic issues at the intersection of 81st and Somerset.
• Commissioner Nancy Wallerstein said her main concern with the proposed driveway was the influx of parents who may use it for regular drop-off and pick-up — even if the school did not allow it.
• Ultimately, the commission approved the permit with the circle drive completely removed in a 4-2 vote, with Commissioners Jon Birkel and Nancy Wallerstein voting in opposition. Commissioner Patrick Lenahan was absent.

More planning commission news: Prairie Village approves 7,600 square-foot addition to SM East — Here’s what it will be used for