A new park, new businesses and hundreds of apartments are officially on their way to southern Leawood.
At its meeting last week, the Leawood City Council approved these additions as part of the next phases of the much-discussed and contested East Village project just off State Line Road near 133rd Street.
The council approved the third and fourth phases
- As part of these next phases — the third and fourth of the overall project — Lenexa-based Oddo Development will build a new 1.76-acre park at the southeast corner of 133rd and Pawnee Lane.
- Developers will also build an amphitheater, a dog park and a community garden.
- Plans also entail 36 brownstone homes, 327 apartment units across four separate buildings, 9,000 square feet of office space and more than 14,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.
Residents have opposed this project for years
- The first two phases of the 116-acre project gained approval in March, following three years of often-heated back and forth between the city, developers and concerned residents who live nearby.
- At last week’s meeting, Leawood resident Rachel Rubin told the council that the lack of residents voicing concerns at this stage of the project doesn’t mean their thoughts have changed, but that they don’t feel their concerns are worth voicing anymore.
- “The reason people aren’t writing in is because they’re very discouraged,” she said. “I think people are spending their time on other things that they can they feel like they can control.”
The council split on the plan
- After much discussion last Monday, the city council ultimately approved the plan on a 6-3 vote — with outgoing Mayor Peggy Dunn casting the decisive vote in favor.
- The measure required the mayor’s vote because the council altered the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve East Village’s next phases — including adding a new stipulation that speeds up the building of a new bike and walking trail on the east side of the development.
- Councilmembers expressed remaining points of hesitance about the project — including wanting to see less of a rental component in it.
- “I really feel strongly about Leawood residents being invested in our community,” said Councilmember Mary Larson. “There’s been growing concern about the number of apartments that are going in in Johnson County. I just hope that not only this developer but other developers will be sensitive to that concern from our residents.”
- Approving this latest move were Councilmembers James, Azeltine, Debra Filla, Andrew Osman, Jim Rawlings and Chuck Sipple, along with Mayor Dunn.
- Voting against were Councilmembers Julie Cain, Lisa Harrison and Mary Larson.
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