Plans for a mixed apartment, townhome and commercial development southwest of 127th Street and Mur-Len Road in Olathe are changing slightly.
In addition to some adjustments to the stormwater management plan on the property, Utah-based Bach Homes intends to change the proposed residential density, reduce the size of some buildings and remove others from previous plans approved in 2018 and 2020.
Last week, the Olathe Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend approval of a proposed zoning amendment and revised preliminary site development for the Montage Apartments development. Commissioner Tony Bergida cast the single no vote.
Commissioners Taylor Breen, Chip Corcoran and Jim Terrones were absent from the meeting.
Previous plans for housing at site stalled
The property was first zoned to the Planned District zoning designation in 2018, with plans to build an estimated 294 dwelling units across eight apartment buildings and eight townhomes. Bach Homes also planned to build a dozen single-family homes.
That initial plan also called for two mixed-use buildings and two dedicated commercial buildings that would have housed a pharmacy and a convenience store with a gas station.
Two years later, Olathe authorized the first zoning amendment with a revised site plan that raised the number of dwelling units to 383, removed the single-family homes and moved one of the proposed commercial buildings to sit nearer to the intersection.
The 2020 plan moved forward, with the city approving a final development plan, but physical construction work to build that iteration of Montage Apartments never started.
New Olathe development plan has more housing units
- Now, 404 residential units are planned — 14 more apartment units and seven more townhome units. That brings the density to 28 units per acre.
- Bach Homes also plans to stretch some of the additional units over more apartment buildings and reduce the number of townhome buildings.
- The footprint for the commercial and mixed-use buildings hasn’t changed, leaving the anticipated square footage just under 28,000 square feet.
- Additionally, Planning and Development Manager Kim Hollingsworth told the planning commission that some traffic improvements will be “triggered” by this development, including new traffic signals and turn lane improvements.
Next steps:
- The Olathe City Council will take up the rezoning amendment and site plan revision next.
- They are set to hear and vote on it during their regularly scheduled Jan. 9, 2024, meeting.
- After that, the applicant will have to submit a final site development plan for Montage Apartments as well.
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