After years of talks, a multifamily residential development near 89th Street and Woodsonia Drive has received the city’s approval.
The Lenexa City Council on Tuesday voted 6-1 to approve a preliminary plan for the Oak IQ Copper Creek development, a project that includes more than 500 apartments spread across 15 buildings, near 89th Street and Woodsonia Drive.
Councilmember Bill Nicks cast the dissenting vote. Councilmember Melanie Arroyo was absent.
Project will be more crowded on eastern side
The project is planned for about 27 acres of undeveloped land located at the northwest corner of 89th Street and Woodsonia Drive, just east of Kansas Highway 7.
The developer is Oak IQ, a Kansas City-based real estate investment firm.
The residential development will feature a mix of of planned densities ranging from medium to high-rise high density. That density is expected to lessen as the property gets closer to K-7 on the western side of the project.
The project is broken up into two phases.
The first phase on the north end of the property will use a contemporary style of architecture, and the second phase on the south end will use a more traditional style.
Each sub-development will have its own clubhouse and pool.
Woodsonia Drive needs to be extended
In order for residents to use Woodsonia Drive as a primary way to travel to and from the development, the developers will need to build out Woodsonia Drive from 83rd Street at the northern end to Prairie Star Parkway at the southern end of the project site.
Before it can start leasing out Copper Creek property to tenants, Oak IQ needs to complete the extension of Woodsonia.
In addition, another strip of road north on Woodsonia will need to be constructed. Three projects in the area are in the running to construct it: Westside Family Church’s new building, the recently-approved Residences at Woodsonia development and Copper Creek.
“I think a public improvement permit is already in for that piece of roadway. So at this point, I believe it’s just whoever wants to do it first,” said Lenexa Planning Manager Stephanie Kisler.
Neighbors expressed concerns about traffic
In a letter to the city council, Tom and Maria Barbee, residents at the nearby WaterCrest Landing development, said they had worries about the amount of traffic a development like Copper Creek and The Residences at Woodsonia will bring.
“We’re also concerned about the additional traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, that the densities of both these projects will bring to the area,” they wrote. “It’s our belief that the density of both projects will cause a considerable increase in traffic through WaterCrest Landing to reach Black Hoof Park and Lake Lenexa.”
During the meeting, David Brewer, a resident in WaterCrest Landing, shared his concerns with traffic.
“There is still a consideration where the apartment complex connects to 88th Street and 87th Terrace,” he said. “As it will be completed, that those will still be open traffic ways, and they’ll create a higher level of traffic within the neighborhood. So does that create safety concerns or other considerations? Well, the neighbors have a real concern about that.”
Most of the council is for the project
While acknowledging traffic concerns, Councilmember Joe Karlin said he thinks the developers have done a good job of trying to filter it to Woodsonia Drive.
“I think from a traffic perspective, I understand the concern,” he said. “In our neighborhood, we have an apartment directly across (from us). Before that was built, we had a lot of concern about cut-through traffic. There’s almost none. Renner (Boulevard) has become the way in and out for the apartment dwellers. I think Woodsonia will as well.”
Despite the project changing in the three years since it was introduced, Nicks said the density is still too high to gain his support.
“I still think it’s too dense and I don’t plan to support it,” he said.
What’s next for the project
A final site plan will be submitted to the Lenexa Planning Commission in the future.
