Olathe has grown its footprint by more than 300 acres for an unspecified plan to rezone the property for private development.
On Tuesday, the Olathe City Council unanimously approved the annexation of two parcels that together span nearly 307 acres on the city’s far southern fringe. There was little discussion about the action before the vote.
This area previously south of Olathe’s city limits has been identified largely for commercial and more industrial types of development with a focus on employment.
There are some conventional neighborhood uses forecasted in this area as well in the 2010 PlanOlathe comprehensive plan.
Olathe annexed 300+ acres
- The first property is roughly 156 acres and sits northwest of the intersection of 175th Street and Lone Elm Road.
- The second property is nearly 160 acres and is located northwest of the intersection of 183rd Street and Hedge Lane.
- Both properties are zoned for agricultural uses and are west of U.S. Highway 169.
- Foote Land Company LLC in Miami County owns both properties, but Heise-Meyer, a Kansas City, Missouri-based commercial real estate firm is listed as the applicant in city documents.
- Nearby are the cities of Gardner and Spring Hill.
What comes next?
- Exactly what is planned for both sites Foote had annexed into Olathe is unclear.
- However, the city has identified these areas in future growth plans for employment zones and some residential neighborhood development.
- The first property is expected to be developed for industrial development, according to city documents.
- Additionally, per city documents, the second property is likely to be developed with residential and commercial components.
Olathe approved a separate 27-acre annexation
- The city council on Monday also separately unanimously signed off on the annexation of an additional 27.3 acres.
- That property is located southwest of 167th Street and Hedge Lane.
- Heartland Coca-Cola — which is developing a larger multiphase bottling facility in southern Olathe — purchased the property last summer.
- The first phase of the bottling facility directly neighbors this property.
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