Gardner has given the final stamp of approval for a nearly 250-home subdivision coming to the far west end of the city.
The Gardner Planning Commission on Aug. 25 approved the final development agreement for the first phase of a new single-family neighborhood of 246 homes on formerly rural, agricultural land annexed into the city earlier this year.
Groundbreaking for the new Arise Homes subdivision in Gardner is expected in 2026.
The first phase of construction is set for 67 single-family homes on about 26 acres. Full build-out of the neighborhood is expected to be completed over the next few years.
Located on the southeast corner of 175th Street and Four Corners Road, the 78-acre neighborhood by Arise Homes — referred to as both Horizon Point or Horizon Pointe in city documents — consists of 1,600- to 2,600-square-foot homes priced at $400,000-$600,000.
Just west of the Gardner Municipal Airport, the project area is next to the Lone Star Prairie Development on the east side, has one farming homestead in the northeast corner, and is surrounded by county rural residential zones on the north, south and west sides.
Based in Overland Park, Arise Homes has developments throughout Johnson County, including in Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa and Spring Hill.
Mini roundabout planned to slow neighborhood traffic
As part of the final development plan stipulations, Arise Homes will install a mini roundabout at the intersection of 177th and Fleur streets.
Brian Hamm, development manager with Arise Homes, recommended a speed table as an alternative traffic calming device instead of mini roundabouts, and also suggested placing a speed table north of the amenity area as an alternative idea to connect sidewalks for more pedestrian safety. A speed table is longer and flatter than a speed bump.
“I see people drive over these things (mini roundabouts) all the time,” Hamm said. “Big trucks, they just go right over the curb, or you got those fast little Miatas that they put a supercharger in and they are taking those things a little quicker, because it’s a fast little speed trap for them.”
Hamm said people also cut the left turns, especially with mini roundabouts that have no traffic.
Dave Knopick, community development director, said mini roundabouts help slow down traffic better than speed tables, adding that snow removal is easier with roundabouts than with a speed table and that the lane width of the road is that of a typical residential street.
“Semis should be able to maneuver the roundabout, however there is no guarantee that a truck will never drive over the mini roundabout,” Knopick said.
The mini roundabout landscaping will be maintained by the neighborhood homeowners association, according to city documents.
No plans to add 4-way stop
Neighbors to the proposed housing subdivision voiced their traffic safety concerns the past few months with city officials.
The main focus has been the intersection at 175th and Four Corners Road — a two-way stop for north-south traffic on Four Corners Road. The speed is 45 mph on both roads.
Suggested improvements had been for adding a four-way stop, adding a left turn lane into the neighborhood from 175th Street, adding shoulders to 175th and Four Corners Road along the perimeter of the subdivision.
Neighboring resident Brandon Van Anne had previously told the Post the four-way stop is a short-term fix for a long-term problem.
Water runoff, storm drainage and loss of rural character have also been top concerns from nearby residents who petitioned against the development earlier this summer. Their petition was denied from a failure to have enough signatures to be deemed valid as required by state law.
Other first phase plans include:
- Landscape area with street trees and buffering along 175th Street to the south
- Landscape median at the entrance of 175th Street
- Utility, drainage and sanitary easements
- Neighborhood amenities
- A sanitary sewer lift station with tree buffering owned and maintained by the City of Gardner
- Right-of-way dedications for 175th Terrace, 171st Street, Fleur Street and Essex Street
Matt Mabe, Arise Homes co-founder, previously said the neighborhood will also include a splash water park, open activity field, open shade structure and playground community area, all managed by a homeowners association.
Hamm requested more breathing room on their timeline for the amenities to the neighborhood. The developer plans to install the amenity area during Phase 2 with the construction of 53 more homes.
Arise Homes is also looking into having the playground as all-inclusive, but the playground installation wouldn’t be for another two years.
“We are very excited about it,” Hamm said. “We feel like it is going to be a really grand amenity area for Gardner.”
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