After being forced to leave two previous Olathe locations, Starfish Project Foundation thought it finally found a permanent home. Instead, the nonprofit has found itself at the center of a heated neighborhood debate.
Starfish had to leave its first location when the city acquired the land for the I-35/Santa Fe interchange project. Then, the landlord at its subsequent location told the nonprofit to leave after neighboring businesses complained about parking and traffic.
Now, the organization wants to move into an old quilt shop southwest of 135th Street and Brougham Drive, close to Briarwood Elementary School, but neighbors are mounting an opposition.
Residents of the Briarwood subdivision, which borders Starfish’s future location, say they support the organization’s mission of providing free food, clothes, household necessities and resources to families in need. They just don’t want them operating next to their neighborhood.
Some worry traffic will overwhelm the entrance to the subdivision. Others have expressed concerns about loitering, litter and homeless encampments.
But Starfish leaders insist those fears are based on misconceptions and that the nonprofit is committed to being good neighbors.
On Monday at 7 p.m., the Olathe Planning Commission will weigh in. In order to operate in its new building, which was a Quilters HQ until June, Starfish needs a special use permit. Planning staff will be recommending approval, with stipulations, but several Briarwood residents have already expressed their intentions to oppose the request during the meeting’s public hearing.
How did we get here?
The Starfish provides free clothes, food and hygiene products for community members in need. On the second Saturday of every month it also provides lunch, haircuts and health screenings.
Moreland started the Starfish Project with her husband, Thomas, in 2014 to fill gaps in community resources in Olathe. The nonprofit serves thousands of clients each month.
In May 2025, Starfish had to leave their old location on Clairborne Road after eight years, when Olathe acquired the land as part of the I-35 and Santa Fe interchange project.
The nonprofit moved to a strip mall at Santa Fe and Parker Street. But about six months into that lease, Starfish’s landlords gave them 90 days to vacate, citing traffic and parking complaints from other businesses that shared the parking lot.
Their landlords eventually gave them a 90-day extension, but it wasn’t enough time for them to secure a permanent spot. Starfish has been in its temporary location on 119th Street since the end of May. Because of space limitations, they had to reduce their services to food and clothing only.
In April, Moreland told the Post that she was hoping to find a location with at least 10,000 square feet, a dock and plenty of parking.
Its new building, a former Quilters HQ, is a standalone 14,560-square-foot facility with 130 parking spaces just for the organization and a loading dock.
In June, Starfish announced on Facebook they had secured a permanent spot, which would meet all of its needs.
Just a few weeks later, however, they learned they needed the special permit.
What are neighbors worried about now?
Two neighbors raised concerns about the proposed move during last week’s Olathe City Council meeting, although the city council was not considering or voting on Starfish’s request. The residents argued the location is incompatible with the rest of the neighborhood.
David Miller, who lives in the Briarwood neighborhood, said traffic already backs up near the subdivision entrance when Briarwood Elementary School is dismissed, and questioned whether the area could handle Starfish’s additional traffic.
“Imagine that same entrance becoming a daily destination for an organization that says it plans to serve more than 1,000 people a day,” Miller said.
Briarwood resident Jenny Steele echoed those concerns, saying Starfish provides an important service but belongs somewhere else.
“Good services must be paired with appropriate land use planning,” she said.
Neighboring businesses of its previous location complained the organization’s patrons were taking up too many parking spaces.
What was said at the neighborhood meeting?
Starfish Project was required to host a neighborhood meeting to talk about the organization and answer questions. Roughly 80 people attended the July 6 meeting.
Traffic congestion dominated much of the nearly two-hour discussion.
Starfish estimates the facility would see about 40 vehicle trips per hour, including clients, volunteers and deliveries. Several neighbors argued that was too much for an entrance already busy with school traffic.
“Forty cars per hour is way too many,” one resident said. “Unless they fix that whole area, it’s too many.”
According to planning staff, a pharmacy in that building would bring 50 to 70 cars per hour and a supermarket would bring 60 to 98 cars.
One resident was concerned about children walking to and from school.
In response, Starfish founder Joni Moreland suggested the nonprofit could delay opening each morning if it would reduce congestion. Briarwood Elementary starts school at 8:55 a.m.
“Would it be better if we adjusted our hours a bit to help that?” she asked at the neighborhood meeting. “Maybe open at 9:30 to decrease traffic during school drop-off? We want to work with you all on your concerns and how we can address them.”
Public safety was also a common concern amongst nearby residents.
Several neighbors said they worried Starfish would attract more people experiencing homelessness to nearby woods and trails.
Moreland said only about 5% of Starfish clients are experiencing homelessness. She said the nonprofit’s goal is to help families before they lose housing. She added that Starfish would prohibit camping and loitering on the property.
The day before the neighborhood meeting, Moreland posted an “open letter” on Facebook addressing concerns and explaining more about Starfish’s mission.
Moreland promised that Starfish will be good neighbors, maintaining a clean property and working with other businesses.
“Trust isn’t earned through one Facebook post. It’s earned over time,” she wrote. “I promise we’ll spend every day working to earn yours.”
What does city staff say about the plans?
The property is currently zoned CP-1, or Planned Neighborhood Business. Starfish requested a special use permit that would allow it to operate as a “Community Food and Personal Support Services” facility.
According to city documents, planning staff will be recommending approval to the planning commission, with a few conditions.
If approved, the permit would initially be valid for two years. No donations, merchandise or equipment could be kept or displayed outside of the building, and Starfish would be required to add additional landscaping and screening around portions of the property.
Planning staff also concluded the nonprofit’s estimated traffic would be lower than many businesses already permitted on the property. According to the staff report, Starfish expects about 40 vehicle trips per hour, while a grocery store or pharmacy would generate significantly more traffic during peak hours.
If the Olathe Planning Commission recommends approving the permit, then the city council will vote on it on Aug. 18. Moreland said she and the other volunteers are prepping the space to open as soon as they receive their permit.
