The following letter was presented by the President of Blue Valley Riding neighborhood in response to the development proposal for the southeast corner of 159th and Metcalf, in Johnson County Kansas.
May 25, 2007
Dear Mr. Peterson, Mr. Robbens, Mr. Epps, Developers and Engineers,
I sincerely appreciate your letter giving me the opportunity
to see your proposed plan for this 80 acre property and allowing us to make
suggestions that will benefit all of us. As President of BVRHA I have talked
with my neighbors but have not had a formal meeting with the subdivision
membership. Without having seen the plan I offer the following.
These thoughts are offered in an effort to help all of us
move toward a reasonable development of this area without undue expense of time
and money.
- 1. One
row of single family homes, similar in size to BVR, adjacent to BVR properties,
transitioning from there to higher density residential is the desired
configuration for this development.
- 2. An
Overland Park designation of MXD “Planned Mixed Use District” is not
appropriate for this development. The ordinance itself says: “This
district is not intended for areas master planned for residential density
or for mixed-use development that are residentially focused.” Preferably this is not the rezoning you
are seeking.
- 3. Investigation
into and provision made for adjacent homes to tie into the sewer main is
desirable. I believe that Johnson County Environmental will require this.
Hopefully, awareness now will help avoid redesign and additional costs.
- 4. The
drainage of this parcel will directly impact BVR. Recently the KC Star ran
an article on “rain gardens”. Increased
paved areas have the potential of significantly increasing runoff quantity
and erosion. Drainage managed in a more natural setting with a rain garden
design rather that a catch basin is desirable. Federal regulations will
come into play here. The pond in BVR needs dredging now and further
silting into the pond will eventually eliminate it entirely.
- 5.
When considering the entire area, the rumored retail would be much more
reasonable on the SW corner of this intersection in the Steck Plantation
area where it backs up to the business park or in the “MXD” area on the
former Merrill Track. Office is appropriate on the NE Corner of 159th
and Metcalf as felt by planning staff all the way back to plans initially
submitted by BMW Corporation.
- 6.
Sections of 159th are a traffic hazard now. Increased traffic
will worsen this condition. Please do the right thing and consider the age
of the driving population on 159th with all of the schools
using this roadway.
If any of these comments need clarification I would be happy
to sit down with you to discuss them. May we have copies of your current plan
so that we may show them to our neighbors? Please let me know when you submit
your plan to the city or the county so that we may follow up with the entity.
Jean Prouty
President, BVRHA
16001 Riggs Road
Stilwell, KS 66085
913 851 0238