by Ivan Foley
Landmark editor
Proponents say there is new information. Critics say it is old information with a new attempted “spin” on it.
Either way, the vote on whether the city of Kansas City will annex 316 acres of land along Hwy. 92 at Winan Road east of Platte City has been delayed until next Thursday, Feb. 25. A high density subdivision known as Lake at Tomahawke Ridge is being proposed by landowner Hal Swaney and partners at that site. The proposal calls for 657 homes.
Last Thursday, the Kansas City Council chose to put off the vote. Councilman Ed Ford asked that the vote be postponed until the next scheduled council legislative session, which is Feb. 25.
Ford, who is sponsoring the proposal to annex the property and allow the development, said he asked for the postponement because he has learned some new information that his fellow council members “should consider” before they vote.
Ford said that “new” information is that the Missouri Department of Transportation has included Hwy. 92 on a list of long range improvements.
Those proposed improvements might include widening the highway to three lanes between Platte City and Smithville, which would include the stretch of Hwy. 92 near Tomahawke. (EDITOR’S NOTE: MoDOT emphasized this week the proposed Hwy. 92 work is only part of a 10-20 year ‘wish list’ that currently has no funding, see related article on front page).
Early in the Tomahawke discussion more than two years ago, MoDOT representatives told a crowd gathered at the Hoover Church not to expect any significant improvements made to Hwy. 92 in that area for the next 15 to 20 years.
Some observers point out that even if the Hwy. 92 project is on a 20-year list for improvement, it doesn’t mean the money will be available to fund the project--which will keep the improvement from happening.
Seven council votes will be necessary to approve the annexation. More importantly, due to a petition of neighboring landowners opposed to the proposal, nine council votes--referred to as a supermajority--will be required to approve the zoning change that would be necessary to allow the proposed high density subdivision.
Ford also pointed out the land is currently zoned multi-family. If Kansas City passes on the project, Ford said the developer could just decide to construct multi-family housing, and it would require no further approvals.
Platte County turned down Tomahawke Ridge as a single family proposal.
Skeptics of the multi-family idea say people who tend to live in multifamily housing tend to settle more toward urban areas that provide the amenities they seek, not in a rural area such as Hwy. 92 and North Winan Road.
Ford also mentioned that the developer has a lawsuit pending against Platte County. Ford said in his opinion there’s a good chance the developer could win that lawsuit and if so, the developer would be free to develop the single family subdivision in the county as proposed. If that happened, Ford said Kansas City would “miss out” on new revenues and residents.
Platte County’s planning and zoning staff, planning and zoning commission, and county commission all turned down the proposal. Kansas City’s paid professional staff has also recommended against allowing the development.
Opponents identify the proposal as “leapfrog development” that would further burden the city of Kansas City, which surveys of residents show is failing at providing satisfactory basic services to its current residents.
Proponents say the development would provide needed “workforce” housing near the airport.
Opponents have openly questioned the developer’s claims that the development would generate $17.7 million in net economic benefit to the city. That estimate was made in part on an average sale price of $250,000, despite the pledge that most homes would be “work force housing” priced at $170,000.
Byrd has said that while 75 percent of the homes will be priced near $170,000 the others will be about $350,000. He said the “average” price factors in inflation over 20 years.
Kirby Holden, neighbor and opponent to the proposal, said he finds Byrd’s explanation curious.
“A subdivision with ‘entry level’ homes and $350,000 homes blended together? You do not see a lot of these types of subdivisions. None I can find,” Holden told The Landmark recently.
|
