Leawood, one of the richest cities in Johnson County, wants to make way for smaller and more affordable homes.

The Leawood City Council on Monday discussed plans to review and alter the city’s code for single-family lot sizes, with the intent that smaller lot sizes would ultimately lower home prices and diversify the city’s housing stock with more townhomes and twin villas.

The city’s discussion follows Johnson County’s release of property valuations earlier this year, which showed the average home price in the county crept above half a million dollars.

Although no final decisions were made on housing code, the city council labeled affordable housing as a priority when it unanimously approved the city’s goals and objectives for 2023.

The change would allow for smaller lot sizes

• Councilmembers said smaller lot sizes will set aside more opportunities for developers to build more townhomes and villas.
• The city’s development ordinance requires single-family home lots to meet a minimum of 6,000 square feet.
• Director of Planning Mark Klein said the most feasible locations in Leawood for housing like this would be near West 143rd Street and Mission Road or West 151st Street and Mission Road.

Smaller homes would allow residents to downsize and stay in Leawood

• Councilmembers said a change like this might allow Leawood residents to downsize when appropriate — like when their kids move out — while remaining in Leawood.
• At the same time, councilmembers’ discussion Monday evening suggested that city leaders want to continue promoting home ownership and discourage renter culture.
• Councilmember Mary Larson pointed out that smaller homes would give residents more affordable housing options while still allowing them to own their homes.
• “I just think ownership of their homes is important for a community that’s invested in our city,” Larson said. “I think if this type of change is made, it would help our community to downsize and still remain invested in our community.”

Prairie Village has discussed affordable housing

• Over the past year, the Prairie Village City Council has received pushback over housing recommendations created by an ad-hoc committee that intend to diversify the city’s housing stock.
• Those recommendations are still on the table, but Prairie Village’s zoning districts remain intact. One such recommendation suggested allowing medium-density residential buildings in some single-family zoned districts.
• Medium-density — often called “missing middle” housing — includes twin villas (or duplexes), triplexes, row housing and accessory dwelling units — which homeowners would be permitted to build on their property by right without notifying their neighbors first.
• The conversation has sparked controversy among residents who argue Prairie Village already has diverse and affordable housing, and that the building of accessory dwellings without first notifying their neighbors opens up neighborhoods to “unwanted” development.
• At Monday’s meeting, councilmembers agreed Leawood’s measures should be more focused on creating new, smaller home lots — not subdividing existing ones.

Go deeper: Prairie Village leaves housing recommendations largely intact