The Schlagel Farms project design includes several multi-family apartment buidlings, like these depicted above in a conceptual rendering. Image via Overland Park city documents.
A plan to convert 74 acres of undeveloped land at 175th Street and Pflumm Road to apartments, villas and shops had promise, members of the Overland Park Planning Commission said.
But in the end, concerns about its density caused commissioners to delay a decision on its rezoning until July 10.
What’s in the plan
The proposal, dubbed Schlagel Farms, called for 288 multi-family units, 174 villa units and 128,660 square feet of commercial buildings.
It would go on the southeast corner of the intersection of 175th and Plfumm, with single-family neighborhoods Chapel Hill to the north, Wolf Run to the south and Wolf Creek to the west.
Blue Valley Middle school is on the tract’s eastern edge.
Plan exceeds city’s density guidelines
Although some commissioners said they liked the idea of adding places to shop in that area, the main sticking point was the density and the four-story height of some of the buildings.
The plan outlined a section of “villas” along the southern edge, with 174 units in 44 different buildings ranging from three to six units per building. Those included garages in each, plus a clubhouse and pool nearby.
The northeast part of the site would have 288 units in six buildings on 13.6 acres. But the planning staff noted that would exceed the density limit set in the city’s planning guidelines.
That many units would result in a density of 21.08 units per acre, where 12.4 units per acre is the maximum for the medium density plan.
An aerial rendering of the plan for a mixed-use residential and commercial development on 74 acres of land on the southeast corner of 175th and Pflumm Road. Image via Overland Park city documents.
Aspects of the plan bothered commissioners
The development team sought to meet the intent of the comprehensive plan by placing the more populated part closer to the commercial part of the development, leaving the southern villas as a transition area between the development and the single family neighborhood to the south, said Aaron Mesmer, the Block Real Estate Services specialist who appeared on behalf of the landowners.
The apartment area and the villas were intended to balance each other out, he said.
Not all commissioners agreed, though: commissioner Rob Krewson said that although the area probably needs some apartments as a housing choice, he was bothered by the density and the possibility of lights from driveways pointing toward homes to the south.
“If my house was in that area I’d be kind of upset,” he said.
Developers tried to highlight walkability and layout
The commercial part of the development in the northwest section would have 19 buildings, including a convenience store and event center.
That set-up encourages a mix of businesses, rather than one big box store, Mesmer said.
“This very much feels like a walkable neighborhood,” he said. The development also would have a ten-foot pedestrian trail through its center.
One person spoke during the public hearing
Gerry Roberts, who lives in the Chapel Hill neighborhood to the north, objected to the density and height of the building.
He said the development would add hundreds of residents onto the streets, which are now rural two-lanes.
“We would be happy to have some retail. We expect that. We’re trying not to be swamped. Some of my best neighbors are cows and horses,” he said. “This is not the middle of old Overland Park.”
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
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