New housing keeps popping up in western Johnson County despite some pushing back

Despite resident apprehension and pushback over the years, Lenexa continues to march westward with its development. The latest will be discussed during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Referred to as Solera, Lenexa-based civil engineering company Schlagel & Associates is applying on behalf of Prairie Star Land Associates LLC to develop retail, a grocery store and more than 500 housing units on the southeast corner of Prairie Star Parkway and the K-7 Highway.

The developer proposes 116,052 square feet of retail space among four buildings, which include the grocery store. No tenants were named in the staff report.

On the residential side, the developer proposes 506 housing units total — comprised of an eight-building apartment complex with 324 units, 24 townhomes with 88 units and 42 duplex buildings with 84 units.

To help with access, the developer will add a new street on the south side of the property to connect to Monticello Terrace to provide access points to the development from the surrounding street network.

In the request, the applicant is asking for the city to allow encroachments into the 100-foot freeway setback along K-7, for the apartment buildings to be six feet taller than the 35-foot limit, and that the lots can be reduced for 23 duplex lots.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing and approved the project on June 2. While the city has historically seen residents speak out against development on the city’s west side, the Planning Commission had no public comment on the project during its hearing.

Historical resistance to development

The city instead heard concerns during the June 3 City Council meeting, during which it discussed and ultimately approved a new luxury home development.

Proposed by Overland Park-based developer Grata Development, Sunset Canyon is set to hold 200 new single family homes, with prices ranging from $600,000 to $2 million, on 100 acres on the northwest corner of Prairie Star Parkway and Canyon Creek Boulevard.

During the June 3 City Council meeting, residents spoke against the project because they were concerned about the environmental impacts to the wildlife in the area because of the development and feared that the project could hurt a new public park that was slotted for that same area. However, through a land swap agreement, the city will obtain just over 11 more acres to develop the park (bringing the park’s size from 58 acres to almost 70) and build out the trail system to connect the subdivisions in the area.

Developments on Prairie Star Parkway and Canyon Creek Boulevard have seen resistance in the past — particularly around apartment units or multifamily developments, Lenexa Community Development Director Scott McCullough said.

“There’s concern and growing pains for the area when other land uses come in and traffic increases and activity increases,” McCullough said. “There’s usually some concern and perspective that’s exposed.”

Before Sunset Canyon, residents gathered nearly 200 petition signatures in 2018 to oppose The Vistas at Canyon Creek — an apartment complex proposed for Prairie Star Parkway and Canyon Creek Boulevard, according to reporting from the Johnson County Post. Residents claimed that it would decrease their property values and increase traffic in the area. The City Council ultimately rejected the proposal.

Last year, the City Council narrowly approved Canyon Ridge Apartment Homes — a 346-unit apartment complex that will have a nursing home on site and a nearby gas station — despite residents sharing concerns about the impacts to nearby wildlife and traffic.

“I think change is hard,” said Travis Schram, president of Grata Development, which is developing the new luxury homes. “The city is growing west and people get used to the way things were, and we’re excited about this development because yes it’s change, and yes it brings more housing, but it’s a great opportunity to merge with an expansion of the city and expand the area.”

Tomorrow’s City Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall — 17101 W. 87th St. Parkway.