Lenexa council OKs subdivision on land bequeathed to Arbor Day Foundation

A development in western Lenexa that had residents concerned that the Arbor Day Foundation was going to take away trees and wildlife has gotten the approval of the Lenexa City Council.

In an unusual situation, the tree-preservation nonprofit has had to defend its plans to turn 106 wooded acres into a subdivision of single-family homes and senior living. The proposed development is near Black Hoof Park.

The land was bequeathed to the foundation by Barbara Cailler, a longtime nature lover who wanted it developed with lots of trees, a common area and a senior living facility, said Matt Harris, chief executive of the foundation. Proceeds of the sale will go to the Nebraska City, Neb.-based foundation.

But neighbors in surrounding subdivisions said they feared the loss of trees, wildlife and noise buffering from a nearby shooting range. They filed a protest petition, but it was deemed insufficient.

Harris said in an earlier interview that the foundation would work with the contractor to make sure the development preserved trees and common space, as Cailler wished. The 130 single-family homes will be on large lots, with a density of 1.4 homes per acre. The senior facility will also serve as a buffer between the homes and a school to be built by the Olathe School District on nearby land.

Just over 23 acres within the housing development will remain as open land, according to city documents.

Timber Rock won approval from the city planning commission in February, but because of a missed technicality in posting of a notice, the first approval had to be scrapped and the process started over.

The council approved the rezoning and development plan on 6-1 votes, with council member Amy Slater voting against.

This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Lenexa council OKs subdivision on land bequeathed to Arbor Day Foundation."