Editorial: Try to work out concerns over Brookridge plan

A good-sized group of opponents showed up last week, asking the Overland Park Planning Commission to reject a rezoning request for the redevelopment of the Brookridge Golf & Fitness Club.

That effort failed. The panel endorsed the rezoning, though it was not unanimous.

Detractors have some valid topics of concern, such as future traffic patterns and how long potentially disrupting construction will occur.

The Overland Park City Council should take those issues seriously when it considers the rezoning request in August.

In addition, the council must take into account the fact that the city staff rejected rezoning for the mixed-use project, planned at the northeast corner of Interstate 435 and Antioch Road. The staff properly noted that the project could require many upgrades to handle traffic on property the developer does not yet control.

Finally, the council also ought to keep in mind that some of the planning commissioners questioned how well the large project would fit into an area of established neighborhoods.

The planning panel’s approval is not binding, which means the City Council members are obligated to ask tough questions.

Objections to increased traffic are common to any large redevelopment, of course, so the council must focus on whether planned improvements would really take care of most problems posed by a larger number of vehicles.

The council also should determine what it can require from the developer to minimize construction-related woes that will affect nearby residents.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Editorial: Try to work out concerns over Brookridge plan."