Editorial: Resolve concerns over Brookridge mixed-use plan

The huge Brookridge redevelopment proposal soon will be back before the Overland Park Planning Commission. The hearing should not be perfunctory.

Questions still remain on whether the mixed-use project, as now configured, should proceed to the City Council.

Supporters celebrated last month when the commission endorsed a rezoning plan for replacing the Brookridge Golf & Fitness Club at Interstate 435 and Antioch Road.

That decision came despite the city staff’s recommendation to deny the proposal, mostly because of uncertainty over how improvements could be carried out to handle increased traffic.

In addition, dozens of opponents had urged commissioners to deny rezoning for the project because of its size and the long, 20-year period it could take to complete.

The newly scheduled meeting on Aug. 24 was called because the developer, Curtin Property Co., didn’t properly notify all nearby property owners about the project. City officials said that invalidated the July 13 vote to approve it.

Public testimony will be heard at the upcoming session. Critics likely will take one more stab at getting the panel to deny the rezoning while asking that the project be scaled back.

The city staff’s concerns over traffic remain an issue that the developers have not fully resolved. They promise that will happen only after the project gets further along, and they can buy more property needed to take care of the extra traffic.

If the Planning Commission pushes the Brookridge redevelopment through again, the City Council’s consideration of it is scheduled to occur on Sept. 21.

Given the large tax incentives requested for the project, city officials then should use their leverage to resolve legitimate concerns posed by the city staff and opponents.

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Editorial: Resolve concerns over Brookridge mixed-use plan."