Friends of the Plaza and other groups involved in developing a citizen-based, long range plan for the Country Club Plaza area are celebrating following a vote Thursday by the Kansas City Council.
Council members voted to abide by limits set in the citizen plan, restricting density of projects and the height of buildings. The decision means two planned developments near the Plaza are on hold.
Citizens backing the long-range development plan were at the meeting for the debate. They wore stickers that read, "Respect the Plan."
After more than an hour of debating, City Council members voted to abide by the plan developed in 2004 when considering proposed development projects in the Plaza and Midtown area.
Councilwoman Katheryn Shields argued that a proposed development of apartments at 44th and Washington was four-times the density allowed under the plan. Another proposed development near 46th and J.C. Nichols Parkway would have added five or more stories onto an existing three-story building, exceeding the height limit in the 2004 citizen development plan.
Councilman Quinton Lucas argued that in 2004, when the citizen plan was developed, there were different economic conditions than development projects have to meet to be successful in 2016.
Following the vote, Lucas said there are high rise buildings around the Plaza and the proposed project at 44th and Washington would not have created excessive density. Lucas called the decision a loss for jobs and economic growth for Kansas City.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
