KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A plan for hundreds of apartment units near Kansas 7 and Prairie Star Parkway in Lenexa is heading back to the city’s planning commission.
In a vote on Tuesday night, the Lenexa City Council sent the Copper Creek development project back to the city’s planning commission.
One homeowner who attended the meeting says the debate lasted till 11:30 p.m., but members of their neighborhood left feeling optimistic the city council was listening to their concerns.
They told 41 Action News one of the suggestions the city council made to the developer was the possibility of moving the apartments into a different zone, farther from the residential area and closer to Prairie Star Parkway.
The development has received skepticism from neighbors.
"For them to be so close, I feel like it's somewhat an invasion of privacy to have so many units, so close to your house," nearby neighbor Christina Stubbs told the 41 Action News I-Team’s Caitlin Knute last week.
After Tuesday's council meeting, Stubbs said she is pleased to see city leaders working to find a compromise between the developer and residents.
"We were pleased with the thoughtfulness of the city council to our concerns as a neighborhood. We understand they have the very best interests in doing what serves the needs of the city of Lenexa while also preserving the integrity of the existing neighborhood that we call home," Stubbs said. "We are happy to hear that they will be exploring other options as a means to satisfy both the developer and the current residents of WaterCrest Landing."
The planning commission is tasked with reviewing specific concerns raised by the council, which includes the location of higher density multi-family units along Woodsonia, the design of the multi-family units and if it is possible to lower the "intensity" of the development while financially maintaining the project.
The developer issued this statement following the meeting:
"We appreciate the thoughtful consideration of our applications by the Lenexa City Council and Mayor and the comments from those Watercrest Landing residents who spoke last night. As we have done throughout this process, we will continue to listen to all stakeholders and evaluate revisions to improve the project and address any issues or concerns that have been raised. Our goal is to bring forth a well-designed master planned community that respects the land, as well as the existing and future residents, and continues in the Lenexa tradition of developing safe and inviting neighborhoods, filled with amenities and green open spaces. Our immediate plan is to work with City staff on the suggested revisions and to bring back a plan for additional review by the Planning Commission and Council."
