PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. — The Prairie Village City Council will vote on a contentious new housing ordinance during its Monday meeting.
Residents in the quaint Johnson County, Kansas, suburb have lined up on opposite sides as older homes in some neighborhoods have been demolished with newer, and often much bigger, homes built in their place.
Longtime residents think the new homes destroy the character of some older neighborhoods, while new builders want to freedom to construct the home of their dreams.
Now, the city council will settle the issue.
Here a few things the ordinance would require of homeowners:
A building could only occupy 30 percent of a lot;
The front yard would require a minimum of 60 percent green space;
Front/street-side facing windows must make up 15 percent of the home;
Garage would only be allowed to take up 40 percent of home front;
There would be a maximum of two front-facing garage doors.
Many residents 41 Action News spoke with Sunday support of the proposed ordinance.
“We all want to live in a community that is aesthetically pleasing," resident Jeannie DeMarco said. "We don't want to see giant homes with giant garages and no green space."
Fellow Prairie Village resident Bill Sandy agreed.
“You don't want something that looks totally out of character, but something you have to realize too is when people build on a lot they're not going to go back,” he said.
The Home Builders Association is among those who have come out against the ordinance, saying it creates unintended consequences by preventing residents from investing in their own properties.
The city council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m.
