CHAPEL RIDGE DENIED AGAIN

The Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission again unanimously denied the applications for the Chapel Ridge residential development after a five-hour session. At the September meeting of the Commission, the Chapel Ridge development was unanimously denied by the Commissioners. Developer Brian Mertz went back to the drawing board and submitted a new application which was heard Tuesday evening. With another large crowd in attendance, much of the same team was assembled on each side to present the new application, this time to rezone the property — located near Parkville adjacent to Union Chapel Elementary School at the northwest corner of Highways 45 and K — from agricultural and rural estates to planned residential (PR). Also tied to this was the approval of a residential district plan. Platte County Director of Planning and Zoning Daniel Erickson outlined the project and gave the County staff’s recommendation — which was to approve the plan. The previous request used conventional zoning and a preliminary plat. The PR zoning was an attempt to address concerns raised that the previously sought R-7 zoning would allow greater density, Erickson said. The number of lots shown on the new plan was 359, down from 379 lots on the previous plan. Most of the lots were removed along the western boundary adjoining Countrywood subdivision and along southern boundary directly bordering Highway 45 to increase lot sizes and provide improved buffers. The new plan slightly decreased density, slightly increased open space and addressed some traffic concerns. According to the staff report, the subdivision conformed to the Platte County Land Use Plan, the existing infrastructure could accommodate the development, there would be significant improvement to roadways and the sewer and water system in the area and the single-family usage was compatible with surrounding developments. During Erickson’s report, and at points throughout the meeting, residents in opposition to the development – mostly wearing red – waved signs stating their concerns, many saying “say no to PR hi-density.” “Nobody denies that it’s higher density than the surrounding area,” Erickson said. “But I don’t buy into the notion that these two densities are incompatible.” He did note that the Parkville Special Road District had sent County Planning and Zoning a letter stating its concerns about the development. These include concerns that one of the roads near the development should be designated as a collector street and be constructed at 36 feet in width instead of the stated 28 feet. There were also concerns that a planned wood chipped walking trail would cause run-off into ditches and catch basins. The size of planned cul-de-sacs was also of concern, as the district feared there would be no way to effectively remove snow from the area. Of most concern was the intersection of Crooked Road and Highway K, where Road District officials noted problems with sight distances and felt the roadway needed to be widened to accommodate extra traffic.