The Platte City board of aldermen has made the first moves toward the development of a large industrial project east of Interstate 29.
At the Tuesday, Jan. 25 board meeting, aldermen unanimously approved a rezoning order for more than 150 acres north of Highway 92 for a future warehouse/logistics development. The property was previously zoned for commercial use and was rezoned for light industrial in preparation for the construction of a multi-million square foot warehouse facility.
Last fall, Kansas City-based development company VTRE notified the city it was in negotiations to purchase about 300 acres in the area for future development. The developer later filed the rezoning application. Half of the land is slated for the warehouse project with the other half, located to the east, is planned for residential development. Local developer David Barth has filed an application for rezoning of those acres from commercial to single-family residential, with a hearing scheduled later this month.
Staff noted that the city’s 2006 land use plan needs to be updated, as the Missouri Department of Transportation’s plans to expand Highway 92 to four lanes east of I-29 scuttles the city’s outdated plan for commercial development along that corridor. The future reconstruction of Hwy. 92 is slated to run from the eastern city limits to Bethel Road.
The staff report supported approval of the application as the 260 acres directly west of the property already consists of mixed use development including retail and light industrial.
The land has sat mostly fallow for more than 20 years, with occasional use for leased farming. City staff believe the warehouse project will bring needed jobs to the area and could kick start more development east of I-29 and stimulate additional interest in the Windmill Creek subdivision.