Neighbors oppose apartment building proposal

Neighbors oppose apartment building proposal

Overland Park residents attend the city's planning commission meeting in opposition to a rezoning proposal for the Ranchmart South Shopping Center.

RECOVERED.A LARGE CROWD SHOWEDUP TODAY AT THEOVERLAND PARKCONVENTION CENTER.THAT'S WHERE THE CITY'SPLANNING COMMISSIONDISCUSSED A PROPOSALFOR A SIX-STORYAPARTMENT BUILDING ANDSELF STORAGE UNITS.THE DEVELOPER WANTSTO BUILD THEAPARTMENTS BEHIND THERANCHMART SOUTHSHOPPING CENTER AT95TH AND MISSION.RENDERINGS SHOW THEXISTING BUSINESSESWILL REMAIN IN PLACE.THE APARTMENTS ANDPARKING GARAGE WILL BEADDED TO THE BACK OFTHE SHOPPING CENTER.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKEWAS AT THAT MEETING.SHE JOINS US LIVE WIMORE ON WHAT'SHAPPENED SO FAR.The planning commission isstill discussing the projectright now.Neighbors say this project willliterally loom over theibackyards..

And hope that thecity blocks it.EPC Real Estate is behind thproject..

They want to build asix-story, 210-unit apartmentcomplex on top of the parkinlot behind the RanchmartSouth strip mall.

The duplexesbehind that would bedemolished.Neighbors are worried ththeir backyards will be buttedup against the project, only 40feet away, though separatedby a six foot fence.

Severalare here at the meeting readyto voice opposition becausethey feel it's too big anddoesn't fiThe developers say this willrevitalize the area and willhelp retail there survive fordecades.An Overland Park cityengineer presented a trafficstudy saying Mission Roadcould handle the project..However, the planningcommission said they need amore updated comprehensivestudy.Eric Hernandez / NeighboAt this point it feels liketheirproposal is their proposal.We're not really sure if theare any other options forcompromise, and that's whatreally concerns us.The planning commission willdecide whether or not to pusthis project to the fullcouncil.We will update you online onwhat comes out of thmeeting .Sarah Plake 41 action