Planning commissioners heard updates Wednesday night about the Shadow Ridge North housing development and a new duplex project on Maple Street.
Developer Dustin Baker received approval for the preliminary plat plan for Shadow Ridge North after adding 31 lots and accounting for senior housing options. Baker’s plat now includes 149 lots that will include single-family homes and senior housing in the neighborhood.
The next step is for Baker to have this same plat approved by the City Commission. Recommendations from staff and commissioners will be taken into account for the final plan, which will need final approvals.
Staff is asking for the following additions to be made:
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Documentation from Evergy regarding the easement and approval of the design
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Another traffic impact study since more homes have since been added to the plan
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A general note that all utilities will be underground
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All easements shown on the final plat are subject to review and revision by Public Works
The City Commission previously approved new lot regulations to help Baker make the project more sustainable and add smaller lots to the project.
Commissioner Josh Harger was concerned about the plat not having a 23rd Street connector, but Baker said there had been a lot of conversation between the school district and city and at this time they were not in favor of adding that connector street.
The city discussed the results of the traffic study at previous meetings.
Public Works Director Branden Boyd said the district wants to be able to use this road as a connector in the future, so the developers will leave a space for that extension to be made in the future.
Boyd also reminded the commission that there will be a road going north out of the high school connecting to the new 20th Street when the RAISE grant is completed.
In other business, the Planning Commission also recommended rezoning 1027 Maple St. and 1029 Maple St. from single-family residential to residential two-family or duplex districts.
Anthony Brown spoke to the commission saying he and his partner at Core Development LLC plan to create two duplexes on the lots. Brown said there are neighboring duplexes so it will not be out of character for the area.
“It’d be great for, in my opinion, for someone who wants to start raising their family, or somebody that wants to downsize from a larger home to a smaller home, and still be proud of some ownership, be proud of the fact they have a nice place here in their hometown,” Brown said.
The land is technically three lots, but the developers plan to make it into two. Staff recommended approval of this item.
This item will move on to the City Commission for final zoning approval.
The planning meeting was just one of three meetings at City Hall Wednesday night.
After discussion about the need to review and edit city codes, the City Commission and Planning Commission hosted a joint meeting to talk about next steps.
The goal is to standardize and increase efficiency of the city’s code so guidelines are more streamlined and easier for developers to understand, said Kyle Kobe, the city’s planning consultant.
Kobe wanted to see the commissioners’ priorities and interest in making these changes.
He noted mirky lines between zoning districts, lengthy text and other confusing language as just some of the issues needing revision.
Mayor Tim Reazin said while Eudora builders won’t receive all the incentives that builders in De Soto are receiving right now, the city can help draw in developers by having a simple handbook that makes it easier for them to understand and apply/submit items.
First-level priorities for making revisions to the codes include:
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Reorganizing the zoning and subdivision regulations
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Updating definitions and editing terms throughout
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Modify application types, requirements and approval processes
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Modify the amount/type of zoning districts and standard associated with each
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Reconfigure, clarify and streamline zoning application requirements/process
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Reduce parking standards and streamline process
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Clarify nonconforming standards
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Sign regulations
Making all these code changes will take Kobe a significant amount of time, so the city is prioritizing what it would like to see done first. There was no approval of any items during this joint meeting.
In other business, the City Commission hosted a special meeting to approve this year’s city employee benefits.
Staff had estimated an 8% increase in health benefit costs, which were included in the 2025 budget, but totals from Blue Cross Blue Shield came in 12% higher. The city previously hired a broker to help it find better rates and examine its options.
The City Commission approved to move forward with United Healthcare, which will be a 7.2% increase to employees who go the low-deductible plan and more savings for employees choosing the high-deductible plan.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
