A new plan calls for nearly 120 houses to be built near the high school in the near future.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning of land next to the high school and the preliminary plat plans at Wednesday’s meeting.
Alcove Development is requesting the rezoning of the southern 40 acres, and the other sections of land will be rezoned at a later time, the city’s planning consultant Dave Knopick said.
The preliminary plat plans show 118 lots in the section requesting rezoning. The homes will be a continuation of Shadow Ridge, Dustin Baker with Alcove Development said.
Commissioner Tim Pringle asked city staff if the developer would have to come back to apply for other rezoning for the other sections of land if they plan to dedicate portions to multifamily, commercial or residential.
Knopick confirmed this portion was only for the 40 acres, and any other plans or rezoning requests would come back to the Planning and City Commissions. The land annexed in September totaled 97 acres, but the other sections may be planned for multifamily housing and a duplex district.
The city was required to hold a public hearing for the rezoning of land next to the high school, and for the plat application. No residents spoke about either issue.
The Planning Commission recommended the rezoning of the land to single-family residential. The motion will now move on to the City Commission.
“It’s very clear that we need more houses in Eudora. I think this is a development that’s going to be planned correctly, and I am definitely for it,” Chairman Grant Martin
The new neighborhood will connect to Shadow Ridge via Fir Street, and there is an extension of south Fir Street to west 20th Street also included in the preliminary plans. Fir will serve as the north south connector for this area.
Knopick noted that Alcove will not start building this whole neighborhood at once, but will build homes in phases.
Pringle questioned if the city’s comprehensive plan to have east/west access to Church Street was worth the additional traffic that is already a problem.
Knopick said the city is recommending the approval without that connection out of consideration for the district and the proximity to the football field.
“I don’t think going through there is really the feasible thing to do. It can be done. I will say it can be done, but you would really want to be talking with the school district further about that if this is the direction you want to go,” Knopick said.
City Manager Kevyn Gero said the comprehensive plan was also created before the potential for the RAISE grant that would implement a form of traffic calming device and widening to Church Street.
Vice Chairman Josh Harger said he would have a hard time supporting the plat plan without an east/west connector road.
Baker said although that was the original idea, the east/west road was a non-starter because Evergy said they would not allow for roads to be built under power lines.
Superintendent Stu Moeckel spoke from the district’s perspective and expressed concern about the potential of the east/west connector to extend and separate the middle and high school.
“I know that I can’t speak for everyone on the board, but I can tell you from my standpoint in the school, we’re less than enthused to see that road continued into this for a lot of reasons, including kids leaving school and driving through a very nice residential neighborhood at a very fast rate of speed to get out of school,” Moeckel said.
The original plan, which does not show an east/west connector, was recommended for City Commission approval in a 4-1 vote. Harger opposed the motion.
This rezoning request and preliminary plat application will likely be discussed during the Nov. 27 City Commission meeting, Assistant City Manager Zack Daniel said. This subdivision is also part of the proposed Rural Housing Incentive District, which is still in the process of approval.
The final plat will also have to be approved by both the Planning and City Commissions before plans move forward. Daniel estimates both the rural housing district and the final plat will be reviewed by the City Commission within the first quarter of 2024.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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