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Development of a soccer complex in southern Johnson County near Stilwell with a history of controversy cleared one last hurdle as county commissioners voted last week to approve a final plat.
In so doing, they ended two months of inaction caused by what was, in effect, a protest vote by the county’s East Consolidated Zoning Board over the commission’s earlier decisions about operating hours, lighting and traffic configuration.
Those decisions ran contrary to what the zoning board had recommended.
The soccer complex is planned for about 64 acres east of Metcalf Avenue between 202nd Terrace and 206th Street.
When landowners Cogent Enterprises LLC and Phelps Engineering proposed it as a way to provide more space for young soccer players, some neighbors pushed back because they feared the lighting and influx of traffic would be jarring in the neighborhood on Overland Park’s rural fringe.
By the time the zoning board took up the final plat in May, the development had already been approved for a conditional use permit and preliminary plat.
The number of fields, which had been reduced to four from the original nine, was again reduced to three with the space reconfigured.
Platting is the process of dividing a tract of land into lots for legal purposes. But when the zoning board met May 1, members had much more to say about the commission’s earlier actions than lot lines and legal descriptors.
According to minutes of that meeting, zoning board members expressed unhappiness that the county commission had overruled their recommendations in the earlier votes.
In particular, they mentioned the Stilwell Community Plan guidelines that members felt had been ignored.
Chairman Ken Klingensmith said county commissioners are more attuned to the developer than the community.
“As they stated themselves, the work they do is with the applicants only and not the community,” he said. “The work of this zoning board is to ensure that the community voices are heard, the neighbors have input. To have recommendations that the board blatantly ignored, I find inappropriate by our county commissioners, and it demonstrates a lack of interest in the residents of southeast Johnson County.”
Zoning board member Kelley Rast said the commission’s actions “made it clear that in some cases, we are completely irrelevant. Which also means residents are completely irrelevant.”
Some wondered whether the Stilwell Community Plan would be relevant in future cases, saying precedent has been set with the soccer complex.
One by one, at the May meeting, zoning board members announced they would abstain or recuse themselves from a vote. Rast was first.
“The zoning board has put a lot of work into trying to find happy mediums and something that would work giving considerations to the residents and the community and the (county commission) – the majority of (them) – did not want to take any of our recommendations. I will be abstaining from voting on this and let the (commission) own this,” Rast said.
Rod Richardson, vice chair of the zoning board, agreed.
“I do think under the circumstances this board is trying to send as best it can, a message to the (commission) that we think there’s something wrong in the way these have been analyzed,” he said.
Since no action was taken for 60 days, the final plat arrived at the county commission last Thursday, June 27, as a “failure to recommend,” essentially passing the final decision on to the commission.
Chairman Mike Kelly said that zoning board members, who are appointed by commissioners, can disagree with the county commission.
“What I am disappointed about is a board not willing to do its job and vote on a matter and frankly to abdicate their duties as appointed officials in Johnson County, Kansas,” he said.
Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara chided the commission’s earlier votes, saying she was disgusted by their disregard of the Stilwell Community Plan.
In particular, she mentioned a 70-foot light pole and lack of a turning lane on the complex. She also repeated her assertion from an earlier meeting that the Stilwell “village” is being “raped by big business, and it’s just disgusting.”
She was admonished by Kelly, who said that language is offensive to victims of sexual assault.
Commissioner Becky Fast asked about conflicting reports on whether the complex needs a turning lane at its entrance.
County Planning Director Jay Leipzig said traffic experts revised their earlier opinion about turning lanes when the number of fields was reduced to three.
The final vote last week was 5-2, with O’Hara and Commissioner Michael Ashcraft voting against.
According to the use permit, the complex will be reviewed in five years.
About the author
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
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