662 apartment units, hotel, retail center proposed along 135th and State Line
By Kathy Feist
Oddo Development is seeking rezoning from the City of Leawood for the northwest section of 135th St. and State Line Rd. for a mixed use development called Cameron’s Court of Leawood. The development would include 662 multi-family housing units, 59 single family units, retail/office buildings, a hotel and convenience store/gas station. The proposed 120-acre site includes 133rd St to 135th St and State Line to Pawnee Ln. It is currently zoned for agriculture and office space.
The plan would place the 282,000 sq. ft. retail/office space and 122-room hotel along State Line. The western end will consist of 59 single family lots and a multifamily apartment complex with 34 multi-story apartment buildings. The Cornerstone Presbyterian Church would remain in the middle, with its treed property untouched.
The City of Leawood Planning Commission held a public hearing on the plans August 25 via a Zoom media format. However, by 10 pm a motion was made to continue the hearing and other items on the agenda to a 6 pm on September 9th.
There were nearly 100 emails from surrounding neighbors sent to the Planning Staff expressing views on the development, many not in favor of the plans. Most were concerned about density, traffic, the burden upon the schools, and decrease in property values.
Richard Sanchez, lead planner from the city, was in concurrence with the concerned neighbors, listing almost 20 deficiencies in the development plan, a record number for Leawood..
But Rick Oddo, Vice President of Oddo Development, addressed concerns. The mixed use development would raise $40 million for the public schools. The growth in population would not overwhelm the schools because it is aimed for empty nesters: no three bedroom apartment and $750,000 starting price on single family homes.
He emphasized that density of the residential units is 11.2 units per acre, as opposed to 13 to 14 units as required.
The four-story apartment building were within the city’s height requirements, he argued.
Finally, the reason the plans were so far out of line with city planning requirements was a result of meeting with surrounding Homeowners Associations. Julie Kincaid, HOA President for Enclave at Cedar Point, praised Oddo’s team for their hard work at meeting their demands, including changing the point of entry into the commercial district, retaining the tree line along 133 St and moving multi-story housing to 135 St rather than 133 St.
The September 9th meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube which can be accessed by going to www.leawood.org for the live link, just before the 6 p.m. start time. The meeting will also include preliminary plans for Villa de Fontana at the southeast corner of 135th and Roe.