Blue Springs Council approves rezoning for Westgate Villas, a 55+ community

The Blue Springs City Council on Sept. 17 approved rezoning a 6.2-acre site at the northeast corner of Northwest 19th Street and Northwest Mock Avenue to allow Westgate Villas, a 55-and-older independent living development of 46 units.

City planning staff presented the rezoning request and a plan development concept plan during a public hearing and recommended approval. Chantelle Fry, city staff, said the proposal ‘‘is compatible with [the 2014 comprehensive plan] designations and promotes reinvestment’’ and concluded that ‘‘staff finds the proposal in compliance with all of the review criteria and recommends approval of this rezoning request.’’

The project would construct 11 fourplex buildings and one duplex for a total of 46 residential units, plus a community clubhouse, gazebo and interior open space on about 6.2 acres. The developer’s concept shows most units with an attached single-car garage; units on the south side would not include garages and would rely on off-street parking. The required 15% open-space minimum — calculated at 0.42 acres — is included in the plan.

Developer representative Brian Ron told the council the site ‘‘has been for sale for a very, very long time’’ and that the team settled on a senior residential use because it would ‘‘help support the other businesses that are in the area.’’ He described challenges with existing grades and detention ponds and said the project would consolidate and regrade stormwater into a larger detention pond at the north end of the parcel.

Council members pressed for site details during the hearing. In response to a question about driveway depth and parking space between garages and sidewalks, Fry said site plans allow ‘‘enough to put 1 and a half car’’ in the driveway without ‘‘overlapping the sidewalk.’’ Council members also confirmed that internal streets are proposed as private but would be constructed to city standards and maintained by the developer.

Staff noted a traffic memorandum and a preliminary stormwater management plan had been submitted; final traffic and stormwater designs will be required with the PD final plan. The developer said construction was anticipated to begin in the fall of 2025 with completion expected in 2026.

After public testimony and the staff report, the council introduced Bill 5349 for first reading and voted to advance it. On second reading the ordinance passed, 6–1, with one council member recorded as voting no. The city assigned the ordinance number 5450 for the rezoning and plan development concept plan titled Westgate Villas.

The plan approval establishes the rezoning and concept-level commitments; staff and the developer will return with required final plans, detailed stormwater and traffic plans, and materials and landscaping details before construction permits are issued.