JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — The Johnson County Planning Commission on Sept. 23 continued a public hearing on proposed amendments to the county comprehensive plan that would update the Comprehensive Arterial Road Network Plan ("Karnap") and add guidance on housing types and accessory dwelling policy, after residents raised questions about potential impacts to homes along Edgerton Road and about public notice.

Planning staff said the Karnap update is a long-range planning document to identify future arterial corridors and to manage driveway and intersection spacing; it does not set construction schedules or engineering designs. "Karnap is not a construction plan or construction documents for any particular arterial road," said Sean Penley, county planning staff. "There is no construction schedule or timeline for improvements of these roads."

Why it matters: staff said the Karnap designation affects future access-management rules and right-of-way expectations for properties along arterial streets. Residents along the Edgerton Road corridor urged the commission to delay action, saying a formal designation could reduce driveway access, create safety problems and, over time, lead to acquisition of nearby homes for future widening.

What staff proposed and why: County planning and public-works staff told the commission the recommendations follow the Johnson County Transportation Connection Plan, prepared with KDOT and local jurisdictions. The update clarifies arterial types (Type 1, 2 and 3), and in the northwestern county it would identify north–south and east–west connections through the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant/Astra Enterprise Park area. Jefferson Bowes of Public Works said the transportation-connection study modeled future development and predicted traffic; "based on those predicted traffic volumes, that's what... leads you to decide which road and which type you have." That modeling is the basis for recommending where access should be restricted to preserve future capacity, staff said.

Key staff clarifications: Staff emphasized three points repeatedly: (1) Karnap designations are long-range and intended to preserve future capacity and manage access, not to trigger immediate construction; (2) right-of-way acquisition typically is driven by development, platting or a specific project and is not bought countywide in advance; and (3) existing driveways and permitted entrances are generally grandfathered, while spacing requirements would affect new driveways if the designation is in place.

Housing and accessory-dwelling guidance: Karen Miller, senior planner, summarized proposed changes to Chapter 2 of the comprehensive plan. The amendment would add guidance for a broader set of housing types in the county's urban-policy-area (the fringe next to cities) and would move the accessory-dwelling unit policy language from the zoning ordinance into the comprehensive plan (without changing the current zoning regulations). Miller said any actual increase in residential density would require a separate rezoning or development application and a public hearing under current zoning rules.

Public concerns: More than a dozen residents spoke during the hearing. Speakers in the Edgerton corridor cited numbers they said represent concentrated frontage and driveways (one speaker said "over 80 driveways" between 140th and 150th streets), questioned how property owners would be notified, and said they worry about losing homes or businesses to future right-of-way. "This defies common sense," said Calvin Hayden, identifying himself as a resident and former sheriff. Several speakers urged stronger, earlier notice to neighbors (postcards or mailed notice) and more coordination with nearby cities, especially DeSoto.

Staff response on notice and timing: Planning staff said state statute sets a 1,000-foot mailed-notice requirement for affected properties in zoning actions; staff also said comprehensive-plan updates that affect the entire unincorporated area do not receive individual mailed notices. "We post information on the planning website and have held open houses," Jay Leipzig of the planning department said; he and staff offered to meet individually with residents and to add cross-links between the public-works transportation report and planning pages. Jeff Bowes said the public-works traffic-count program is countywide and repeated that the transportation-connection plan is available on the public-works site.

Questions about alternatives and coordination: Commissioners and residents asked whether other north–south alignments had been modeled (for example, Evening Star or County Line Road) and whether routing could be shifted to reduce impacts on existing houses. Bowes said alternative routes were considered; he also noted environmental constraints such as flood plains that make some alternatives costly or impractical. Staff and commissioners discussed that the city of DeSoto has begun planning and right-of-way activities for its portion of the corridor through the Astra Enterprise Park, and that any change to the Karnap designation would require coordination with DeSoto and other jurisdictions.

What the commission did: After the public hearing and an extended Q&A with staff, the planning commission voted to continue the public hearing to Oct. 28 so commissioners and staff could provide additional analysis and so the public could receive more detail before the commission forwards a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. A staff presentation to the BOCC had been tentatively scheduled for Oct. 23, pending the planning commission recommendation.

Distinguishing discussion from decision: The commission's action Sept. 23 was procedural: the hearing was continued to a date certain for further information and public input. No changes to the comprehensive plan or zoning were adopted at the meeting; staff and speakers repeatedly noted that any specific road project, right-of-way acquisition or zoning change would follow separate processes with additional notices and hearings.

Next steps: Staff said they will assemble the transcript, provide the transportation-connection plan and model details on request, and work with public works and nearby cities to answer commissioner questions about alternatives, traffic forecasts and notice options. The planning commission will revisit the matter Oct. 28; if the commission issues a recommendation, the Board of County Commissioners would consider it at a subsequent meeting.

Contacts and documents: Planning staff said the Karnap draft, the Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 amendments, public comments received before Sept. 16 and related fact sheets are on the county planning website; the Johnson County Transportation Connection Plan is on the public-works site. Residents who requested follow-up were directed to county planning staff for one-on-one meetings.

(Reporting note: this article draws from the Sept. 23 Johnson County Planning Commission public hearing and staff presentation. All quotations are attributed to meeting speakers.)