Planning commission denies River Ridge rezoning after residents raise traffic, flooding and access concerns

The Overland Park Planning Commission voted to deny a rezoning request for the River Ridge development at the northwest corner of West 120th Street and Knoll Avenue, rejecting the applicant’s request to rezone the property to RP‑1 (planned single‑family infill). The motion to deny passed 10‑0.

Staff had recommended approval of the rezoning with stipulations. Planner Keith Gooch told the commission the seven‑lot design achieves the city’s suburban‑neighborhood framework and that required technical studies — including stormwater analysis and a determination that a traffic study was not required for only seven lots — had been completed. He noted the applicant proposed a 10‑foot rear setback where the code calls for 20 feet and that stipulations would require geotechnical reports and other measures for lots 1–5.

But neighbors and several commissioners said those measures did not address their safety and flooding concerns. “The dark green that is showing up on the picture … is not public right of way,” homeowner Greg Spies said, arguing the map misrepresented ownership and that a deed restriction requires houses of at least 4,500 square feet on the broader property. Spies also urged caution about sight distance and crashes at the Knoll intersection: “We are very concerned about the safety here … This is an unsafe situation, and it should not be permitted,” he said.

Other nearby residents described steep site grades, past slides in nearby subdivisions and repeated flooding at properties north of the creek. Ace Allen, whose house borders the stream corridor, said his property has flooded three times in five years and warned that additional impermeable surface and regrading could worsen local flooding and erosion. Paul Webber and other speakers described aggressive traffic speeds and tight sight lines near the proposed driveway location, arguing the proposed access point is too close to the Knoll intersection.

Commissioners said they were unconvinced the applicant had made adequate efforts to secure an alternate access that staff preferred at Outlook Street. Commissioner Mazzalonis and others noted an existing driveway on a neighboring parcel and asked whether the applicant had negotiated for cross‑access; the applicant’s representative said outreach had occurred but the neighboring owners had not agreed to sell or grant access. Commissioner Streeter Schaeffer and several colleagues said they were prepared to continue the item to allow more negotiation, but Commissioner Wei moved to deny the rezoning and the commission voted to approve the denial.

Because this was a rezoning decision, the item will next go to the City Council on July 7; Gooch noted that if council approves any change, subsequent preliminary and final plats and public hearings would be required before construction could proceed.

The application sought: seven single‑family lots; a requested deviation reducing a required 20‑foot rear yard to 10 feet on some lots; a 40‑foot cul‑de‑sac where 50 feet is typical (allowed under RP‑1); and stipulations requiring geotechnical reports, adherence to stream‑corridor setbacks and final engineering approvals.

Commission discussion and neighbor testimony emphasized that the decision reflected unsettled questions about driveway location, sight distance from Knoll, the property's topography and the potential for increased runoff despite the applicant’s stormwater plan. With the commission’s denial, the applicant may either withdraw, revise the proposal, or take the item to City Council for final action.

Votes and next steps: the commission’s denial vote was 10‑0. The council will consider the rezoning application at its July 7 meeting in the same room; members of the public who provided testimony at the Planning Commission review will have the opportunity to testify at council.