Commission recommends rezoning of River Place site at 210 KK Highway despite resident concerns about traffic and services

The Smithville Planning and Zoning Commission on a 4-0 vote recommended that the Board of Aldermen approve a rezoning request for River Place at 210 KK Highway, changing the property from R-1B to a mix of R-1D and R-2. The vote followed a lengthy public hearing in which numerous nearby residents raised safety, traffic, sewer, water-pressure and school-capacity concerns.

Robert Parks of Baez Truck and Parks Engineers identified himself as the applicant’s engineer and said he would be available to answer technical questions. He did not present a full development plan during this hearing; staff and the applicant said detailed subdivision, stormwater and traffic studies will accompany later site-level applications.

Multiple residents described existing safety problems on County Road KK and at the KK/Highway 169 intersection. John Leiser (211 KK Highway) said access onto Highway 169 is already hazardous and urged thorough traffic review; Rhonda Blakesley (201 County Road KK) and Kelly Brown (owner of 201 KK Highway property) described a nearby blind corner used for household mailboxes and daily driveway exits and asked that traffic, mailbox placement and school effects be addressed.

Bob Engle (209 County Road KK) and Jeff Wilkin (207 County Road KK) calculated that the proposed densities would add several hundred vehicle trips to the area and said the road has no shoulders and high speeds. Several speakers asked whether duplex units are rentals or owner-occupied and whether smaller lot frontages (50 to 60 feet under the proposed zoning) are being used to increase density compared with previous R-1B frontage rules.

Jack (city planning staff) explained the process: the rezoning request is a zoning decision only; if zoning is approved, subdivision and site-level approvals will follow and must include traffic and stormwater reports and any required off-site improvements. He told residents that MoDOT must review and approve any access changes to Highway 169 and that the traffic study uses trip-generation formulas (for example, approximately 10 trips per day per single-family detached home, slightly fewer for attached units) to determine needed roadway improvements. Jack said the city is also building an interceptor sewer project that will reach near KK in a future phase and that developers are required by city code to fund utilities and off-site improvements necessary for their projects.

Residents asked about snow removal, mail delivery clusters and potential park or trail connections; Jack said sidewalks will be required within the subdivision and that mailbox cluster locations are handled through U.S. Postal Service rules but the city will work on siting cluster boxes away from high-speed traffic where feasible.

The commission voted to recommend the rezoning (4-0). If the Board of Aldermen approves the zoning at first and second readings, the applicant will proceed with subdivision engineering, stormwater and traffic studies; MoDOT review and developer-funded off-site improvements would be required before final plat or building permits are approved.