Andover council approves rezoning at 602 South Daisy Lane despite neighbor objections

The Andover City Council voted to rezone a parcel at 602 South Daisy Lane from SF-1 (single-family) to B-3 (retail and service business) to match adjoining property used by Andover Auto Body. Mayor Ronnie Price moved to adopt the planning commission’s findings and recommendation; the motion was seconded and passed with a recorded result of 7–0. The council noted that parties aggrieved by the decision have 30 days to appeal to district court.

Neighbor Darren Berger (628 South Daisy Lane) spoke at the public hearing and told the council he believes changing the parcel from single-family to B-3 is “too dramatic” and conflicts with the comprehensive plan’s mixed-residential designation. Berger said piecemeal rezoning could push commercial development deeper into existing residential areas and singled out lighting and future expansion as immediate concerns.

Planning staff told the council the applicant (owner of the adjacent auto body shop) bought the parcel to match the business zoning of neighboring lots and intends to use the site for storing cars being worked on rather than customer parking. Staff noted the planning commission recommended approval and that a landscaping buffer and fence are part of site planning; council members referenced a planned tree buffer of four to five trees on the site’s south end to mitigate lighting impacts. Council members also discussed KDOT road planning and a planned back-edge road that may change local circulation patterns.

Council members emphasized that zoning districts, not the comprehensive plan, set allowable uses and that the parcel sits on the border between place types where gradual change is expected. The council approved the rezoning after public comment and discussion.