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PUBLIC HEARING - Application #PL2017-176 - Conceptual Development Plan - West Pryor Village - Generally Bounded by I-470 on the north, NW Pryor Road on the east, and NW Lowenstein Drive on the southwest; City of Lee's Summit Applicant.
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City staff is requesting approval of the latest version of the Conceptual Development Plan for "West Pryor Village". Provided below is the background summary of the process taken place to date regarding the creation of this Conceptual Development Plan.
Background:
October/November of 2015 - City RFP for City owned property:
The City considered two submittals to a Request for Proposals (RFP) offering the City owned property for sale at the SW quadrant of the interchange at I-470 and Pryor Road. After consideration of the proposals, the City chose not to accept either of the offers/proposals and the City Council directed staff to prepare a mixed-use Conceptual Development Plan for the area along the west side of Pryor Rd. between I-470 and Chipman Rd.
January 21, 2016 - Concept 1:
City staff presented "financially unrestricted" mixed-use Conceptual Development Plans to the City Council for feedback and direction. The conceptual plans were based on a set of goals for high quality development that provided all the elements of a desirable mixed-use environment. The Council requested staff to share the conceptual plans with the development community to obtain feedback and input on the feasibility and market support for the concepts. Staff consulted with various development community stakeholders to learn that the plans were attractive high-quality mixed-use concepts, however financing the concepts would be extremely challenging given the improvements and investments that would be necessary. Staff began working in concert with Christie Development, a property owner/developer who owned or controlled substantial acreage within the identified area and developed a new mixed-use Conceptual Development Plan that would be fiscally responsible and attempt to meet the desires and vision for the planned area to bring forward for consideration.
March 9, 2017 - Concept 2:
Staff prepared and presented an alternate City Conceptual Development Plan incorporating the proposed Christie Development proposal known as "Pryor Lakes" for the acreage under their ownership or control. This Conceptual Development Plan was then shared with the neighboring community to receive comments in an open house format. This plan was the City's Conceptual Development Plan that was brought forward to the Council for public hearings which included both the city initiated rezoning and the "Pryor Lakes" PDP application. City Council's feedback and direction was the new concept plan didn't appear to meet the City's desire for a vertical planned mixed-use development. Residents primarily voiced concerns regarding the proposed senior living product located along Lowenstein Drive adjacent to their homes, the potential traffic impact from the apartments and commercial development on the neighboring streets and overall impacts to Lowenstein Park. Ultimately the City Council rezoned only the 39 acres along Pryor Road to PMIX which did not include the proposed senior housing or a large portion of the property proposed for the apartment project. The Council once again requested staff to refine the Conceptual Development Plan and meet with the neighborhood for additional input.
April 28, 2017 - Property Owner meeting:
City staff invited the affected property owners of the 39 rezoned acres to a meeting to collaborate on preparing a new Conceptual Development Plan incorporating feedback from the Concept 2 plan. After receiving property owner feedback, staff further refined the plan and scheduled a meeting with adjacent and concerned residents in a neighborhood informational meeting.
May 22, 2017 - Neighborhood Informational meeting - Concept 3:
City staff presented a 3rd version of the Conceptual Development Plan to the residents in attendance to receive feedback and input. This plan removed the senior housing product along Lowenstein Dr. and included a different multi-family product with an adjacent parking structure to serve the multi-family and some adjacent commercial uses. Comments received from the residents continued to be related to concerns with the apartments and traffic.
August 17, 2017 - Concept 4:
This new version of the West Pryor Village Conceptual Plan was presented to the City Council at their worksession on August 17, 2017. Concept 4 was produced after receiving comments from the residents on "Concept 3" and meeting with the development group resulting in a more refined Conceptual Development Plan. The refinements include a newer version of the multi-family product incorporating a structured parking interior to the dwelling units commonly referred to as a "Texas Wrap" or "Texas Donut". The plan provides for an altered traffic movement to achieve a more desirable layout in response to concerns related to traffic.
Staff believes this new Conceptual Development Plan will provide the desired mixed-use development envisioned for this area. The plan provides a vertical mixed-use element and a walkable environment potentially anchored by a hotel at the northern end and large grocer or similar use at the southern end.
The City Council worksession provided the opportunity to receive Council feedback and direction to proceed on to the formal public hearing process for consideration of the latest version of the Conceptual Development Plan for the Planned Mixed-Use zoning that was approved on March 9, 2017. Staff acknowledges the latest version of the Conceptual Development Plan goes beyond the 39 acres the City Council approved for rezoning to Planned Mixed-Use but felt it beneficial to bring forward the plan to represent the potential of this area in a "master planned" manner. The additional acreage that would be necessary to be rezoned to Planned Mixed-Use would be considered through the preliminary development plan and rezoning application process to be submitted by the developer.
City Council authorized staff to proceed on to the Planning Commission for public hearing with the this latest version of the proposed Conceptual Development Plan attached hereto.
September 26, 2017 - Planning Commission Public Hearing
Concept 4 was considered by the Planning Commission at a public hearing held on September 26, 2017. Public comments received at the public hearing continued to include concerns relating to traffic on Lowenstein and Black Twig, apartments in general and questioned the need for more retail considering the difficulty big box retail is having at this time. Also voiced were issues of having a single master developer for the entire area and concerns of having only a portion of the overall Plan developed. After considering the staff's request and the residents comments the Planning Commission voted to forward Concept 4 on to the City Council with a recommendation for approval.
Recommendation
Recommendation: Staff recommends APPROVAL of the West Pryor Village Conceptual Development Plan.