Why are so many local residents against this subdivision?  

At the first community meeting several issues came up. 

Many people built or moved to this area to get away from the "subdivisions" it is quiet in this area without the large amount of traffic yet we are still fairly close to town.  Most homes are on several acres and it was thought everyone would have to do the same due to zoning and this being part of the county designated as a "Rural Policy Area" in the "Land use plan" which appears to have been followed everywhere to date.  The Land use plan was paid for by the county and was a study done at great expense to use as a "guideline for future development within unincorporated Platte County".

Are More Homes needed in the Platte City Area?  As of the middle of 2008 unincorporated Platte County had over 2600 lots available with over 600 of them being available for homes in the price range of $250,000 or less. Several of these other subdivisions also have retention ponds and walkways, playgrounds etc.... By contrast Jo. Co KS had about 160 total lots available according to their zoning dept. The 2600 only included unincorporated Platte County.

Sewer and water problems?  No set plan has been put in place. Currently Hoover residents have had problems with sewer.  Sewer and Water District has said Todd Creek Plant will and can handle additional sewage from this subdivision.

Power and utility lines?  The original plat shows the high power lines going over the Lake....

Storm water runoff and drainage. (This is a very dense subdivision with 655 homes on approx 170 acres)  

Impact on property taxes, fire and sheriffs department, school district etc....Taxes would have to go up for everyone else in the county as homes of the size proposed on average do not pay enough taxes to support the kids they generate for schools.  This information is per Platte County superintendent at one of our meetings.

Possible future Annexation by Kansas city or Platte City? Annexation has been asked for.  You would have this one little section of 300 acres jutting out above 92 hwy.

Schools, Rezoning of school lines would probably happen.  Per our meeting 06/03/08 we were told by Mark Harpst that there is usually an average of .4 kids per household.  An education cost $8,000 dollars per student per year of which $2,000 comes from the state.  Taxes on homes of this size and price will not pay for the kids it will add to our school system and the money will have to come from other "areas".   He did not think at this time there would have to be a rezoning.  He did think it would have to happen in the "future".

Further development on land to the north of current proposed site?  All drives on last plat shown to Platte County show a connection to North undeveloped farm land.

Increased Traffic.  Currently in the traffic impact study (Existing peak hours vol. figure 3)done by Olsson and Assoc. for the developers state that during peak hours from 7 to 8am there is approx. 380 cars going through the Winan road 92 Hwy intersection. From 5 PM to 6PM approx 416.  The study states that "the proposed development can be expected to generate 5600 daily trips on an average workday. The proposed development can be expected to generate 490 of those trips during the AM peak hour and 607 of those trips during the PM peak hour".(page 10 traffic impact study, from first proposal).

After a review of the ITE Trip Generation Manual 6th edition I thought it was interesting that it states "As expected, dwelling units that were larger in size, more expensive, or farther away from the central business district had a higher rate of trip generation  per unit ". In the 6th edition of the ITE Trip generation manual they show a range of 4.31 to 21.85 trips per day per dwelling. I believe the average used for the study was somewhere around 9.5 to arrive at their approx 5600 daily trip numbers. Considering this subdivision would be approx four miles from Platte City the closest "central business district" the number could be much higher. If you multiply 655 homes by 21.85 it could be close to 14,000 trips per day.

Tim Dougherty states in the Landmark that "we want to price the homes where young families can move to Platte City".  In the same article he says the homes are to be in the 160,000 to $400,000 dollar  I do not see a problem attracting "young couples" as we have doubled our day care centers in the past two years and school class sizes have increased even with the addition of class rooms at Platte City. 

One Quarry and asphalt plant already has an exit on Winan Road there is a rumor that another may be on the way.  So we could have two quarries with trucks exiting into all of this traffic.  At some point a traffic light will have to be put at Winan and 92Hwy. Is that what you want?  The last time the developers filed in Platte County there was a major wreck at 92 and Winan that day.

92/10 traffic study done by MODOT says anymore traffic on a two lane Highway (92) than 7500 cars per day warrants a four lane road.  92 highway currently has over 6,000 cars per day east of I-29.  Per MODOT it could be "20 years before 92 is widened."

What is the Rural area policy?  

Below is the brief description from the Study paid for by the County.  The area designated for Tomahawke Ridge is in the rural area.

What is the current Zoning and what are the developers asking for?

Below is a brief description of the current zoning RMD.

What can I do to help?

Write letters to the papers voicing your objections and why. (address listed on News Gallery) Time to start letting the KC Council members know what you think of this. 

Attend Community meetings at Hoover Church.

Watch this website for Zoning Date and Attend the Meeting.  We need to let the powers that be know we do not want Lots of High Density Housing in Rural areas. 

Yard signs. We need the KC Zoning board and Commissioners to see the negative reaction to this project.

Talk to your neighbors and make sure they understand ramifications of increased traffic in areas such as Red Rocks, Bethel road and Timber creek.  We don't need anymore accidents in these areas. I have seen three and one was a school bus.  92 Hwy will be at Max capacity if this goes in and you think its bad now......