Kansas City Residents and Council Members Please consider these items.

•  In some form Lake at Tomahawke Ridge has been looked at and denied by Platte County Commissions for almost two years.   During this time it has had multiple changes several to the Plat and three or four traffic studies. 
• The KC Planning Staff has recommended DENIAL as of Dec 15th.  Just a few of the reasons are:  POLICE, will spread out police dept to far.  North Patrol says it coiuld take 17 minutes to respond to the area.   AMBULANCE, Mast believes they could probably not meet their obligations in this area. FIRE, In a letter from Chief Richard Dyer he states "we do not have any station that could provide adequate protection to this area".   This is on top of all the other items stated below.  Your Kansas City Planning commission has now denied the subdivision 4 to 0.  This was done even with the developer promising to make sure that every "work force" home would have a sprinkler system.  It will be going on to your full council who will be voting to enlarge KC even more when you cant take care of what they have now.  Who understands why?  Homes are available, it will bring possible lawsuits to the city and Platte County does not want it.

Developers will say that this is being done by the same people who "did Seven Bridges" . Same developer different people funding the project this time so it is not the same.   Here are some areas they have tried to cut corners so far:

• 1st Traffic studies had multiple problems the majority in the developers favor as to how much infrastructure he would have to develop (turn lanes, widening of roads, extra entrances to subdivision etc...) One study even "smoothed" the numbers used at different intersections. 
• 1st plat turned in had almost 400 homes coming and going out one exit! 
• Traffic counters for traffic studies have been put out in the rain at least twice. This is significant as there is a very large Rock Quarry and Asphalt plant directly across from this subdivision and it generates about 400 average trips per day when the weather is good.  Almost none when it is raining.  I believe the current traffic study you have was done in Oct. on a day it rained.  Almost all of quarry traffic passes in front of this subdivision on a two lane road with no shoulder.
• They preached to Platte County how important it was to maintain lot size and the beauty of the land.  Every-time the plat had to change they kept the amount of lots about the same they just moved everythng closer together.
• Original filing in Platte county was done quickly with area residents only being notified several weeks before the zoning hearing.  Only due to a MODOT engineer changing jobs did it allow everyone time to find the problems with this subdivision and ultimately the county seeing its problems and saying no.

Wreck at 92 and Winan   Traffic Counters set out in the rain in Oct and April of 2008. This gives you a low truck count.   day of filing in Platte County.

Wreck at Timber Creek Nov 17th 2009. Hwy 92 Blocked for hours. A School bus loaded with kids had an accident here last year.  Bethel Road, Timber Creek and Leipard lane accounted for 68 accidents(10 years) in the area west of the subdivision. this is an area MODOT says will handle the traffic "reasonably well".

KC TAX Dollars generated.

I am sure you are going to be told what a tax windfall this subdivision will be for your city.  Here are some facts.

• Please see the "news" tab of this website for a letter written to the Platte City Chamber of Commerce by the developer. It goes into great detail as to how many tax dollars this subdivision will generate for PLATTE CITY.  That's right not KC, but Platte City.  That's probably because the major roads go to Smithville and Platte City not Kansas City.  And I have emails from Virginia Walsh in your planning department saying there are no current plans to widen Winan Road which is the only road heading directly south from this proposed area. Why would KC annex and pay for the infrastructure of porperty that will generate Taxes for another city?
• KC EDC analysis was based on $175,000 and $350,000 dollar homes.  The 350K homes just popped up when the analysis was scrutinized by the media.  The developer apparently supplied the numbers for the analysis.  They also told council it would be a 20 year build out but analysis shows a 15 year build out and of course it shows every person moving here on average making more than 20K above avg KC household wages.

• All the kids in this area also go to Platte County schools so if you have kids in your house you probably start and end your day in Platte City. This subdivision was presented to Platte County as an "entry level" new home addition I assume there will be kids in most of the homes at some point.
• This will probably be presented as a hub for new growth in the area and a chance for KC to cash in.  Look south of this subdivision and you have the airport.  It is landlocked.  KC will get to keep the roads up and supply the other things required for this subdivision when it is totally isolated by KCI.  Maybe the thought is all of the other farmers in the area will ask for annexation to cash in on the current wonderful housing market.  There are currently over 2000 homes and lots available around Platte City alone.  There is housing available currently for workers at KCI  just look at a local Real Estate website. American Airlines just laid off in the area and Harley Davidson is cutting back.  Does KC really want to take on this albatross when you wont see hardly any revenue from the homes for 20, 30 maybe 50 years?  The KC Focus plan and Staff denial say you have over 60 years of residential growth available North of the River currently and 2/3rd of the property is currently undeveloped.  What will your payback be.and how does this affect your surrounding counties when you allow people to use you as a way to circumvent their county process? Does it make sense that people will want to live this far away from the city but will be willing to pay the 1% earnings tax when there are other comparable homes and property closer to town without it?  One last note the KC planning staff said there are over 60 years of property ready for development north of the river before this area would be needed.

Aviation Department of Kansas City and KCI Area Plan

• In a letter dated March 19th 2008 and in a follow up letter from 2009 the Kansas City Aviation Department states that "We do not consider the proposed development to be compatible use for land near an existing airport" They also say the land owners will have problems with noise and the centerline of Runway 19L-1R passes through the proposed development.. 
• KCI area plan which cost the taxpayers of Kansas City over $490,000 needs to be looked at as it talks about which areas around the airport should be developed first and last.  Guess where this piece of property falls? Does this subdivision look like 1 unit per 40 acres as suggested in the KCI area plan?  KCI area plan also states that surrounding counties should be considerered before developing in the area.  Platte County has said no for over two years to this subdivision.  ALL KC COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD OR COULD HAV E HAD INPUT INTO THIS STUDY.  WHY ARE THEY WANTING TO MAKE SUCH DRASTIC CHANGES NOW AFTER IT IS DONE AND WHAT WILL THESE CHANGES COST KC IN WASTED AND NEW TAX DOLLARS.The time for the change was when the 30 plus people set down to do the right thing and write the KC Area Plan.  Not after they are done than trying to run it through the "back door".

Traffic and Roads.

• Please go to this area and look at the roads.  Drive the 2 mile stretch up 55 mph two lane Winan road.  Drive the 4.7 mile stretch from Platte City or the 8 miles from Smithville.  None of these roads have a shoulder all are narrow two lane and Winan is in terrible shape, Interurban has a two lane bridge.  Kansas City looked at the site lines and condition of Winan and said it should not be over a 35MPH road in current condition.  This would be one of the major 2,000 cars a day roads leading to and from this subdivision.
• According to the Highway patrol there have been over 300 accidents in a 10 year period on 92 hwy between the area around this subdivision on 92 hwy between Platte City and Smithville.  Thats reported accidents.  I know of three last year that were not in the report one included a school bus.  This is a curvy hilly road.  A MODOT Representative told our local community group the only place for an exit on 92 for this subdivision was across from Stamper estates due to the site lines of the road.  I notice on the current plat presented to KC there are now two entrances off of 92 hwy, how does that happen? How much will this second entrance effect traffic on Interuban as pointed out by traffic engineers from one of the developers earlier studys.   MODOT had said there might have to be a traffic signal at Winan some day to handle the traffic.  Where does that signal go now when most of the subdivision is coming and going from 55MPH two lane 92 hwy, not Winan road where you actually can see far enough both directions to enter traffic?  MODOT has stated their is no funding or plans to widen 92 hwy at this time or in the foreseeable future.  The 92/10 study for MODOT recommends a four lane road for any highway handling more than 7500 cars per day.  MODOT is currently looking at ways to fund the widening of 92 from Platte City to Leavenworth as it went over this threshold.  This subdivision would now put the four mile stretch of 92 between Platte City and Winan Road over this amount as the last MODOT count shows 6400 cars per day and the subdivison will generate at least another 2000.  MODOT says it will handle it but only "reasonably well". What ironic is this stretch of road has more no passing zones and hills than the stretch they say has to be widened now.
• This area has lots of agg traffic, tractors, combines etc... all moving from farm to farm.  When you live out here you have to be patient.  How will adding 6,000 cars a day affect people who pass on two lane roads where they should not?
• The Developer and his attorney will tell you they are fixing the roads,  What about the large daycare and business located closer to Platte City on 92 that are on the south side of the road?  They will have to cross traffic during the peak hours everyday with not turn lanes and no shoulder on 92 hwy.  The major traffic problems will happen in the surrounding areas of this subdivision not at the subdivision.

Currently the owners of this property are suing the Platte County Commission for not allowing them to proceed with this subdivision.  They had their chance, they were denied and now they are taking legal action,  how deep are Kansas Citys pockets when they decide to sue you when they don't get their way or something is asked to be changed that they don't want to? 

With everything mentioned above you have to ask yourself why are the developers pushing to get this put in so hard at this time and better yet why would any council member go against your  KCI Area Plan, Aviation Dept and go around Platte County's government forcing Kansas City to take this on and sponsor it before the City Council?  Look at this area and you decide how long before you see the "tax windfall".