To: Olathe City Council

Re: Woodland Forest rezoning

       Planning Case No. RZ20-0007

Dear Council Members, 

I am writing this letter to express my support for the Olathe Planning Commission’s recommendation against the proposed rezoning for the Woodland Forest development. 

Solid rationale was presented by planning commission staff, planning commissioners and residents in the Sept. 28, 2020 Planning Commission meeting that outlined why the current proposal is not right for this area. I urge you to support that recommendation and not only vote against the proposed rezoning, but reinforce to this developer that the current proposal is not what Olathe wants within the Woodland Road corridor. 

As Commissioner Ryan Nelson said in the meeting, “At what point do we acknowledge the Woodland Road Corridor Plan (WRCP) was intentional” and avoid having this developer try to wear down the community members to the point where we eventually give up and say the revised proposals for rezoning that will inevitably come are at least better than the current proposal? 

I encourage you to support what the constituents who elected you to represent their vision for Olathe have said loud and clear; this proposed rezoning is not what is appropriate or desired for the Woodland Road corridor. 

As Chief Planning and Development Officer Amy Nassif said, the WRCP was created based on input from residents. Ms. Nassif reiterated the planning commission has heard “overwhelmingly and it’s been reaffirmed” that the WRCP is “not outdated and its not invalidated.” The more than 425 letters sent to the Planning Commission and City Council members underscore this point.

Furthermore, as several members of City Council who were present on the council in 2017 may recall, City Council recommended the new standard for density for the Woodland Road corridor should be 2.3 du/acre (in regards to ordinance 17-65, RZ-17-005), a decrease from the 3.0 du/acre in the WRCP. The Woodland Forest proposed rezoning is even further beyond this with its proposed 8.66 du/acre.

As my elected official, I trust you share in my vision for an Olathe that adheres to the desires of its residents for responsible, appropriate development for undeveloped areas. You and I as residents know what is best for our community. Our priority is bringing to fruition the type of community outlined in the WRCP. Our motivations are intrinsically different from the profit-first motivations evident in the proposal put forth by this developer. 

When considering this proposed rezoning, please revisit the concerns the City Council had in December of 2017 when they believed the standard for new development in this area should be lowered to 2.3 du/acre. Please listen to your constituents and the Planning Commission who have all resoundingly said this proposed development does not align with the vision for our community and vote against the proposed rezoning.

Sincerely,