Compromise has been the missing link to uniting land owner James Farley and a group of residents over rezoning of property near 136th Street and the Broken Bridge Subdivision just south of Platte City.
The original rezoning request called for a change of R-40 (approximately 40,000 square feet per lot) to R-7 (approximately 7,500 square feet per lot). That request was tabled at the May session of the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission.
Then days before the June meeting, Farley withdrew his rezoning application that was scheduled to be heard by the planning and zoning commission on June 12.
At that time he said he was studying the situation and deciding where to go next.
It appears that the next step will be a different rezoning request submitted to the planning and zoning commission for a decision that could come as early as September.
Although an R-10 (single family medium high density) zoned plat has been submitted to the planning and zoning office at this time, a bigger compromise seems to be in the works.
“We’re working on a deal right now between the developer and some of the main opponents of the development and there may be an agreement reached in the next few days,” said Platte County Planning and Zoning Director Aaron Schmidt.
The deal that Schmidt refers to would be rezoning the land to R-15, (single family low density district).
Schmidt said that this zoning means that the density of the entire subdivision couldn’t exceed the density allowed of R-15 subdivisions, which is 15,000 square feet per lot. Currently R-10 zoning calls for a minimum of 10,000 square feet per lot.
The R-15 would allow the developers, Willis and Darrin Sherry, approximately 158 lots. The zoning would directly tie the plat to the rezoning and remove R-7 zoning from the equation.
“It really allows a good buffer,” said Schmidt.
A neighbor to the proposed development, Dana Babcock, said that the residents are focusing their efforts on working something out that everyone should be able to accept.
She also said that development plans are premature and that homeowners have not been notified of any type or rezoning application to be on the planning and zoning agenda for September.
“Everybody is working hard and negotiating in good faith,” Babcock said.
Farley declined to comment on the development process and directed questions to Schmidt.
“It’s very important to point out that within the next couple of days an agreement may be reached,” said Schmidt on Wednesday.
If that happens, then the present R-10 plat submitted would be withdrawn.