If you build it, they will come.
The Riverside board of aldermen spent an exhaustive amount of time hammering out the exceptions to the Gatewoods Planned Development. The hard-working discussion took place at their bi-weekly meeting on Tuesday night at city hall.
The Gatewoods agenda items are actually carry-overs from one and two meetings ago, when they were tabled for more information.
Gatewoods is an up-to-date housing development east of Line Creek and north of Platte Creek, roughly on the city’s east side.
“The subdivision was platted for studio houses and split-level single family but the new homes there have been pricing out at up to $236,000, which is very good,” said Brett Miles, Riverside director of planning and development.
A representative for the Gatewoods developer told the board on Tuesday that his company is building identical designs in Wyandotte County and in Grain Valley, and they are selling for over $230,000.
At issue, Miles said, was that the city platted Gatewoods with very specific requirements. For example, the main level of a multi-level home must be at least 1,000 square feet.
The developer and Miles on Tuesday asked the board of aldermen for an exception to this rule for up to five dwellings in the subdivision.
“Staff recommends that an exception be allowed a maximum of five times in this planned development in the first and second plats,” Miles said.
The board of aldermen voted 6-0 to approve staff’s recommendations on the Gatewoods housing plan exceptions. The board also unanimously approved an amendment to the rear yard setbacks in lots 29 and 30 of Gatewoods, the exception falling in line with the “Evergreen Plan,” Miles said. The exception was offered because of geographical restrictions.
The board tabled discussion about a special use permit request for used vehicle sales at 4403 NW Gateway.
The board unanimously approved Rodney Smith’s building permit at 5037 NW Flintridge.
The board approved an ordinance approved a tax increment financing project for the Heritage Point Redevelopment Area.
The Riverside Board of Aldermen also voted to approve Miles’s recommendation that the city require an $350,000 letter of credit for the grading permit by Briarcliff Development on West Platte. The aldermen expressed concern that the new roads on Riverside St. and West Platte St. will be damaged by the estimated 20,000 load trips with semi-trucks up and down those two roads.
“If damaged, the developer will patch and fix the road at the city engineer’s recommendation. The repairs will be at the developer’s expense. If the repairs are not made, the building permit will be suspended, and the city will tap into that letter of credit and repair the roads ourselves,” Miles said.
“Yes, I believe I’m comfortable with that,” a representative for Briarcliff Development replied to the board.
The board devoted considerable discussion to hearing the ins and outs of John Casey’s request for approval of a preliminary plat site at 4301 NW Tullison Road. Casey’s business is Premier Coach, which sells and repairs recreational vehicles.
Various board members asked questions and expressed concern about the business’ future appearance and whether it will be able to be seen from the Argosy Casino. City planner Brett Miles verified that the western part of Premier Coach at that proposed location would be viewable from Argosy Casino.
Casey also told the board, in answering their question, that the new site would be about 10,000 square feet instead of its current 15,000 square feet, but the new site on Tullison Road would be more efficient and allow his employees to get more RV repairs and sales accomplished. It would be a more efficient location, Casey said. Premier Coach could get about 60 percent more work done over its current site, he said.
The board members favor requiring 100 percent asphalt surface.
Casey made it clear that he cannot afford 100 percent asphalt, nor can he afford the board’s preference that he stucco the west wall of the business, the side viewable from Argosy Casino.
Casey favors using asphalt millings, which “from a distance look like real asphalt,” he said, and surfacing only part of the property. The un-surfaced sections would be devoted to maintenance and other activities that don’t need a hard surface, Casey said.
Several board members noted that Casey’s plan would seem to be an improvement over its current use, and noted that the property sits very close to a Kansas City Power & Light power sub-station.
“The KCP&L sub-station isn’t going away anytime soon is it?” Mayor Kathy Rose asked.
“Let’s hope not. It’s hard to live without electricity,” alderman Ron Super replied with humor.
Ultimately the board voted to table Casey’s request pending more information.
In other action, the Riverside board of aldermen:
•Heard from Miles that this Saturday will be a work day for the city’s new skateboard park and that 15-20 volunteers have committed to being there. “If you want to come volunteer, we’ll give you some hot dogs and hamburgers,” Miles said.
•Mayor Kathy Rose asked for a motion that June 3 be set as the ribbon cutting and official opening of the skateboard park, a date which coincides with National Trails Day.
•The mayor’s request that alderman Amela Darata be appointed Mayor Pro-Tem was tabled after alderman Ray Beard’s “nay” vote and subsequent advice from the city attorney that according to state statute, it is the board’s pleasure, and they are electing a president of the board of alderman who acts as Mayor Pro-Tem when the mayor is unavailable
•Approved an ordinance including certain city property in the Riverside Horizons Transportation Development District.
•Appointed alderman Dave Hurt as liaison to the planning commission and Linda Jones as liaison to the parks board.
•Employed one part-time seasonal parks worker and two part-time dispatchers for public safety.

