PLANNED NEAR 72ND AND NW WAUKOMIS DRIVE
Plans for a Blue Oak Learning Academy and Nature Conservancy were recently unveiled at a Kansas City Plan Commission meeting.
Dr. Patrick and Melanie Handley requested approval of a development plan for a mix of residential, office, and conference facilities on approximately 24 acres located at the northeast corner of NW 72nd Street and NW Waukomis Drive.
The site at 7205 NW Waukomis Drive is just a stone’s throw away from the Platte Brooke North Subdivision and sits west of the regulated Line Creek Greenway. The 23.74-acre composition of soil, flora, and water extends eastward from Waukomis Drive and contains two existing homes.
Sherae Honeycutt, press secretary for the City of Kansas City, said a plan allowing for a mix of uses that includes residential, office, conference facilities, cottages, and the preservation and protection of natural resource area has been approved by the City of Kansas City.
The plan consists of the construction of an office space with 2,320 square feet of floor space and a maintenance building with 1,300 square feet of floor space.
The plan also calls for the construction of a 3,200-square-foot nature observatory, 12 guest cottages, and a 2,600-square-foot education center.
The existing 5,000-square-foot single-family residence that was built more than a decade ago will be preserved as the personal residence for Patrick and Melanie. Still, alternative energy improvements will be made in conjunction with the new development.
According to the City Plan Commission Report, changes to the area will be rolled out in five separate phases. The initial phase includes the construction of an office building and maintenance barn, while the second phase calls for the construction of 12 guest cottages each with 400 square feet of floor space.
The rendering of the proposed development portrays single-story contemporary buildings with an exterior composition of composite wood, earth-tone stone veneer, and asphalt shingles.
Development plans indicate that trees currently on the property will not be disturbed in the construction of the proposed office space and maintenance building.
The rich biodiversity on the site will be persevered and protected, according to city officials. In fact, nature trails, scenic overlook structures, and decks are a large part of the proposed development.
According to the City Plan Commission staff report, the proposed nature trail will eventually connect to the Line Creek Trail located on an adjacent tract of land to the east.
Just last year, the city council rezoned the 24-acre area from a residential to a master planned development (MPD) zoning district, thereby allowing the new land-use plan which features responsible development.
“By using MPD zoning, this allowed the development of the property with one plan and one zoning district rather than several plans with separate zoning districts thereby resulting in a more cohesive development,” states a statement of intent by engineers.
A major question remains: Will this be a public use area or a private use area?
The staff report mentions that Blue Oak’s plan will provide public use and access to trails, overlook structures, and open spaces. The conference hall, guest cottages, and nature observatories are intended for private meetings.