PLAN PROPOSED BY DEVELOPER BRIAN MERTZ
The Parkville Board of Aldermen has given preliminary approval to a plan that would the city to annex about 60 acres into the city limits.
The land resides in unincorporated Platte County and the plan, presented by developer Brian Mertz of Parkville Development, calls for building around 250 new residences, including single family homes, duplexes and triplexes.
The proposal calls for 84 single family homes, 57 duplexes and 16 triplexes on 57 lots.
When reached by phone after a March 3 meeting, city officials said the plan would contribute to diversity in the area by offering smaller, more affordable housing to those who otherwise might not be able to afford new homes in the area, such as senior citizens and homeowners with young children.
Mertz has been developing the more than 300-acre Creekside Development since it first was proposed to city leaders in 2018.
Mertz told the board and members of the audience that he sees the new plan as a continuation of the overall development, which ends at the current city limits just west of the area to be annexed.
“To me, it’s just a natural progression,” he said.
Alderman Philip Wassmer said during a telephone interview that it’s natural for people to move to undeveloped land only to see development a few years later.
“It’s not the beautiful, dark sky anymore, but it’s going to be developed,” he said. “One day you live in the country and the next day you have a Wal-Mart next door.”
In addition, several elected officials spoke to the benefits to homeowners with the added homes. Wassmer and Mayor Dean Katerndahl both said during telephone interviews with The Landmark that current homeowners will benefit from additional services–and better services–provided by the city rather than relying on county services, which often are slower to respond to requests and complaints.
But a few homeowners attended the meeting and spoke during the citizen input about the added traffic on what they described as already-treacherous roads and safety.
Louise Thurow said she “lives” the dangerous Hwy. 45 drama daily. She said cars routinely speed and pass in no-passing zones on Hwy. 45, which has no shoulder.
She said there’s little to no oversight by law enforcement despite complaints to multiple entities, including MoDOT, the statewide agency charged with maintaining the road.
The most MoDOT agreed to do is add a rumble strip, which alerts drivers when they leave the roadway, but not until the next time the highway is paved, which she was told would be years from now.
She added that the highway is even more treacherous during inclement weather, especially since road crews don’t clear snow for a few days, which leaves multiple vehicles stalled on the roadway. Thurow said she is worried about “the young children in our neighborhood who are not experienced drivers. We’d like to see our government be pro-active rather than wait for someone to be killed in a tragic accident.”
But Wassmer said he trusts the word of MoDOT officials when it comes to safety.
“MoDOT says it (the roadway) is safe,” he said. “Who am I, as an alderman, to dispute that?”
Katerndahl said the housing addition would add more homes to the area and, therefore, may allow Mertz to build a grocery store nearby, which would serve the area.
Alderman Brian Whitley said he used an internet site to access information about the land sale. The site indicated that Mertz purchased the acreage from owners Dale and Sharon Aring in December 2025 and that the 60 acres was vacant land except for an already-existing 1938 era home and barn.
In an interview after the meeting Mertz said he’s not sure what will happen to the house and barn.
Gerald Harris, who currently lives in the area to be annexed, said services often are sluggish, especially water pressure, and it causes him to wonder how adding additional homes could make matters worse.
“We moved out there to have no houses…lots of us cant afford to move,” he said. He added, “It’s not good for the city, the county or anybody.”
The annexation will be considered for final approval at the next board of aldermen meeting March 24.
