KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Residents in Spring Hill reached out to Ryan with their concerns. He intends to follow up on this story. If you have a story you'd like to share, reach out. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Neighbors gathered Monday night to voice concerns ahead of a Spring Hill Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
Residents in Spring Hill, Kansas, are organizing against a proposal that could bring a major industrial development to roughly 316 acres near the southeast corner of West 191st Street and Renner Road.
The City of Spring Hill confirmed it received a request to rezone the land from R-R, Rural Residential, to M-1, General Industrial.
The property was annexed in December 2025, and no specific business or end user has been identified.
A concept plan is currently under staff review.
A public hearing before the Planning Commission on the requested rezoning is scheduled for March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Spring Hill Civic Center.
I sat in and listened to people's concerns at a community gathering Monday night, where about 40 people came to a neighbor's home.
They raised concerns ranging from noise pollution and truck traffic to the potential impact on property values and utility costs. For many, the issue goes beyond what might be built — it's about what industrial zoning could allow in the future.
Under Spring Hill's zoning ordinance, M-1 General Industrial is described as a district intended to "allow basic or primary industries, which are generally not compatible with residential and/or commercial activity."
Permitted uses under M-1 zoning include warehousing, freight terminals, manufacturing, vehicle repair, gas and fuel storage, and information technology facilities.
Conditional uses — those requiring additional approval from the Planning Commission and Governing Body — include basic industry, auto wrecking or salvage yards, cargo container storage and maintenance facilities, communication towers, and extraction of minerals.
The ordinance also notes that "certain extremely obnoxious or hazardous uses will require a conditional use permit to locate in this district."
Kurt Vandepol, who lives in Spring Hill, said the broad nature of M-1 zoning is what worries him most.
"My biggest concern is that they want to go with an industrial zoning and that can open the door for many things," Vandepol said.
Vandepol said the area's rural character is central to why he and his family have stayed.
"We don't have streetlights out here. So at night, we go out and see the stars. At night, we go out and hear the coyotes barking," Vandepol said.
He also raised concerns about property values and what the rezoning signals to existing homeowners.
"One thing I am concerned about is it lowers property values. This is my investment, where my home is," Vandepol said.
For Vandepol, the lack of communication from the city has compounded those concerns.
"Very much left in the dark, because we have not been informed of what the potentials are," Vandepol said. "That to me is a potential for a flood gate to be opened. That brings up trust issues right, when zoning laws are to protect existing property owners, when a city or whoever can come in and buy up property and get it rezoned, and has the money to do it. That is concerning to me. It makes me want to move further out."
Vandepol told Gamboa if he wanted to live next to industry, he I would've bought property next to industry.
Vandepol also pushed back on the idea that any industrial use would be acceptable, including data centers.
Down the road in Osawatomie, Kansas, a data center proposal has popped up in the town of 4,000 people. Spring Hill's broad M-1 Industrial code could potentially allow for a data center project.
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I have continued to follow up on that project.
I asked a city spokesperson for a clearer picture about what the intended use of this property would be and they did not answer my question.
"Even if its a data center, it's a huge concrete building that destroys the landscape, it then has impact on water quality, impact on utilities and it affects the whole area," Vandepol said.
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Michael Black bought his property just five months ago and said he and his family have been investing heavily to build the rural life they envisioned.
"We're doing everything we need to do to develop this land from scratch, cause there is no water service, sewer service, we're really investing in the area because we want to live a nice calm, quiet rural life with dark skies," Black said.
Black said the proposed development sits directly behind and above his property, and the uncertainty has already pushed him and his family to consider walking away.
"We've had some serious conversations about pulling out and just taking a bath on the property and selling it as it is," Black said.
He said truck traffic is already a reality in the area and worries about what more industrial use would bring.
"There's a truck banging down the road right now, there's gonna be a whole lot of truck traffic," Black said.
The M-1 zoning ordinance does include use limitations related to truck traffic, stating that "truck traffic shall have direct access to major thoroughfares" and that truck areas "shall be totally screened from residential view with dense evergreens, masonry walls, berms and the like."
Black said the city's silence has only made things worse.
"Waiting is the hardest part for the city to get it together and let people know what's coming. It doesn't only leave it up in the air for everybody, but it allows for so much conjecture. And potential fear mongering, it could be this, it could be that," Black said. "The rumor mill is really running hard right now,"
Black said residents are worried this might be a data center project.
Black said his preference would be to see the land used differently.
"I'd really like to see the area retain its rural residential zoning and have more people support pickup farming and help grow local food for local restaurants," Black said.
Mark Stirling, who has lived in Spring Hill for 30 years, said his concern is not just about one development — it's about what comes next. He said he wants the city to stick to its comprehensive plan, that residents provided input in.
"It sets precedent, so that precedent can allow other changes in things that can be put into that type zoning," Stirling said. "There's a lot of anxiety, there's anxiety that the setting and life you made for 30 years and perhaps moved away from could end up at your door step."
One attendee at Monday's gathering said plainly: "This is not a proper place for any kinds of industrial whatsoever."
The City of Spring Hill provided a full statement on the proposed rezoning:
"The City has received a request to rezone approximately 316 acres at the southeast corner of 191st St. and Renner Road, from R-R, Rural Residential, to M-1, General Industrial. The property was annexed in December 2025, and no specific business or end user has been identified at this time. A public hearing before the Planning Commission on the requested rezoning is scheduled for March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Spring Hill Civic Center. Community. Input is an important part of the City's process, and residents are encouraged to attend, learn more about the proposed rezoning, and share their questions or feedback. It's part of the concept plan that's currently under staff review," a spokesperson wrote.
Vandepol had a message for his neighbors ahead of the March 5 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
"Speak up, talk, get out to the meeting, participate, let's make a difference," Vandepol said.
The Spring Hill Planning Commission will get a first glimpse of the plan that night. It's when the city intends to introduce the project to the public.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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