LENEXA, Kan. -- After numerous emails and a petition from neighbors voicing opposition, the Lenexa City Council voted Tuesday to reject an ordinance to rezone 25 acres of property near Kansas Highway 10 and Canyon Creek Boulevard.
The ordinance would have allowed for multi-family apartments and a convenience store.
“What was good five years or 10 years ago probably isn’t good now,” said Council member Corey Hunt, prior to the vote.
Neighbors have been fighting this proposal for weeks.
At least 143 neighbors signed a petition, turning it into city council ahead of Tuesday’s meeting to reject the rezoning proposal.
“We feel like they broke their promise to us. It was supposed to be one thing with those intentions,” said Kristin Kippes.
Among neighbors’ concerns— increased traffic and lower property values, which the apartment complex’s architect refuted.
Before Tuesday, the ordinance had been discussed and approved by the city’s planning commission two times. In July, however, city council remanded the ordinance back to the commission over concerns the apartment complex did not fit in with the rest of the neighborhood.
While revisions were made to the complex’s appearance, the city council still rejected the ordinance.
