KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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Residents of Shawnee will have the chance to speak their minds at Monday night's Planning Commission meeting over potential new housing in western Shawnee.
The proposed development would add 51 single-family lots, three common tracts, public streets and other infrastructure to Canyon Lakes West at 5800 Clare Rd.
Becky King has lived on Clare Road in western Shawnee for almost 20 years and is concerned about the potential changes to her neighborhood.
"We have a lot of big homes," she said. "We have a lot of nice areas out here, and they're spaced apart, and we like that."
King said she's worried about how the development would impact traffic safety in the area.
"When they start adding homes, and they start adding all this traffic, it's not safe," King said.
King loves the rural feel of her neighborhood, so she doesn't want to see that change.
"It was originally zoned for agriculture for a reason, and there's no reason for them to mess with what we have out here," King said.
In 2017, the Planning Commission approved a request for a proposal that was a combination of single-family lots and duplex units at the site. The proposal never made it to the City Council because of opposition from residents. The site has sat undeveloped ever since.
Alex Welch-Blattner represents Say YES Shawnee, a group that advocates for development in the city, particularly for more housing and safer streets.
"I think we need all kinds of housing," Welch-Blattner said.
Welch-Blattner said more housing is necessary to support the amenities that many residents want to see in western Shawnee.
"People say that they want restaurants, that they want cool breweries, they want businesses in western Shawnee, but those don't have enough people around them to support them at this time," Welch-Blattner said.
She said her group is considering the broader needs of the community.
"We're looking at what's best for the whole community," Welch-Blattner said.
Even with different perspectives, both residents hope long-term considerations will guide the Planning Commission's decision.
"I would hope they would think about long-term," King said.
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