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Rodrock development gets Lenexa planning committee approval

TIM BAXTER - Staff Writer

Date: 08/04/98 22:15

More than 45 members of the Shawnee Mission Radio

Control Club landed at Monday night's Lenexa Planning and

Zoning Commission meeting, worried that a proposed

135-acre housing development bordering Shawnee Mission

Park would leave their model airplanes permanently

grounded.

Since 1967, the 100-member club has used a portion the

park and flown over land that Darol Rodrock plans to build.

With a personal promise from Rodrock that he will help find

and prepare a new home base, the club's flights should

experience no more than temporary delays. They had a

sympathetic ear -- commissioner Don Oppliger is a former

member of the club.

"We realize our airplanes aren't comparable with your

development," club member Bob Miller told Rodrock. "We

think this is a wonderful plan, but we also think what we do

is pretty wonderful."

Rodrock plans to build about 350 homes in the Parkhurst

community, split among three villages on the land near 83rd

Avenue and Renner Road. Prices will range from $180,000

to about $400,000.

The development was unanimously approved by the

Planning and Zoning commission Monday. If it goes through

the Lenexa City Council Aug. 18, building could begin this

fall.

Rodrock has worked closely with city staff on the project

and promised to build a detention basin to control rainwater

runoff, set aside park land for Lenexa's trail system and

provide uniform screening along houses adjacent to the

park.

The miniature airfield was not the only obstacle in Rodrock's

path that had to be smoothed out Monday night. Planning

and zoning commissioners also heard concerns over traffic

in the area and the possible environmental impact on

Shawnee Mission Park.

Traffic issues raised by several homeowners in the area

were relatively easy to overcome. Rodrock has committed

to making street improvements aimed at reducing negative

effects of the added traffic, and the city will receive proceeds

from an excise tax from Rodrock to pay for other

improvements.

Concerns also were raised by Craig Kenworthy, a Johnson

County Parks and Recreation board member, that

household or lawn chemicals from the development could

drain into the park and lake. No study has been done on the

environmental impact of the development on the lake, and

no specific problems have been identified.

Rodrock promised to include in the deed restrictions

limitations on the use of pesticides and other chemicals, but

he said he could not guarantee that some future homeowner

might misuse household chemicals.

"No one will be as concerned with the environmental quality

of the lake as we will," Rodrock said.