Olathe Commons, a mixed residential rental project boasting “missing middle” housing, is moving forward. On Monday, the Olathe Planning Commission recommended approving a rezoning and a preliminary site development plan for the project in an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Jim Terrones was absent from the meeting. The development, which will have both townhomes and more compact cottage-court-style single-family homes for rent, is proposed on a 23-acre piece of farmland southwest of 119th Street and Greenwood Street near the Olathe Pointe Shopping Center. “It’s nice to see a housing project like this kind of come in and meet the middle,” Commissioner Taylor Breen said. Olathe Commons plans 250+ dwelling units: In all, 274 dwelling units are planned with an average density of nine units per acre. That includes 60 cottage-court-style single-family homes and 214 units spread across 27 two-story townhome buildings. The development will also have a clubhouse, pool, open space and a dog park. Some infrastructure improvements are required in the area. All of the housing units will be rentals with maintenance provided. PeakMade Real Estate, based in Atlanta, plans to own and manage the property. Stephen Furr, vice president of the company’s built-to-rent development division, said that “attainable housing is really the focus” of the Olathe Commons plan. “This is really trying to fill that void,” he told the planning commission, noting that the development will offer something between apartment rentals and homeownership. What is “missing middle” housing? “Missing middle” housing is typically more affordable and often geared towards renters and first-time homebuyers who cannot afford to buy larger single-family homes and or rent more expensive apartments. Definitions of “missing middle” housing often include smaller starter homes, row houses, owner-occupied townhomes, duplexes and triplexes, among other housing options. This specific type of housing stock is lacking in many communities, including in Johnson County, despite there being demand for it. Many cities across Johnson County are looking at ways to fill the gap with varying degrees of success. For example, Overland Park has looked at making it easier to build “missing middle” type housing with a permit-ready housing pilot program. At the same time, discussions about how to expand housing options — and potentially change local zoning codes to do so — have roiled other communities, most notably Prairie Village. In the case of the proposed Olathe Commons project, Wayne Janner, planning commission chair, said he’d support the project, but he felt like the development missed an opportunity to offer more attainable homeownership. “Having the missing middle, it sounds appealing, but attainable housing is about people entering into homeownership,” said Janner, who is a real estate agent. “A way to get people into homeownership is a value to our community more than more rental products.” Next steps: This latest rezoning and site plan for the Olathe Commons project now heads to the Olathe City Council for consideration next. It is scheduled for the Sept. 17 council meeting. Later, the developer will need to submit a final site development plan for the project, which will have to include some modifications from the proposed plan as is, according to the staff report.
Source: Johnson County Post