Say NO to the NBH FourPlex & Commercial High-Density Development Plan for K / 45 Intersection

As some of our readers may know, a very dangerous development is being proposed for the K / 45 intersection that could devastate the aesthetic and property values for this area.

The proposal?  It's the NBH FourPlex & Commercial High-Density Development Plan for K / 45 Intersection.

This development:

- will double traffic on K highway, leading to more accidents and a lower quality of life.  There will be increased auto fatalities on K Highway and 45 if this development is approved.

- will include fourplexes and duplexes, completely incongruent with large-lot aesthetic of the immediate area.  (Any residential development here should only be for low-density housing - no fourplexes and no duplexes.)  Although these fourplexes & duplexes will be "for sale," they more than likely would eventually become rentals.

- will lower property values for immediate area.

- will include high-density commercial, possibly including grocery store, drug store and fast-food restaurants - transforming this immediate area from quaint rural setting to an aesthetic similar to North Oak Trafficway.  (Any development for this area should only be residential and not commercial.)

Please do not let NBH Holdings turn this area of 45 Highway into the next North Oak Trafficway.  Say NO to the NBH FourPlex & Commercial High-Density Development Plan for K / 45 Intersection.


Sign the petition here.

Attend the P&Z hearing on Tuesday, July 8, 6:00 PM, Platte County Administration Building, 415 Third St., Platte City, MO 64079.  More info here.

Visit new website:  South Platte for Responsible Development


Here's an image of what the developers have in mind for our area of South Platte County:

Let's hope we can get politicians with the courage to stand up to these developers!

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Jason Brown & Chapel Ridge to cost taxpayers $136,750,000

If people think the corruption surrounding Jason Brown's JE Dunn contract costing taxpayers $350,000 is bad, the Chapel Ridge Ponzi scheme is even worse, as it could cost taxpayers $136,750,000 over a 20-year period.   This deal in the short-term will enrich Jason Brown's donor buddies and Brian Mertz and his investors,  and in the long-term taxpayers will pick up the tab.  Shame on Jason Brown.

Related Info:

"Jason Brown Helps Buddies Out, at Expense of Platte County"

Jason Brown Helps Buddies Out, at Expense of Platte County

Well, folks, we had the county commissioner meeting today and Jason Brown single-handedly rammed the PR version of Chapel Ridge through, after making a couple cosmetic conditions of reducing a handful of houses along Countrywood and moving a fence by horses back 20 feet.

Beverlee Roper voted against Chapel Ridge.  Jason Brown, using his power of presiding commissioner, voted twice and voted in favor of Chapel Ridge.   (Duane Soper had recused himself because of his involvement with Wells Bank investment in Chapel Ridge.  Jason Brown should have recused himself too, but didn't.)

In other words, among the 15 votes on Chapel Ridge so far (6 from first P&Z hearing, 7 from second P&Z hearing, and 2 from this county commissioner hearing), there have been 14 votes against Chapel Ridge, and one person has voted in favor of it and decided it.  Doesn't sound very fair, does it?

The whole hearing was a farce.  Jason Brown (by his own admission) had secret meeting last week over Chapel Ridge (to make a few minor concessions, for appearance sake).  Some contractors were standing in the back of the room in favor of Chapel Ridge, who were probably being paid by the hour by the developer or someone else to stand there.  (Obviously they weren't too interested in the meeting.  At one point, while the contractors were horsing around, they knocked a picture off the wall.)

Nonetheless, a huge turnout against Chapel Ridge showed up, and we would like to thank everyone for taking time out of their day to show up.  The majority of people at the meeting were opposed to Chapel Ridge.

What now?  This will probably be challenged in court.  This decision has corruption and cronyism written all over it.

Why did Jason Brown turn against his constituents and vote in favor of something so at odds with the surrounding area and so unanimously opposed by people living in this area?

Simple answer:  Jason Brown is in the pocket of Platte Valley Bank (financing Chapel Ridge and set to make millions off it) and other developers and real estate interests.  (See donations list below.)  A letter was sent to Jason Brown on Oct. 2 asking him to recuse himself from voting on Chapel Ridge because of a conflict of interest (i.e. Jason Brown being in the pocket of a handful of people benefiting financially from Chapel Ridge), but apparently Brown had to help his buddies out, even if it costs him politically, as it will.  Already a Republicans Against Jason Brown committee is forming for his re-election next year. Brown will probably be challenged both in the Republican primary and the general election, and we won't forget this.

In the meantime, send an email to Beverlee Roper (beverlee.roper@co.platte.mo.us) and thank her for looking out for south Platte County.  And maybe send an email to Jason Brown (jbrown@co.platte.mo.us)  and thank him for siding with a get-rich-quick Ponzi scheme against the legitimate interests of his voting constituents.

Who Owns Jason Brown?

Brian Mertz's Phony Letter Writing Campaign

Regarding the second hideous version of Chapel Ridge, which was unanimously voted down by the planning and zoning board, it has been brought to our attention that developer Brian Mertz has employed some phony letter writing campaign. Allegedly, someone on Mertz's team (Tabb Reese?) has created some generic form letters, is taking them around to various places to have people sign them (friends of the developer, real estate offices, etc.?),  and is sending them to Dan Erickson to make it look like there is widespread support for Chapel Ridge.  Hopefully, the county commissioners will be able to see through this scam, and realize that nearly everyone in the vicinity of the proposed Chapel Ridge is against it.   Unlike Mertz's buddies set to profit from Chapel Ridge, our property values and quality of life will be devastated, and our lives and children's lives will be put at risk by the extreme doubling of traffic on K Highway and surrounding roads.  Stop Chapel Ridge!

Get involved today.

Second version of Chapel Ridge unanimously voted down by P&Z Board!

Last night, Nov. 12, the Platte County Planning and Zoning board unanimously, 7 - 0, voted down developer Brian Mertz's second Chapel Ridge proposal (the PR, planned residential, version), which was barely different from his first version.

Some reasons it was voted down:

(1) Potential flooding of surrounding areas and the destruction of local waterways, such as lakes.

(2) The doubling of traffic for surrounding area, which will cost lives.

and

(3) In terms of density, Chapel Ridge is completely incompatible with the surrounding area.


Regarding density, although the PR Chapel Ridge's "gross density" is 2.51 homes per acre (as this includes streets, flood retention structures, etc.), Chapel Ridge's real density is over 6 homes per acre.  Some lots are only 7,150 ft. in size.

Here are a couple great slides the opposition used last night to illustrate the incongruity of Chapel Ridge to surrounding area.

The matter will now go before the County Commissioners.  Let's just hope that the County Commissioners have to good sense to side with truth and long-term vision to maintain this area's charm, rather than siding with the short-sighted greed and poor planning of a developer.

Let's support responsible development.  If land is to be developed, it should be rezoned to R-80 (to compliment surrounding area) and no lots smaller than 1 acre should be permitted.

Get involved today!