Chapel Ridge will cost lives

One of the most pertinent things to address when considering new development is the public well-being.  What problems will new development cause?  How will it affect peoples' lives?

Traffic problems will be a major consequence of the proposed Chapel Ridge.

The 2011 MODOT traffic count figured 3,333 cars per day for K Highway / Hampton Road.

The developer's own study figures that Chapel Ridge will add an additional 3,669 new traffic trips per day for the surrounding area.

This could result in 7,002 traffic trips per day on K Highway / Hampton Road, increasing traffic by 110%.

In other words, Chapel Ridge would more than double traffic on K Highway / Hampton Road.

K Highway already is a very dangerous road, narrow, winding, with steep shoulders, little visibility, etc.  People often try to pass cars on K Highway, although there is no passing lane.  K Highway has 64 street intersections and driveways in only 1.7 miles.  Already there are many serious auto accidents on K Highway, and Chapel Ridge will probably more than double these catastrophes.

In short, Chapel Ridge inevitably will cost human lives.

Typical day of cars lined up behind school bus on K Highway

If you have't already, please go here to sign the petition, and here to get more information on opposing Chapel Ridge.

Chapel Ridge Defeated by Platte County Planning & Zoning Board

Last night, rezoning to High-Density R-7 of the proposed (and ill-conceived) Chapel Ridge was firmly rejected by the planning and zoning board, with a unanimous vote of NO.  Hooray!  (It will probably still go before the county commissioners.)

If you were unable to attend the meeting, here are a few of the (many) slides presented last night by the opposition to Chapel Ridge.

Brian Mertz & Tabb Reese have been spreading the misinformation that Chapel Ridge is "2.65 homes per acre."  Mind you, this is the gross density, not the real density, as gross density includes streets, flood detention structures, flood drainage stream areas, etc. (which, by the way, are probably inadequate and would result in flooding of Countrywood Estates).  The real density of Chapel Ridge often reaches around nearly 6 homes per acre.  The image below shows their plat and the size of an acre:

The image below shows the plat of Chapel Ridge superimposed over Google Earth:

As you can clearly see, Chapel Ridge is completely incompatible and incongruent with the surrounding area.  It's a high-density monstrosity.  

Daniel Erickson has tried to compare Chapel Ridge with Thousand Oaks, but the image below shows otherwise:

As you can see, Thousand Oaks has large (often 600 ft) green buffers around it and large green spaces within it, unlike the high-density, ugly concrete jungle of the proposed Chapel Ridge.

Regardless, citizens spoke up last night.  Know the truth: No more high-density R-7 zoning for this area.  We don't want it.  We don't need it.  Keep the area AG, RE or R-80, with minimum 1 acre lots.

Best quote of the night by the planning and zoning board: "You've lowered your standards, Daniel," referencing Daniel Erickson, director of Platte County Planning and Zoning.

Which gets back to the question that a lady in the audience was overheard asking (paraphrase):  "Why has Daniel Erickson become so opposed to the interests of local citizens and hell-bent on fast-tracking such an ill-conceived plan?"

If you have't already, please go here to sign the petition, and here to get more information on opposing Chapel Ridge.

Media inquiries, contact:  Bill@wmqlaw.com