Platte County commissioners unanimously approved the Hidden Oaks residential development this week.
After the controversial development plan was tabled in June after neighborhood push back, developer David Barth retooled the development plan, moving two of the 50 proposed lots to the other end of the development to allow for more buffer space between the new development and existing neighborhoods. Additionally an access to the Southern Platte Pass Trail will be built. The amended rezoning and development plans were unanimously approved by the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission and then went before county commissioners for final approval. The development is located in the Highway 45 corridor off Brink Myer Road.
At the Monday meeting, Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker addressed concerns about a family conflict of interest before his positive vote.
“My wife Kelly and son Will are both licensed real estate agents in the state of Missouri,” Fricker said. “They both have their professional real estate licenses currently placed with Remax Realty and Auction House, a residential real estate brokerage owned by Jennifer Barth, developer David Barth’s wife. I state for the record that Kelly and Will both operate strictly as independent contractors under that broker’s authority. Neither of them hold an ownership interest, equity or managerial role in that brokerage and they are not employees. Furthermore they receive no financial compensation, referral fees or anything of value from that broker other than the authority to operate underneath their license. From David Barth, Barth Development or any of his related development companies or from the Hidden Oaks development project and they will not receive any financial benefit from this, from the approval or denial of this project.”
Fricker said this relationship does not qualify as a financial conflict of interest under Missouri law, and said his vote is based on the merits of the project and the best interests of the residents of the county.
Earlier this year, opponents in the Timber Ridge and Thousand Oaks neighborhoods said the development would destroy acres of woodland, even up to existing neighborhood property lines. They questioned the density of the development, stating it does not fit the character of the area. Traffic on Brink Myer would increase, they say, without improvement of the roadway planned to accommodate it.
Forest Park Development applied to rezone 21.60 acres from agricultural to planned residential. The applicant also submitted the Hidden Oaks Planned Residential District Plan, which would be subdivided into 50 lots for single-family development. Each lot would be eligible to receive a building permit for one single-family dwelling. The proposed lots would range in size from 8,311 sq. ft. to 21,505 sq. ft. The proposed development also includes four open space tracts, which would be maintained by a Homeowners Association.
According to the planning and zoning staff report, Barth originally submitted a plan for 86 townhome units (11 duplexes, five triplexes, 11 fourplexes and one fiveplex). Staff received numerous emails and letters from surrounding citizens in opposition to the original plan for 86 townhome units. The applicant redesigned the plan to contain 50 lots for single-family development.