Leawood smacks down people that want Ironwoods Park to themselves.

I told you I'd keep an eye on this whole Ironwoods situation and that I'd look into it further.

This whole thing proves that all politics is local. The whole world seems to be coming apart and in laconic little Leawood rich people got together to argue about what a bathroom means in a park.

The issue at hand was the Park Department wanting to build another bathroom in Ironwoods Park (and eventually a new amphitheater) and the residents of Steeplechase really, really hating the idea.

I snuck in to check it out cause from the looks of things a handful of Steeplechase residents along with a few Leabrooke people that they scared were looking to mix it up last night with Leawood staff and the Planning Commission.

Here were a few highlights. Full house.

First, I thought it was very nice for them to put this issue first on the agenda so a bunch of rich assholes wouldn't have to be inconvenienced through a whole bunch of mundane city planning issues. They also allowed public comment which they said is unusual for this type of agenda item. It shoots down some conspiracy theories about people out to get them otherwise I would have thought that the issue would have been buried an hour and a half into the meeting and then they would have operated as usual without further public comment. The Planning Commission and City of Leawood get high credit for that gesture. Can you imagine how it would have been handled in a city like Chicago?

But there was actual drama. The people against the bathroom and in reality an expanded amphitheater came prepared to hit the Planning Commission with not only emotional appeals but LEGAL ones. They claimed during public comment that the request was basically "out of date" because the process started too long ago and city ordinance says they only have 2 years in one case or 5 years in another but in either case too many since the original plan was proposed. It sounded compelling like the gotcha in Legally Blonde when Elle Woods points out that you can't wash your hair after a perm and therefore murdered your father. In fact, the Planning Commission.......nice ordinary neighborly appointed volunteers.......asked to abruptly go into executive session to seek legal clarification from the city attorney on the finer points of the claim.

After that brief break they reappeared and explanation was given on definitions of many different kinds of plan approvals and the timing of such. Basically, the whole plan was given final approval when the park plan was approved back in 2001 and as such my interpretation is that they consider the whole thing a continuation of the original development....over time. As such, the Park Department was asking for approval of a revised final plan because they were changing some parts of it. Here is where it gets a little tricky. The Park Department deemed the changes minor so the Planning Commission called it a revision. The rich, angry, white, asshole Steeplechase people I guess wanted to consider the change major. The Planning Commission noted the revised plan is smaller and further away from neighbors than the original final approved plan and so they considered the changes minor and as such..........approved them. Unanimously. Big groans from the crowd.

The Planning Commission pinned down the director of Parks on moving forward if the amphitheater was also approved on a final plan in the 2001 plan and if she would have to come back for approval to proceed. She danced a bit and then confirmed the amphitheater had already received final approval. Game, set, match. Leawood Park and Artsy People. While they had played nice, they held all the cards and laid them down. Smackdown. Bigger groans and tsk, tsk from the crowd.

Steeplechase HOA determined they prepared to take legal action. I'm not sure if that is serious or if they thought it would scare the Planning Commission. They weren't scared. Lawyers always find a way to make money don't they?

Interesting side topics of the meeting. The Steeplechase people paid for a property value study that suggested the closest properties would lose $60,000 in value if an expanded amphitheater were built even though comments about a theater were suppose to be off limits. I thought this was interesting. They paid someone to write a report that told them what they wanted to hear and as such seems to lack much credibility but as they asked it to be put in the record basically screwed themselves. In my mind they diminished their own home values when they go to sell it to any savy negotiator. I'd love to live backed up to that park and I'd gladly take it at a $60,000 discount.........first they would have to deal with those power lines though.....those look shitty. When one of those houses go up for sale I can't wait to see if it is actually at a $60K discount or if their tune will change........we live right on the awesome park....don't look at the power line though.

Also, it was fascinating to see some of the people and put a name with a face on some of the emails I've been getting on this issue......specifically Kerry Phillips. Apparently she is the ring leader of this group and was wearing a very tight sweater. (I've removed some comments because Mrs Phillips husband was pretty pissed at me and I can understand why.........I probably crossed the line) Darren Holmes was there as well and I wrote a post about him as well way back when. Guess I was right.

And all this brings me back to my original comments about rich people in half a million dollar homes not being smart enough to ask about a master plan for a park behind their home before they bought it.........but thinking enough of themselves that they could stomp their feet enough and throw a big enough tantrum to change it and essentially work to keep a park that is for all of Leawood just to themselves.

I guess onto City Council they march?

Ironwoods Park Hub Bub

There is big trouble brewing in laconic Leawood.

Leawood is this extremely well run little affluent city. They have few problems. People are generally satisfied. Amenities and property values are high....crime is low. It have everything except excellent water slides (bad reference to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure)

I've been watching, getting emails, and following this issue regarding a proposed expansion of Ironwoods Park now for a little while.

The plan in a one line summary is expanding a outdoor theater that is currently there into a bigger one. There seems to be disagreement on some of the facts based on who you talk with about the size, the cost, who will pay, how many events, and how much it intrudes on the people living closest etc. Neighbors suggest big like Sandstone and Leawood Park and Rec says just a little bigger with bathrooms, dressing rooms and more parking.

For the issue for me has always been that this park belongs to all the residents of Leawood and not just the people who live directly around it. Generally, what I find is that people who live near parks prefer as much as possible to keep other people out of it so they can enjoy the green space to themselves. So, you can imagine that the reasonable debate is how to manage those two things. So we have a conflict.

I have been in favor of this new theater expansion and have written as such on this blog in the past. I've received nasty emails from Steeplechase people as a result. My impression from them so far is they are kinda assholes who want the park to themselves. One guy complained in an email about a school having a walk-a-thon in the park on a Saturday morning as ruining his day.

I was reviewing this website they put up and it does give me some questions. They suggest it might be a little bigger than I thought. Some of it is bullshit and clear exaggeration but of course I get where they are coming from to a point. Are they just frantic JOCO assholes with conspiracy delusions or is the City of Leawood really trying to pull a fast one on them. Good questions. The current residents already seem to think the events that are going on now out o line and would like them to stop. I've been out there and they seem reasonable to me. The man with the fake glasses and moustache plans to find out.

I need to research this more to understand it. If it is what I originally thought then I am still for it. I love the idea of having a venue like that to take my family to. However, how much bigger does it need to be? If they want to put a Shawnee Mission "Theater in the Park" in Ironwoods then I am not for it. Will there be basically just musicals and David Basse concerts and such or will they also have rock concerts? I'd say no to rock concerts, yes to the others. I'd say good if all shows are free, no if they plan selling tickets, using a management company, etc.

I think we deserve better information on this and details, details, details.

Yo Holmes! Do your Homework about Ironwoods Park

I wanna feel bad for people when they make uninformed decisions. It is hard to feel sorry for them though when it is their own damn fault. Such is Mr. Darren Holmes of Leawood.

I utilize Ironwoods Park on a regular basis. It is a great park. This park was voted on by the citizens of Leawood with a full plan to add an enhanced amphitheater BEFORE Steeplechase had a single house built. This amphitheater will be great and a nice place for people to go to see small outdoor plays, events and concerts. This plan was of public record before Mr Holmes purchased his McMansion in south Leawood. Even looking at the park now it isn't hard to imagine they aren't finished with it. As a prospective home buyer I certainly would have had questions.

If Mr. Holmes bought his home 900 feet from Ironwoods Park and didn't have the brainpower to check to see about the plans for the park then I can't really feel sorry for him. That is a pretty expensive neighborhood. I'd have checked. Let's see.....if you were considering purchasing a home next to a major city park...... Maybe one call to the Leawood City Hall or Planning Department wouldn't have taken too much of your time before you plopped down at least a half a million on a home?????? He said nobody told him.......the plan was there...............and I'm sure the cranky old Lou Rasmussen will happily provide Mr. Holmes and anyone else who wants to claim ignorance the background on the project. Nobody told you? Why didn't he ask? I hate to say this but it again is the whole idea of personal responsibility versus expecting someone else to take care of you.

And then there is the whole neighbors acting badly thing. I found this little facebook group and it seems to really be a thing over in Steeplechase. I thought rich people were smart. I thought they checked things out. Certainly you can have a party at your own home until you start bothering others.......and they complain......and the police show up. 134 people joined. Not bad.

In the Ironwoods case, Mayor Dunn is being nice in looking for ways to help and Councilman Bussing is duty bound to speak up for a constituent. He asked for documentation on the project. He already knows what that documentation will show. And then Mr. Holmes will need to be quiet so the rest of us can enjoy the new amphitheater.

I guess I kinda feel bad because the guy wasn't bright enough to check. Mizzou grad...what else would you expect.