The Overland Park City Council will vote on the proposal for a new apartment complex

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Homeowners near 97th Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park are worried their backyard views could soon become apartment complexes. The Overland Park City Council will vote on a proposal for a new 303-unit apartment complex at a city council meeting Monday night.

Some neighbors said their concerns about the development include privacy, traffic, noise and increased home values.

“People need to wake up, okay?” Donna Mountain said.

Mountain has been an area resident for 59 years. She and many of her neighbors will not support this development.

“Just a massive building, no privacy, traffic noise,” she said. “Most of the neighborhood didn’t even know about it until, luckily, somebody started going around the neighborhood, knocking on doors.”

Neighbors said the council did not have enough votes to approve the rezoning of the project at the last city council meeting. Owner Matthew Christensen said they filed a protest petition because they are frustrated with the city’s vision for the development.

“Condo complexes do the opposite,” he said. “They bring competition to the current facilities already in place.”

The former Metcalf South shopping center now holds an empty parking lot next to a few senior living homes, a QuikTrip and a few chain restaurants and scattered businesses.

“We’ve lived through 59 years of change and development,” Mountain said.

But what neighbors like Jonathan Regehr want is beyond that.

“They won the award for the best places to live and the two things they focused on in the award were picturesque neighborhoods and green space. So both will be majorly affected by this development,” he said.

Neighbors said they want a better Overland Park for future generations as well.

“Their livelihood is now in their homes and their homes will be the asset that will carry them forward because they cannot continue to live here. And all of that is at risk,” Mountain said.

Monday night’s City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m