The Overland Park City Council on Oct. 6 voted unanimously to remand a rezoning application for a 24‑acre portion of Leighton Plaza near College Boulevard and Metcalf to the Planning Commission for further work. The measure follows a multihour public hearing and a divided Planning Commission recommendation to deny the rezoning.

Staff had recommended denial of REZ2025‑00005 because the proposed site plan places drive‑through lanes and other auto‑oriented features along the College Boulevard frontage, which staff said conflicts with the city’s Framework OP designation for the corridor as a Regional Activity District. Framework OP encourages vertically mixed, walkable development in such districts and lists drive‑through establishments among auto‑oriented uses that are “not preferred or supported.” The Planning Commission voted 6–4 to recommend denial, citing the same conformity concerns.

The applicant, Price Brothers (represented by architect Patrick Reuter), proposed a mixed scheme of retail, two drive‑thru‑serving multi‑tenant buildings fronting College, and a four‑story, 160‑unit apartment building to the northwest. The applicant said the plan reuses underutilized surface parking, adds sidewalks and internal pedestrian connections, and would reduce total on‑site parking while adding housing and retail to serve office tenants.

Planning staff and several councilmembers said the plan did not provide evidence of the pedestrian‑oriented public spaces, street‑level housing or vertical mixed‑use buildings that Framework OP contemplates for a Regional Activity District. Councilmembers and staff also discussed the Metcalf/College frequent‑transit planning that could affect future access and asked the applicant to coordinate with that work.

Council members voiced a range of views. Some said they supported redevelopment and infill and urged the applicant to pursue greater housing density and a more pedestrian‑forward plan. Others warned against imposing an unrealistic model on a site that currently functions as a suburban office plaza and said retail and drive‑up uses are necessary to serve nearby office tenants.

After extended discussion, the council voted to remand the rezoning to the Planning Commission with direction that staff work with the applicant to address the auto‑centric elements of the College Boulevard frontage and better demonstrate pedestrian connectivity, transit coordination and appropriate frontage and building form for a Regional Activity District. Staff and the applicant will return to the Planning Commission with revisions for additional review.