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

Some neighbors expressed concerns about this development regarding privacy, traffic, noise and rising property values.

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

Mountain has lived in the area for 59 years. She and many of her neighbors will not support this development.

“Just a huge building, no privacy, traffic noise,” she said. “Most people in the neighborhood didn’t even know about it until, fortunately, someone started walking around the neighborhood and knocking on doors.”

Neighbors said the council did not get enough votes to approve the project’s rezoning at the last city council meeting. Homeowner Matthew Christensen said they filed a protest petition because they were unhappy with the city’s development vision.

“Apartment complexes do the opposite,” he said. “They compete with the amenities that already exist.”

The former Metcalf South Shopping Center now has an empty parking lot next to a few senior living facilities, a QuikTrip, and a few scattered chain restaurants and stores.

“We have experienced 59 years of change and development,” said Mountain.

But the wishes of neighbors like Jonathan Regehr go beyond that.

“They won the award for best place to live and the two things they focused on in the award were scenic neighborhoods and green spaces. So both of those will be greatly impacted by this development,” he said.

Neighbors said they wanted a more beautiful Overland Park for generations to come.

“They now make their living in their homes, and those homes will be their livelihood because they could no longer live here. And all of that is at risk,” Mountain said.

The city council meeting on Monday evening begins at 7:30 p.m.