Platte County MO (Kansas City, Parkville, Platte City: house, neighborhoods, school district)

[charliefreak72]

I was able to get some helpful comments in another thread (relocating from Boston to Kansas). I have started to also hear some good things about Platte County. It seems that this area is growing and could also be a good place to raise a family. Does anyone have opinions on family life (3 kids, age 5-7) and education in this area? Thank you

[kcmo]

If I ever move back to KC, there are only two places I would live. Brookside or southern Platte County.

[SPonteKC]

It is certainly the prettiest part of the metro (geographically speaking, I think urban core KC -- for all its flaws -- is a remarkably handsome town). Excellent schools. Politically its irks me, because its citizens fancy themselves insular and separate from the metro. But the land is lovely: big, rolling, glaciated hills, oak/hickory woodlands, peppered with reservoirs and impoundments (there are almost no natural lakes here). Nothing stunning, but certainly it is pretty country.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by s.davis

It is certainly the prettiest part of the metro (geographically speaking, I think urban core KC -- for all its flaws -- is a remarkably handsome town). Excellent schools. Politically its irks me, because its citizens fancy themselves insular and separate from the metro. But the land is lovely: big, rolling, glaciated hills, oak/hickory woodlands, peppered with reservoirs and impoundments (there are almost no natural lakes here). Nothing stunning, but certainly it is pretty country.

If you're a car person, windy, hilly and scenic drives are a quality of Platte County and the northwestern fringes of the KC area. The rural/semi-rural 2-lane highways are fun. I haven't come across anything that beats taking KS-5 through northwestern Wyandotte County into Leavenworth County and up to Atchison and back down MO-45 into Parkville.

Platte County is a great place.

I always here the Park Hill school district of southern Platte County is one of the best in the KC area.

And of course the historic (steam-boat era) downtown of Parkville is amazing with it's hilly, wooded terrain, architecture, shops, restaurants, and English Landing riverfront park - all of which stay busy and are well used. It's an isolated urban node that is extremely safe and family friendly. While I wish I had a photo thread to link to, an overview and a few glimpses of historic Parkville can be had here:

http://www.parkvillemo.org/

Platte County is also home to the northland's "mall", Zona Rosa, which is actually a new-urbanism development that was done quite well, despite being an island to itself just as a regular mall would be. Despite that, walking around Zona Rosa really is like walking around a small town. The scale and architecture are both right. The place is anchored by a flagship Dillard's department store and has the typical stores you would find in any mall as well as several restaurants:

Zona Rosa > Home

As for upscale dining and shops, Briarcliff Village is also in the area and is perched on a bluff overlooking the downtown KC and the river valley.

Briarcliff Village

Other qualities Platte County provides is the annual Platte County Fair in Platte City (one of the larger, perhaps largest in the area), proximity to the airport (it's in Platte County), and I personally like that Parkville has an upscale emphasis but is not segregated as the upscale developments are spread out pretty well with more modest subdivisions inbetween. There are 2 really nice, newer locally-owned grocery stores in the area (Price Chopper and the only Hen House on the Missouri side), as well as the Walmart and other big boxes at I-29 and Barry Road across from Zona Rosa. The area also has a bit of a rural charm (in a good way).

[Okey Dokie]

I totally second everything MOKAN wrote above. Please remember that if you are looking at homes in Kansas City in Platte or Clay Counties, they are NOT part of the much-maligned Kansas City, MO District. (This tends to be confusing to out-of-towners). Park Hill District is the best north of the river.

[tzeb]

I've always thought that Platte County is the prettiest part of the metro. People seem to think well of the schools. The Mid-Continent Library system supports the area with branches scattered throughout the county, even in hamlets of a few hundred people. There are some neighborhoods within comfortable walking distance of stores, restaurants, and services, while others are tucked away amongst the hills and dales and feel more rural than suburban.

Take a look at these web sites. On your next visit to the area, you might want to visit some of the facilities mentioned.

Platte County Parks & Recreation

Aquatic Center

[aragx6]

To add to what others have said, my SO and I have agreed for a long time that were we to stay in KC long-term, Parkville would be near the top of the list of suburban locales we'd want to be in.

All of southern Platte county is really very pretty, and given that I grew up near the confluence of two of this country's major rivers, I tend to always feel happiest when I'm near a river.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by aragx6

To add to what others have said, my SO and I have agreed for a long time that were we to stay in KC long-term, Parkville would be near the top of the list of suburban locales we'd want to be in.

All of southern Platte county is really very pretty, and given that I grew up near the confluence of two of this country's major rivers, I tend to always feel happiest when I'm near a river.

Are you in anyway saying urban living isn't sustainable for the long-term?

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Are you in anyway saying urban living isn't sustainable for the long-term?

You mean for me in particular? Or for people in general?

I'm not some urban zealot -- if I decide, at some point down the line, that I'd rather be somewhere a bit more quiet or if we couldn't make the schools work in KC (which is definitely, sadly, at this point a possibility), I'd unapologetically leave for a place that was a better fit. That said, a "better fit" will, always, for me and my family include walkability and a sense of community. Hence why Parkville is in contention.

That said, I know it's "sustainable" for some families given that I live next door to them and all.

All of this is pretty moot however given that there's maybe a 3% chance we stay in KC long term.