O’FALLON, Mo. — The steep natural terrain is no longer the only thing developers behind the proposed 239-home “Villages at Busch Wildlife” subdivision must now overcome.
The O’Fallon Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday rejected the 161-acre project, sending the matter to the City Council. A simple majority of council members would now have to vote to override the commission’s recommendation when they meet on Sept. 26 for it to go forward.
“There are some types of properties that are financially not developable,” said Carolyn Thomas, chair of the commission. She and other seven others voted against the rezoning request. Only three members, including O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy, voted in favor of the proposal.
Shawn Mann, a city resident who has become an outspoken critic of the development, said he is “a bit delighted” about Thursday’s outcome.
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“We know this is just one battle, and there is still an overall war that needs to be won,” Mann said.
He and a handful of neighbors attended the meeting, hoping to persuade the zoning commission to stop the proposal. The subdivision is planned on largely rural, wooded land along the Highway DD corridor on the west side of O’Fallon.
Neighbors complained that the development would bring largely dense housing that detracts from the area’s rural nature. The homes would be built in three “villages” or clusters along both sides of Highway DD. The area is directly north of another Lombardo Homes subdivision, “The Highlands at Busch Wildlife,” a 120-home Lombardo Homes subdivision planned in unincorporated St. Charles County.
Residents also said they worried about traffic congestion, overcrowding of nearby schools, and the potential environmental impacts on the nearby August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area.
Another concern: A cost-benefit analysis showed that the city would lose 88 cents for every $1 invested by the city in the development. Critics estimated that the city would lose between $6 to $10 million over the 40-year lifespan of the infrastructure needed for the subdivision.
“This would not be a wise investment. We are looking at millions and millions of dollars we are going to be losing over the years in this development,” said zoning commissioner Debbie Cook, who also serves on the O’Fallon City Council. She described the proposal from Lombardo Homes of St. Louis as a “horrible fit” before voting against the proposal.
The developer has offered to donate $119,500 to the city, or roughly $500 per lot, according to attorney Drew Weber. He said the developer was also interested in donating some of the 50 acres of trees and undeveloped land to the city for a possible park or nature area.
The zoning commission also voted 9-2 to recommend approval of the final plat for the Villages at Post Farms, a 307-home subdivision on 103 acres, located west of Hopewell and Duello roads. It would be located just across Highway N from the 896-home Harvest at Hopewell development already under construction.
