ST. CHARLES COUNTY — A controversial housing development will not be built in unincorporated St. Charles County, but the project could still be built on the same plot of land if the developer follows through on earlier indications that he would ask O’Fallon, Missouri, to change its city boundaries.
St. Charles County Council members said they expect the developer to pursue the move, which would allow O’Fallon to annex the land and make it part of the city.
The council unanimously voted Monday to reject KM Investment Group IV’s request to rezone the land, garnering a standing ovation from dozens of St. Charles County residents who packed the meeting room after complaining for months about the density of housing proposed in the project.
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Attention on the project now shifts to city officials in O’Fallon, where the developer is expected to ask the council to annex land for the 298-acre, 452-home project, known as Tall Tree, off of Highway DD in a largely rural part of western St. Charles County.
“We know the fight isn’t over. We are shifting our focus to educating the leadership of the city of O’Fallon on the deep flaws of this development and have prepared a robust legal challenge should that be required,†said William “Bill†Carrier, a spokesperson for Citizens for Smart Growth, a grassroots organization with 1,400 members who oppose the development.
Brad Goss, an attorney for the developer, said at a meeting in June that his client was considering asking O’Fallon to annex the land because the city has less restrictive zoning laws.
Goss said Tuesday that his client is still “evaluating their options†following the council’s decision.
“I believe the plan complied with the county’s Master Plan, and believe the rezoning request should have been approved,†said Goss, who declined to elaborate on what options his client was considering.
O’Fallon officials said the earliest the annexation request could appear before the city’s zoning commission is in October. If the request is not filed by Friday, the commission won’t hear the developer’s request until November.
According to county officials, the developer would need to wait until August 2024 before submitting a new proposal if O’Fallon declines to annex the land and it remains part of unincorporated St. Charles County.
Plans for the Tall Tree development were first released in June, and they were almost immediately panned by nearby property owners and wildlife advocates. Neighbors said the development would alter the rural landscape by adding hundreds of homes built on lots of less than one-sixth of an acre apiece.
Others worried about traffic congestion, soil contamination, and potential environmental impacts on the nearby August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area. The subdivision, which would include all single-family homes, has been described by county officials as the largest housing development built in unincorporated St. Charles County in recent years.
Confronted by the significant opposition from neighbors who filled the St. Charles Family Arena for meetings of the county’s planning and zoning commission, the developer amended plans to build fewer homes on less acreage. However, the density of the homes was largely unchanged — a sticking point for neighbors like Steven Farber.
“We are not anti-growth. We understand that homes will eventually be built on the property, but we want any homebuilder to abide by the county’s zoning. This request was to allow the developer to go from the lowest housing density to the highest housing density, and that’s not right,†said Farber, who attended Monday night’s meeting.
Farber has been an outspoken critic of the proposed development, speaking at numerous meetings and helping organize his fellow neighbors against the project.
“It is not a matter of fact that this is going to pass in O’Fallon,†Farber said. “We know there are people in O’Fallon who are opposed to this project as well and do not want to see this property annexed into the city. This isn’t over.â€