The fate of a proposed 263-home subdivision in House Springs may be decided as soon as June 14.
The County Council voted 4-3 May 10 to take a first vote at its May 24 meeting on an ordinance to approve a rezoning case that would allow the subdivision to be built on 84.2 acres in the 5600 block of Bear Creek Road in House Springs
McBride Berra Land Co. LLC of Chesterfield is proposing to build the subdivision, to be called Bear Ridge.
The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission, which advises the council on rezoning matters, voted unanimously Feb. 11 to recommend denial of the plan.
Since then, council members have debated on what to do with the application, eventually ordering a limited public hearing to get additional testimony concerning density, traffic issues and whether the council could impose traffic generation assessments of the homes to be built there.
That hearing was held April 26, but nothing changed about the proposal and council members voted to discuss the case again on May 10. Councilman Jim Terry (District 7, Cedar Hill), who represents the area in question, cited traffic concerns as a reason why the matter should be brought before the council as a resolution to deny.
His motion failed 3-4, with council members Renee Reuter (District 2, Imperial) and Charles Groeteke (District 4, Barnhart) siding with Terry.
Councilwoman Tracey Perry (District 5, Festus) then made a motion to bring the application forward as an ordinance to approve, and it passed 4-3, with council members Brian Haskins (District 1, High Ridge), Phil Hendrickson (District 3, Arnold) and Dan Stallman (District 6,
De Soto) also voting yes.
Terry, Reuter and Groeteke cast the dissenting votes.
Ordinances must be approved three times in at last two separate meetings, so unless the council amends the legislation, a final vote could come on June 14.
“Planning and Zoning overwhelmingly (voted to recommend denial),” Terry said. “I agreed with the neighbors (who sent emails into the P and Z hearing). The roads in the area are already dangerous. This development could double the traffic count on Carol Park Road.”
A traffic study concluded the roads in the area could handle the additional traffic without improvements.
The plans for Bear Ridge call for 178 lots of 5,000 square feet or larger, with the remaining 85 homes on lots as small as 4,000 square feet. The development also would include a walking trail and 22 acres of open space and common ground.
The site currently has a single house on the property.