The Festus City Council has agreed to annex a 75-acre parcel of land where a 170-house development has been proposed.
Developer Ryan G’Sell of G’Sell Contracting of Barnhart has proposed the development on the parcel commonly known as “Burns Farm” off West Main Street near Festus Middle School.
G’Sell said the development, which will be called Birchwood Estates, will include ranch, two-story and a story-and-a-half homes. They will be priced in the $200,000 to $300,000 range.
The council voted 7-0 on Dec. 19 to approve the annexation, which G’Sell had requested.
He also requested that the 75-acre property be rezoned from N-1 (agricultural) to R-1 (residential) and as a PUD (planned unit development).
On Dec. 20, the city’s Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend approval of the rezoning requests. The City Council will have the final say in the rezoning. A public hearing on the requests is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, before the City Council.
Festus City Administrator Greg Camp said the PUD request is for residential development only, not commercial development.
“The PUD, essentially, gives them some flexibility in such things as streets, sidewalks, green space,” he said.
G’Sell said he hopes to begin developing the land for the subdivision in March or April.
“We’re probably looking at August or September before we start building,” he said.
Camp said city officials were happy to learn about the proposed development.
“Obviously, we like the fact people think Festus is a growing, safe community to raise a family,” Camp said. “I think, more than anything, this is an indication of that.”
Ward 1 Councilman Gary Underwood did not attend the meeting.