O'FALLON -- Citing a ratio of 50-1 residents against it, aldermen Monday voted down a proposal to rezone a piece of property at 1033 Hartman Lane to allow a maternity home to be built there.
Fighting back tears after the 10-4 vote against the plans, developer Susan Hoff vowed to find another place to build the Fontabella Maternity Center. And Mayor Gary Graham vowed to help her.
"Fontabella will happen in one way or another," Hoff said. "Contrary to what some people said, there is a need for it, and we are committed to making it happen."
Graham said city leaders commend Hoff for what she wants to do. But they think the Hartman Lane location, which is next to the Stonebridge subdivision, is a bad place for the center.
"I'm looking feverishly for another place in O'Fallon for this," Graham said. "We feel there is a need for it, and there isn't a single person on this council who is opposed to the idea. They just had to respect the property rights of the people in Stonebridge."
Voting against the rezoning and comprehensive plan changes needed to allow Fontabella to be built at the Hartman Lane site were: Nila Grogan and Gene McCoskey of Ward 1; Ed True and Dan Polites of Ward 2; Jerry Mouser of Ward 3; Allen Medford of Ward 4; Michael Bennett and Dennis Renner of Ward 5, and Jerry Albrecht and David Cozad in Ward 7. Voting in favor were Rick Reckamp of Ward 3, John Drolet of Ward 4 and Ned Drolet and Steve Engler of Ward 6.
Last month, the city's Planning Commission voted, over the recommendation to the contrary from Planning and Zoning Director Ted Shekell, to approve the rezoning of the site to allow the shelter. Shekell said that while he thought the project would be an asset to the city, he didn't think it fit in with the zoning of the area or the vision for the area in the city's comprehensive plan.
The Planning Commission, made up of residents and not elected officials, is an advisory body and can only make recommendations. It does not have authority to change the zoning of properties.
Hoff said she wants the home to be a good neighbor. She has proposed a nearly 9,000-square-foot building that would house eight to 10 expectant mothers and one to two full-time, live-in house parents. A future expansion would include a 2,902-square-foot addition to the main building that could house an additional eight women and a 3,834-square-foot building with four to six studio apartments that could house an additional four to six women, for a total population on the property of 26 people.
The home would house expectant mothers older than 18 who would otherwise be homeless. It would provide training in child care and other life-skills and help the women transition into other housing after the birth of their babies.
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