Planning for O’Fallon Park Place development will move forward with some conditions

Two additional tax proposals and a special business district plan have moved forward after aldermen, staff and residents helped reshaped the proposed Park Place development through their input with developers.

The proposed recreation-retail-residential-entertainment complex is a joint effort by Bruce Holland of Holland Construction, Rich Gorazd of State Construction and Michael Hamburg of Pier Property Group.

After listening to residents, the developers have addressed lighting concerns from Park Ridge Estates and have commissioned a noise study. Traffic studies have also resulted in some modifications as well.

Estimated to cost $275 to $300 million, Park Place could be the largest development of its type to date in O’Fallon. Because of necessary infrastructure work, the project could take eight years to complete.

The location is east of downtown and along the West Illinois 50 corridor intersection with West State Street. This site currently includes several recreational fields, one vacant building, agricultural parcels and vacant land.

At the O’Fallon City Council meeting April 7, seven ordinances related to the development advanced for final approval, with adoption possible on April 21 after the community development committee’s review on April 14.

One of the zoning proposals states that the developers must perform noise studies.

“If said sound analysis shows an increase in sound across the property boundary in excess of 10 decibels, developer will be required to install additional sound blocking buffering until which time sound across the property boundaries is below 10 decibels,” it states.

Two aldermen who represent Ward 3, where the project is located, have changed their original skeptical opinion and are now on board. Aldermen Roy Carney and Andrea Fohne read prepared statements before their favorable votes added to the unanimous O’Fallon City Council decisions that may push it forward.

“I was hesitant at first, but after the city and contractors met with residents, and listened to their concerns. They made some changes that will benefit some, but not all,” Carney said. “I am now of a mind that this will benefit the city of O’Fallon.”

Fohne said after talking to residents, she now believes that the project should advance. She said she answered calls, texts, emails, and learned about their families and values.

“I have heard each one of their voices. I have heard the full spectrum of viewpoints on the project – the concerns and the excitement,” she said.

Alderman Eric Van Hook, who is also the mayor-elect, said he agreed on the need for noise and lighting studies. “We have ordinances with remedies in place to protect residents,” he said.

“I definitely think it’s a great project. We know we have failing traffic on the Venita frontage, and (public works director) Jeff Taylor is already addressing that. In reality, this is going to take eight years. It will be opened incrementally, and we will monitor the traffic flow. I have confidence in our engineers,” Van Hook said.

Zoning Changes

Pier Property Group’s application to construct a mixed-use development that includes single family homes, two-family homes, apartment buildings, townhomes, a hotel, retail facilities, restaurants, office space, golf entertainment complex, and entertainment venues on 105,81 acres has cleared the channels for action on April 21, with a public hearing scheduled too.

Some zoning changes and recommendations have been stipulated.

Richard Gorazd owns two of the three parcels – 75.52 acres and 4.67 acres, with 24.99 owned by the city. The council recently agreed to place it under contract to sell to Pier Property Group for $1 million so they can begin site engineering design for the Top Golf-like golf complex planned along Venita Drive.

The developers of the project have worked with the city staff to design the site so that impact to the neighboring residential neighborhoods would be minimized by buffering the commercial and multi-family uses with new single-family residential properties.

The development will be pedestrian-friendly, providing boulevards, sidewalks and a newly constructed pedestrian tunnel for direct access to and from the O’Fallon Family Sports Park and provide pedestrian trails throughout the development as recommended in the O’Fallon Bike Master Plan, which aims to connect O’Fallon parks to residents and the Goshen Trail.

Annexing 80.19 acres, located at 1354 Porter Road and 1362 Porter Road, is also part of the plan.

The existing property is currently zoned agriculture, so several lots need to be zoned single-family residential and multi-family residential to include two-family patio homes.

Lots D, G and J will be zoned for a planned community business district and have multiple buildings including a hotel, entertainment venue, and various townhomes and apartment buildings. The remaining buildings on the lot will hold office space, retail developments, and restaurants. Lot I will contain a golf entertainment complex.

Taxes to Offset Costs

To help offset the costs, the council supports establishing a sales tax and a separate amusement tax, both related only to the project and target businesses in a specific area.

Developers can collect up to an additional 1% sales tax placed on retail goods over what is already collected.

A 5% amusement tax will be included as part of the admission fee to such activities as golf, pickleball and rock climbing. These funds are a 4% rebate to the individual businesses and 1% to the city for administering it.

Special Business District

Aldermen advanced plans for an O’Fallon Family Sports Park Business District of 320 acres, located west of Venita Drive and Porter Road intersection. It will only include Park Place, Family Sports Park, and the Old Base Factory.

The business district would then fund a portion of the costs associated with building rehab, new construction and providing the supporting infrastructure needed for development, according to City Administrator Walter Denton

Creation of the 1% Special Business District, and the redevelopment agreement for the business district, will be up for final approval at the April 21 council meeting.

The project will require many improvements to existing infrastructure, including an estimated $4 million in roadway improvements at the intersection of Illinois 50 and Venita Drive and a $1 million signalized intersection at the entrance to Family Sports Park.

Other infrastructure investments include the relocation of Ameren transmission lines, installation of water and sewer infrastructure, public and private roadways, and on-site detention facilities.

Also moving on for adoption is an amendment to the future land use map so Park Place can be re-zoned for low-density residential and a mixed-use neighborhood district.