Proposed affordable senior housing development causing uproar in O’Fallon

A contentious rezoning request for a senior housing development known as East of Eden has advanced to the O’Fallon City Council meeting for action Monday, April 5.

New Life in Christ Church wants to build on its property while some residents of nearby subdivisions on Scott-Troy Road are opposed to the project. Those in favor point to serving a need in the community; those who disapprove cited water drainage and flooding, sightlines, worry over property values, traffic, parking and increased police calls.

Bishop Geoffrey V Dudley Sr., church pastor, has applied to construct a two-story affordable senior living center with 48 units. The 22,800 square foot building will have 36 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom units. Age restrictions will apply — 62 years and older, with a veteran preference.

Several aldermen report receiving 400 emails — both pro and con — about what is planned and how it impacts the community. There have been petitions circulating that have been presented to the city.

In a 4-2 vote after a three-hour meeting March 22, the Community Development Committee approved the proposal to move forward to the council. Aldermen Ray Holden, Nathan Parchman, Todd Roach and Tom Vorce voted yes while Aldermen Jerry Albrecht and Kevin Hagarty voted no.

Albrecht, who represents Ward 2, which includes the church property, said he answered all 400 emails he received. He questioned the location for a senior center because of the lack of services nearby for that targeted population — such as groceries and medical — particularly those who don’t drive.

Roach, vice chair of the CDC who represents Ward 4, which includes adjacent subdivisions, said he received many phone calls, in addition to 400 emails, and called Bishop Dudley and bankers involved with project. He said none of his research indicates this will have a negative impact, and the problems with water drainage and flooding could be fixed with the project.

Roach said he was concerned about people painting a project aimed at low-income people as potentially crime riddled.

“I don’t find that. I worry about fears rooted in some other bias,” he said.

Parchman, who represents Ward 7, told the audience this will not be an easy decision, but “your voice is not lost at all.”

Later, Parchman said he feels the project has positive aspects moving forward when it comes to fixing the flooding issues and offering affordable housing for seniors.

“I also understand the frustration that the local residents are presenting. No matter which way the vote ends up, there are going to be upset citizens. This is a very difficult decision and many hours of research, talking to citizens, and reading emails have gone into this conversation. Whichever way my vote ends up, I’m going to feel confident I’m doing what’s in the best interest of the city as a whole,” Parchman said.

Numerous residents in person in the council chambers and on Zoom gave public comments — about 20 in total — as did people connected to development.

The matter had been tabled for two weeks after the March 8 CDC meeting in which the development team and concerned residents spoke during the two-hour meeting.

Planning Commission Review

The O’Fallon Planning Commission, in a 6-2 vote, with one abstention, had approved the project at its Feb. 23 meeting, which lasted three hours. The Community Development staff has recommended it, with stipulations.

Commissioner Ryan Kemper, an environmental lawyer with Thompson Coburn in St Louis, recused himself because of a possible professional conflict of interest, as U.S. Bank is involved in the development.

To meet the Planned Use Ordinance specifications, 5.15 acres of the 10-acre property at 689 Scott Troy Road will have to be rezoned from single family residence dwelling district to multi-family residence dwelling district.

The eastern third of the property is a 43,700 square foot church and associated parking lot, with access to Keck Ridge Drive and Hilltop Drive.

An entrance will be constructed on Hilltop Drive and associated road improvements are planned.

More about church projects

Over the past 15 years, the church has applied and been approved for several projects, including a youth center and an auditorium addition to the church.

The central portion includes an 8,000 square foot youth center and gravel parking lot for the church, which was required when the auditorium was added.

Several site improvements have been delayed, including the improvement of Hilltop Drive and paved parking associated with the auditorium addition.

The existing 8,000 square foot youth center will be converted to a community center for the residents of the senior community and other seniors throughout the area. The church will retain ownership of the entire property and enter a 99-year lease with the New Life Community Development Corporation.

Community Development Director Justin Randall said the Future Land Use Map designates the area as “institutional,” therefore the proposed use is consistent with it and provides future protections if request is made to change developments to traditional apartments. The property cannot be converted to anything else without a revised planned use and council approval.

Randall said the existing retention pond will be improved. A detention pond is proposed in northwest corner. Landscaping, including fencing and trees, are proposed to provide screening of the development from adjacent residential properties.

Randall said all requirements for the planned use must occur before occupancy would take place.

Resolving current issues

Furthermore, he said a community need exists for affordable senior living developments. Randall estimated the proposed detention pond would be 25 feet from existing residential properties.

All drainage and retention/detention requirements are reviewed not only internally but through a third-party engineering firm, he said.

Randall agreed the proposal could resolve the current issues. He noted an area inlet in the northwest corner had until recently been covered with dirt, but has since been unearthed, which helps with drainage.

As for the church not completing the previous projects, they say they will be in conjunction with this.

Dudley clarified funding through the church was the primary reason the previous projects were not finished and this proposal is fully funded through a private developer using tax credits.

Dudley said the church is willing to work with the city to bring any issues into compliance and would be willing to add conditions for approval.

The property management will be handled by the developer.

Commissioner Bob Dunn said he has never seen a project that has so many pre-existing problems being addressed by the proposed project, and this effort to fix them lends to the developer’s credibility.

Parking Lot, Traffic and Elevation Concerns

Randall said staff has continued to work with the developer of the project to address the concerns of the Community Development Committee and issues the residents raised at the March 8 meeting.

Staff recommended the church occupancy shall not exceed the city’s minimum parking requirements for spaces provided on the property.

Based on the proposed parking — 265 spaces — the maximum occupancy is limited to 662 people. If at any time the church were to construct additional parking on-site, the city would re-evaluate the maximum capacity.

Should the church choose to add a second service, there shall be a minimum of 30 minutes between services.

Randall said all improvements to Hilltop Drive, the parking areas, detention/retention systems, and landscaping must be constructed prior to occupancy of any units within the senior living community or converted community center.

A variance to the required buffer along the west and northwest property lines is granted if the proposed landscaping with evergreen trees as shown on the preliminary plan are maintained at an elevation closer to the finished floor elevation of the building to assist in breaking up the building and providing a more effective screening option for the project.

The church and senior living community agrees to abide by the recommendations of the traffic study and the Traffic Management Plan, which for effective operation will require continual and effective implementation by the church’s parking ministry.

Community Development Committee

The CDC meeting took place March 22 in the council chambers at O’Fallon City Hall, with Mayor Herb Roach and several aldermen not on the CDC in attendance, including Aldermen Jessica Lotz, Ross Rosenberg and Dan Witt, and on Zoom, Aldermen Gwen Randolph, Matthew Gilreath and Mark Morton.

Because of current guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health, 10 citizens could attend inside and had to sign up in advance. The meeting was presented on Zoom as a webinar.

Also speaking were members of the project development team, including developer James Roberts, who has 30 years’ experience. He said this is a $14 million investment and is 100 percent financed by the bank partners. He said it would be deed restrictive and have independent rental agreements.

Matt Fischer of U.S. Bank’s affordable housing department said that the church has been “a great partner” and the developer has been on time and on budget with other projects.

Eric Hanson, who works with Roberts, said no children will be allowed to live there.

Additional viewpoints

Marsha Maller of TWM engineers has worked closely with Randall and Jeff Taylor, O’Fallon public works director, for years. She said this is something the city needs and that it will be a development the city can be proud of.

One resident who spoke in disagreement, Anton McBride who lives in Keck Ridge, said he was worried about the future of his neighborhood, as a home was an emotional investment and he planned to stay there for years to come.

“I am not against them (the church) but the project itself,” he said.

Kenny Johnson, who is on the church board of directors, said the church has been a life-changer for people since 2000, that it is a family that has grown with real love and respect. He reminded people that the church opened its doors for stranded motorists during the ice storm in December 2016.

Mayor recalls previous objections

Mayor Roach wanted to point out when he was an alderman, he received objections to such major projects as St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon Station and Lincoln Park. He read the remarks aloud, which echoed what residents had been saying against the senior center: Traffic, noise, property values, crime.

“Should we have rejected St. Elizabeth’s, the Downtown District and Lincoln Park? We have to decide what is best for the community moving forward,” he said.

Roach wanted to remind everyone the council is a legal body and must follow the rule of law and city regulations.

He also complimented the city staff’s work on this project.

“I can’t say enough about the staff trying to respond to all of the questions during the past few weeks,” Roach sad.

If the council approves on first reading, the project returns to the CDC before it comes back to the council at the April 19 meeting.

If OK’d, plans are for construction to begin in the fall, and take 12-18 months to complete.