Multi-family projects fill housing diversity need in O’Fallon

While a proposal isn’t likely until January 2023, a controversial plan for a multi-family housing development along Frank Scott Parkway rejected by Swansea in September may be headed for O’Fallon to consider annexing and rezoning 49 acres of farmland.

Mayor Herb Roach told aldermen Monday, Nov. 7, several residents had contacted him about it and that it seems misinformation is spreading.

He wanted to explain the plan is just now making its way to the Community Development Department and that the city has a rigorous process to ensure projects meet zoning standards and staff enforces codes to make sure properties are kept up.

“This is a long way from Justin and his staff getting things together and researched, going through their process,” Roach said, referencing Community Development Director Justin Randall. “They have standards that they (developers) will have to meet, and they will have to maintain those standards.”

He stressed the city is committed to diversifying housing options residents cited the need for in the 2040 Master Plan.

“In the top three things in the residential survey was the need for alternative housing. We heard that over and over,” he said. “We need places for younger families and for older families, for people in different stages of life.”

He mentioned several areas of O’Fallon where multi-family housing has been next to single-family homes for many years, including Third Street, Whitehall and Nancy.

Roach made his remarks after the O’Fallon City Council moved forward two multi-family housing developments along U.S. 50 in 10-4 votes. Rezoning for the Enclaves at Lawn Avenue — two-family residences on eight lots — was approved while Bluegrass Townhomes moved forward to the Nov. 21 council meeting.

The residential development would front an extension of Hillcrest Drive in the Countryside Glenn subdivision.

Proponents pointed out both are on undeveloped property and meet the criteria specified in the 2040 Master Plan while opponents worry about traffic and draining concerns.

The 2040 Master Plan

Randall pointed out the approved U.S. 50 projects fit the guidelines in the 2040 Master Plan that went into effect last year. Those items are:

• Preserve character & stability of existing neighborhoods.
• Encourage balanced range of housing options.
• Promote redevelopment of lands with existing infrastructure and services.
• Encourage densities that promote walkability, bikeability, and public transportation.
• Activate underutilized parcels of land in built-up areas.

Alderman Nathan Parchman, who voted for the multi-family proposals, said the property was vacant and once developed, would benefit the city and was looking at the bigger picture for its 33,000 residents.

“Not really anything is going on there. It will be beneficial to the downtown businesses and bring in more people and tax revenue. The road that they call the ‘cut-through road,’ will be widened,” he said.

The Enclaves at Lawn Avenue

The eight duplexes at the Enclaves would be about 1,200 square feet for each of the 16 dwelling units, contain a private two-car garage, and be leased.

The Enclaves will be located at 104-112 South Lawn Avenue, just south of the intersection at State Street. It is near Dollar General and the Hi-Pointe Restaurant.

A new street — Lawn Meadows Lane — will provide access to the residences and will end in a cul-de-sac. Two residences face South Lawn, and the rest will be served by the new one.

New owner Tom McMillin of Home Run Properties 618 is developing the property that had seven existing lots and was previously platted as Wallace Woods subdivision, which was intended for single-family homes, Randall said.

The entire site will now be rezoned to multi-family in a planned two, three and four-family residence dwelling district on 3.25 acres. Single-family homes surround the property on the north, south and east.

The preliminary plat was also approved at the Monday, Nov. 7, meeting.

Roger Van Etten, a resident of Lawn Avenue, has been at several meetings expressing his concern over traffic and drainage.

“I have lived here 52 years, and I have seen the town grow. I love O’Fallon growth, but it needs to be smart growth. When Herb Roach was running for mayor, he talked about smart growth. This is not smart growth ... this is not the area for it,” Van Etten said.

Bluegrass Townhomes

Advancing for council approval Monday, Nov. 21, was a proposal for eight four-family residences, with a total of 32 units. The townhomes will have two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms.

The site was previously approved for 10 two-family units (20 units total) in 2017.

Planned improvements to South Lawn Avenue are sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting. A new sidewalk will connect at Countryside Glen subdivision to Lawn Avenue.

Jacqueline Roach of South Lawn LLC owns the property. She is an owner and general manager of the nearby Hi-Pointe Restaurant, which is north of Dollar General.

Because she is the wife of Alderman Todd Roach and the daughter-in-law of Mayor Roach, they both recused themselves from the vote.

The White Oak Commons Proposal

A Georgia-based company, Next Chapter Neighborhoods, wants to buy the land and build what they presented to Swansea as White Oak Commons, but needs it rezoned from agricultural to planned business district, which allows for commercial and residential uses.

The original plan called for 274 homes to be rented instead of owned. This follows a national trend of “build-to-rent” subdivisions described as an alternative to apartment complexes for people who can’t afford or don’t want to buy.

White Oak Commons would be on the north side of Thouvenot Lane, which connects with Frank Scott Parkway, between Old Collinsville Road and Hartman Lane.

The land is owned by the Hospital Sisters Health System, and their intent is to sell the property to make way for a housing development, which a local municipality would annex. When Swansea rejected it, O’Fallon became a possibility.

The land is in the O’Fallon Township High School district.

Dr. Enrique “Henry” Rodriguez and his wife, Priscilla Rodriguez, gifted the land to the HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Foundation in December 2018

The property is listed for sale at $1.96 million on the Balke Brown Transwestern website.

Next Chapter Neighborhoods has built two similar subdivisions — one in Georgia and one in South Carolina — and is developing a third in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Andrew Malzer, vice president of development, had told the Belleville News-Democrat in August the Swansea plan was in its conceptual stages, but he figured plans to include about 48 homes with one bedroom, 135 homes with two bedrooms, 75 homes with three bedrooms and 16 homes with four bedrooms, each with a garage and back porch.

It would include amenities such as a swimming pool, fitness center, walking trails, a grilling area, playground, dog park and possibly a pickleball court, as well as retention ponds for stormwater runoff.

While it would be for all ages and backgrounds, it appeals to young people and senior citizens because of the options available, Malzer said.

Rents could range from $1,200 to $1,400 for one-bedrooms; $1,400 to $1,600 for two-bedrooms; $1,600 to $1,900 for three-bedrooms; and $1,900 and up for four-bedrooms.

At a Swansea Planning and Zoning Board meeting July 12, several area residents cited potential problems related to traffic, property values, stormwater runoff, subdivision maintenance, first responders and school overcrowding.

U.S. 50 Developments

In 2017, the council approved relocating the Dollar General from Southview Plaza to a new 10,640-foot space at 648 W. Highway 50, at the northwest corner of Highway 50 and Lawn Avenue.

Terry Johnson of Triple Net Management developed the project — called “Fifty and Lawn” — and it also included a 12,150-square-foot retail center and 10 two-family duplexes or villas to be built in two later phases.

The residential portion wasn’t developed, and the property was sold.