Houston Homes LLC withdrew its application for a zoning change on a Wright City property for the District at Roelker.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Houston Homes LLC withdrew its application for a zoning change on a Wright City property for the District at Roelker development on Dec. 3.
The Wright City Board of Aldermen held a vote on the zoning change request at their Dec. 12 meeting despite its withdrawal, and formally denied the application.
John Houston, of Houston Homes refused to comment on the withdrawal of the application.
Houston Homes had requested to rezone a roughly 58 acre property on Roelker Road in Wright City from M-1 light industrial to a mixed use planned development area. The development would have included homes and retail frontage.
Board members and community members had been outspoken both against and in favor of the development. Some, including Aldermen Kim Arbuthnot and Karey Owens, had spoken in favor of the development.
They felt it would meet a growing need for cheaper housing in Wright City and were willing to accept the concessions that Houston Homes was requesting which included significant decreases to minimum lot sizes and setbacks.
Aldermen Ramiz Hakim and Don Andrews did not express the same support. Hakim had stated outright that, had the development come to a vote in its current iteration, he would have voted against it.
Andrews had declined to state whether he would vote for or against the development, but did state that he was concerned with the city losing more of its limited industrially zoned districts.
The zoning change request did not receive a vote before the developer withdrew the application, although it had been tabled for several meetings at the developer’s request.
Board members did express their disappointment that they were unable to reach an agreement with Houston Homes on the shape the development would take.
“I thought we were really close,” said Hakim.
He went on to say that while Houston Homes did not state why they withdrew their application he suspected time had become a factor.
“I’m just disappointed we couldn’t reach a compromise on this development,” said Owens.
She said the District at Roelker would have diversified the housing options available in Wright City and thought the included commercial space would have been an improvement for the community.
