After more than three hours of public testimony opposing the development of 12 acres on Sunnyside Road, Warrenton aldermen voted 6-0 to approve rezoning the land for residential construction.

The contentious public hearing Sept. 15 had nerves fraying at all ends. Local residents warned of a dangerous spike in traffic and a permanent disruption to their rural lifestyle, if what they described as more than 30 “low income” houses are allowed to be built.

A development representative bit back that the current residents of Sunnyside are fortunate to live on large acreages while other people are in search of quality, affordable housing.

Caught in the middle were Warrenton’s six aldermen and mayor, who listened as more than 20 people spent hours voicing their objections to the rezoning. Around double that number were in attendance at Warrenton’s newly constructed hearing chambers on Walton Street.

Aldermen clarified that their vote to rezone these 12 acres to allow residential development was not an approval of the final development project. Developer Keeven Family Partnership will have to submit specific plans for its housing lots, which will be reviewed at a future round of public meetings.

Residents resist

Current Sunnyside residents had pushed for the board of aldermen to only approve rezoning if it was at a lower housing density of one home per acre.

Resident David Avis presented the board of aldermen with a petition signed by more than 190 area residents, asking the board to reject the rezoning. He said city leaders were going to burden people outside their boundaries with any negative consequences of the suburban development.

Sunnyside Road, and most of the properties adjacent to the 12 acres in question, are all outside the Warrenton city limits.

“We’re afraid of what you’re going to do to us. We’re afraid of ... all the bad things that can happen when you bring this sort of (housing) density to our area,” Avis said. “This development is tearing the fabric of this community up.”

Others gave emotional testimony about having a road that is safe to walk and ride bikes on, wildlife mostly seen in rural areas, and the history of Sunnyside’s farming community. They fear what will happen to the character and safety of their community with the injection of a suburban housing development.

Aldermen, developer respond

Ward 2 Alderman Gary Auch said it can be difficult to balance the desire to minimize the impact of a development on neighbors, while also respecting a property owner’s right to develop their own land. He explained that adding more housing is also what draws in new businesses and amenities for city residents.

“Companies that come in, don’t come in because they like the community. They don’t come because they like the trees, or the hometown feel. They’re looking at rooftops,” Auch said.

He added that specific concerns about the development could be addressed when the Keeven Family Partnership submits development plans for review. However, Auch said addressing roadway safety on Sunnyside will fall to the Warren County Commission.

Developer representative Jeff Keeven responded to opponents who speculated about the quality or size of homes that will be built. He said the homes will match the quality of the company’s nearby Country Lake Golf Course.

“We’re going to build nice homes there,” Keeven said. “We’re not looking to do a low-income project. ... We want a nice community there, we want nice families there.”