A proposal to build a 200-unit apartment complex in Wright City has some residents upset about the effect it might have on the area.Quail Run Properties, based in Moscow Mills, is asking the city to allow the construction of the apartment complex off of Highway J, just north of the Interstate 70 service road. The site would have 10 buildings, each containing 18 to 24 apartment units.For the apartments to be built, the city would have to change the zoning on that piece of land from light industrial to multifamily residential.Residents of the nearby Forest Lake subdivision are worried about what kind of neighbors would be moving into the apartments, and whether 200 new families coming to the area would cause trouble for local police and fire services.Resident Jim Seidel said many of his neighbors would prefer not to have multifamily housing next to them.“Most of them came to Forest Lake, and to Wright City, to get away from crowds. They like the rural, country feel of Wright City,” Seidel explained. He expressed concern about the impact such a drastic change would have on property values, as well as noise and traffic.Seidel stated that the land zoning should be kept as light industrial and reserved for some kind of business.“We’re not lacking for residential growth. But what we don’t have as much as we’d like is industry,” Seidel said. “Keeping that property zoned for light industrial gives us the opportunity to fill a gap that we do have.”Residents at a Wright City Board of Aldermen meeting April 26 also wanted assurances that the apartments wouldn’t be used for low-income subsidized housing.Quail Run owner Don Collier said the apartments would be market rate, not government subsidized. There would be a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, renting for anywhere from $500 to $900 per month.He added that his company does complete background checks on all the residents at the apartments they own in Moscow Mills.In response to concerns about noise and visual separation, Collier said he plans to leave about 7 acres of woods between the apartments and the Forest Lake homes.After hearing from residents and Collier, Ward 1 Alderman John O’Connor said questions remained about how the Wright City Police Department and Wright City Fire Protection District would handle the potential extra workload that a 200-unit apartment complex might create. He motioned to postpone any decision on the rezoning until the board has a chance to meet with first responders.An informational meeting with police and fire officials was scheduled for earlier this week, and the aldermen voted to delay a decision until their next meeting on May 10.Wright City Police Chief Matt Eskew told The Record he has been communicating with Lincoln County law enforcement to learn about the current Quail Run property in Moscow Mills. He commented that he understands concerns about potential crime associated with an apartment development.“Anytime you have high density living like that, there’s always that potential,” Eskew said. However, what he has heard from Lincoln County is that Quail Run keeps a good relationship with law enforcement.He continued that on-site property managers help alleviate any issues, and Collier invites local law enforcement to visit and meet the residents. Eskew said he wouldn’t expect too many issues if the apartments are approved in Wright City.Wright City Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Josh Riebe said he is waiting for more information about the apartments before making any judgment about the proposal.Plans for the facilities will have to be submitted to the fire district to make sure they follow the fire code, Riebe said. That includes having fire sprinklers installed in all of the living units.Riebe said existing apartment facilities in Wright City have not generated a large number of fire calls.The Wright City Board of Aldermen meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Wright City Hall. The meetings are open to the public and include a time for public comment.Wright City signRecord photo