Wright City is tweaking its homebuilding requirements to provide a new option for developers.
The city’s board of aldermen voted this month to create a new zoning designation that will …
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Wright City is tweaking its homebuilding requirements to provide a new option for developers.
The city’s board of aldermen voted this month to create a new zoning designation that will allow single-family homes to be built closer together in certain areas.
Mayor Dan Rowden said the option for smaller lot sizes is partly the result of feedback from home builders.
“We’re trying to be responsive to the builders in general, as well as what the buyers are in the market for. We’re trying to be open to that,” Rowden commented.
Under the new regulations, homes being built in areas approved for the smaller lots will have a minimum lot size of 8,400 square feet. For reference, that’s just a little larger than a standard baseball diamond.
The previous minimum for single-family homes was 10,000 square-foot lots.
City Administrator Jim Schuchmann explained that the smaller lot size is common in surrounding areas. He anticipates making Wright City’s requirements more consistent with its neighbors will encourage development and reduce costs for builders. It would also let them fit more homes into large development areas.
The new residential lot size option is a reflection of Wright City’s steady growth in new housing over the last few years. The smaller lots won’t necessarily be for every new home, but it’s something Schuchmann said will be considered, based on what fits with the surrounding area. No specific area is currently identified for the new zoning.
Buildings other than homes, such as churches or community centers, will have similar lot size requirements as in other residential areas of Wright City, usually 1 acre or more.
The embrace of denser housing will impact one other type of development in Wright City. “Planned development areas” that mix commercial and residential buildings will now be allowed to use the smaller lot sizes.
One such development is already planned near the intersection of Bell Road and Westwoods Road. A developer there plans to build shops or offices along Westwoods Road, with a neighborhood of houses behind them.
Schuchmann said that developer will have the option to revise their plans with more houses and smaller lots, and submit the new plans for approval.
