Commissioners recommend rezoning former Orange School site for 70‑home Highland Meadows development

The Planning, Programming and Zoning Commission recommended approval Tuesday of a rezoning and preliminary plat that would convert about 24.27 acres at the former Orange Elementary School site to a planned residential district and clear the way for a 70‑lot subdivision.

The commission voted 4–2 to recommend rezoning R‑1 (one‑ and two‑family residence district) to R1RP (planned residence) and to accept the preliminary plat for Highland Meadows, a proposal presented by Midwest Development Company and design consultants Hall and Hall Engineers.

Staff and the applicant said the project conforms to the city’s future land‑use map and is intended as infill on a former school site with existing utilities at the site boundary. “The request would not appear to have a negative impact on the surrounding area as it would qualify as infill development by going on a site with existing infrastructure in place on the borders,” City planner Joseph Gallman told the commission. Lauren Hoffman of Hall and Hall, the project planner, said, “New traffic generated by this development expected to be minimal,” and provided an engineer estimate of 49 peak AM trips and 66 PM peak trips.

Why this matters: The item drew the meeting’s largest public turnout and sustained debate. Residents pressed officials on tree removal, the loss of a large neighborhood green space created around the old school, the adequacy of water pressure and sewer capacity, and how…