Commission recommends rezoning 18.49 acres in Frisco Square for 75‑lot single‑family subdivision

The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Republic on July 14 voted to recommend that City Council approve PDD25‑001, an application to rezone approximately 18.49 acres at the 900 block of South Colorado Avenue from the existing Frisco Square planned development district (PDD) to an amended Frisco Square PDD that would allow a single‑family subdivision of up to 75 lots.

Staff and the applicant told commissioners the amended PDD would reduce allowable density compared with the existing Frisco Square PDD. "The current plan development has just under 150 apartments and 19 residential lots," said Chris Wynne, civil engineer with CJW Transportation Consultants representing the developer. "We're asking for 4.05 lots per acre — almost a 200% reduction in dwelling units compared with the currently approved plan." The applicant's plan calls for a minimum lot area of 5,500 square feet, minimum lot width of 50 feet and minimum lot depth of 110 feet; setbacks include 25 feet front and rear, a 6‑foot interior side setback, and 15–20 feet for side streets depending on classification.

City staff told the commission the amended PDD would include four new local streets, municipal water and sewer connections, and three stormwater detention/retention areas placed where topography and mapped sinkholes allow. "The development plan includes provisions for municipal water and sewer services, a plan for stormwater management, and the construction of several local class streets," said Chris Taber, principal planner. Taber and staff concluded the rezoning is generally consistent with the city's 2021 comprehensive and land use plans and recommended approval.

Commissioners heard concerns from multiple nearby residents about stormwater, groundwater and sinkholes, pesticide runoff, removal of a grove of trees that provides bird habitat, traffic on Highway 60, and electrical infrastructure capacity. Kevin Knotts, a property owner south of Montecristo, said existing runoff from nearby subdivisions already causes erosion on his land and that added development has forced him to install $15,000 in water‑treatment equipment. "We're getting bad water reports," Knotts said.

Angel Fialik, the city's engineer, told the commission the city had not yet received a stormwater design for this concept plan and that final engineering would be required during the infrastructure permitting phase. She said the city requires developments to match pre‑development flows or lessen off‑site impacts per the city's stormwater manual. On sinkholes, Fialik said the city references Greene County's inventory of karst features and that a property owner may be required to do a geological study if they wish to change mapped sinkhole boundaries. On traffic, she said the applicant's traffic impact study, reviewed by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), did not require intersection improvements for the proposed plan. On electric service, the applicant said preliminary design work is underway with the local electric provider (Liberty) and that Liberty had not raised serviceability concerns based on the preliminary files the developer provided.

The applicant said the proposed plan would be less intense than the existing PDD. "The current planned development allows a combined density of about 9.89 dwelling units per acre; we're proposing 4.05," Wynne said. He and a developer partner, Brad King, said they would discuss tree preservation and other neighbors' concerns as the design advances.

After discussion, the commission took a single recommendation vote on the rezoning application. The motion to recommend approval carried unanimously by roll call.

The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action. If Council rejects the rezoning, the property would remain subject to the existing Frisco Square PDD approved in the 1990s, which allows higher density than the proposal before the commission.