Board approves rezoning of 13-acre church property to mixed-use zoning; 7 Brew plans store

Ozark City aldermen approved Zoning Amendment 25-00002 on a voice/roll-call vote after staff recommended the change, clearing the way for mixed-use development on roughly 13 acres currently used by Ozark Assembly of God Church.

Planning staff told the board the request would rezone the entire 13-acre property to a mixed-use district so that future development on both the developed northern corner and the undeveloped southern portion would be governed under one set of standards. “We are zoning or asking to rezone the entire property, so all 13 acres, even though the coffee shop is really only occupying a small portion of that,” planning staff said during the presentation.

The rezoning aligns with guidance in the city’s Onward Ozark plan and the comprehensive plan, which the staff said recommend public/semi-public or mixed uses for the site. “The Onward Ozark plan recommends a public or semi public use as well as mixed use for office, housing, and other retail on the Southern half,” planning staff said.

Sean Berry, a consulting engineer with Tothan Associates representing the applicant and the proposed coffee operator, said the franchise 7 Brew Coffee is the prospective tenant for part of the site. Berry described typical drive‑through and site design expectations for 7 Brew locations and gave a typical peak‑hour queue estimate: “On average, the maximum peak hour queued vehicle count is 14 vehicles,” he said, adding that most of the company’s sites provide space for 18 to 26 cars to avoid queuing on public streets. Berry said the plan for this site includes room for about 22 queued vehicles and that any temporary overflow would be more likely to affect the church parking lot than South Street.

Staff and the applicant noted infrastructure availability and access points. The site fronts South Street, a primary arterial, and Seventeenth Street, a collector; staff said water and sewer infrastructure are adjacent to the property and that multiple access options exist. Planning staff said a formal traffic study would be required when an application for redevelopment is filed and that, because the primary access would be from South Street, “Most likely, that’ll be required by MoDOT.”

Aldermen who voted in favor on the record included Trevor Branch, Adam Brown, Jeff Garrison and Pete Renfro; the chair announced “the ayes have it.” Planning staff said notices and postings required for the rezoning were completed and staff had received no public opposition on the application.

The board’s approval does not itself permit construction; staff noted that redevelopment would trigger additional standards and reviews. Those triggers include stormwater controls, parking and access analysis, building materials and signage requirements under the city’s development code, and compliance with the transportation overlay district that already covers the property. Staff also emphasized that mixed-use development could take the form of a single mixed-use building or multiple separate buildings across the site, with differing combinations of housing, office and retail uses.

The aldermen’s approval was the final action on the item at the meeting; staff said future site-specific permit applications and development plans will require separate review and clearance.