Council reviews preliminary plat for 52‑lot Clover Hill at Wicklow; neighbors press stormwater and crosswalk fixes

On April 8, the Nixa City Council heard the first reading of council bill 2025‑11, an ordinance approving the preliminary plat for the Village of Clover Hill at Wicklow, the proposed Phase 7 of the Wicklow subdivision. The plat would create 52 buildable single‑family lots and two non‑buildable common‑area parcels on a site just under 20 acres annexed into the city in 2003.

City planner Bridal Justin told council the north half of the parcel had historically been commercial and south multifamily until the property was rezoned to R‑1 single‑family in 2014. The proposed layout places primary access on Tracker Road (a secondary arterial), and preserves a secondary emergency access through a common area between Lots 46 and 47. “All the lots would be served by public streets, municipal water, sewer, and electric,” Bridal Justin said; staff said buried utility corridors required preserving Common Area 1 for maintenance.

Planning and Zoning voted unanimously, 6‑0 (one member absent), to recommend approval; staff recommended approval as well. At the council public hearing, several nearby residents raised concerns about stormwater and pedestrian safety:

- Judy Brown, who lives on Walleye adjacent to the proposed development, asked whether homeowners who currently maintain the backs of their fences would need to continue doing so or whether the new common area would be maintained by the Wicklow homeowners association. Staff said the common area will be maintained by the Wicklow HOA.

- Jason McCullough, who lives at 836 East Abbey Court, pressed staff on stormwater grading and asked why a proposed storm line between Lots 26 and 27 was routed down a lot line rather than a public access so future maintenance would not require tearing up yards. Scott Godby (city staff) said the easement between those lots can be designated a drainage easement to permit future access for maintenance, and that the city typically discourages fences in drainage easements.

- Several residents and council members urged the city to study pedestrian crossing safety on Tracker Road near the Wicklow roundabout and suggested a lighted or solar‑powered crosswalk, marked bus stops and improved signage and lighting at the road split.

Civil engineer Clayton Hines, representing developers Pat O’Reilly and Julie Tobash, said the shown pipe location on the preliminary plat was a preliminary alignment and that construction plans could move the connection into the detention basin if necessary. “I will have to justify that; you guys hire a third party engineer to review my work,” Hines said, noting the design could be adjusted in the construction plans.

Staff and the developer emphasized that detailed grading, easement language and any offsets for fences would be finalized with the construction plans and the final plat. City staff said typical fence setbacks from a drainage easement are 7.5 feet on either side (a 15‑foot easement) unless a stormwater engineer provides a letter showing a fence will not impede drainage.

Council opened and then closed the public hearing; no final vote was taken at first reading. The matter will return later in the process with construction plans and a final plat showing any required easement language, offsets and grading details.

Why it matters: the plat would add 52 single‑family lots and alter local stormwater flows and pedestrian patterns along Tracker Road, prompting neighbor requests for visible crosswalks, signage and a clear maintenance plan for drainage easements and shared common areas.