Planning commission postpones Elevate Branson hearings after zoning questions and stop‑work orders

Branson Planning Commission members on Sept. 2, 2025, voted unanimously to postpone public hearings on Elevate Branson’s preliminary plat and plan development to Oct. 7, 2025, after staff and building‑services officials said outstanding zoning clarifications and permit issues remain unresolved.

The continuances came after planning staff said revised plans were still outstanding and the item needs review by the Park Board on Sept. 16 before it returns to the commission. "We do request a continuance, please," planning staff told the commission. Todd Chandler, a representative of Great River Engineering speaking for applicant Brian Stallings of Elevate Branson, said the applicant had received late comments and was seeking confirmation that parts of the property could proceed under the city’s HDR (High Density Residential) zoning instead of a planned development.

Why it matters: The developer and staff disagree about whether proposed tiny homes and associated commercial buildings can proceed under the existing HDR zoning or require a planned development (PD). That distinction affects review requirements, permitted uses and how the property must be platted.

Planning staff and the applicant said the core issues are (1) whether the tiny‑home parcel meets HDR requirements and (2) outstanding platting for property that was never formally platted. "Apparently the property was never platted," Chandler said, noting that platting a single five‑acre parcel could be a faster route than combining four parcels into one PD plat.

Building Services Director Norm Teague told the commission the department had been seeking submissions from Elevate for months and had issued stop‑work orders after construction began without permits. "In early May ... we issued 4 stop work orders for the tiny homes," Teague said. He added that inspectors later found additional foundation work and that the department issued three more stop‑work orders. Teague described multiple meetings with the applicant and other city staff and said it was only on the preceding Friday that staff were told Elevate was withdrawing pursuit of the PD.

Commissioner Seitz said the repeated continuances were a concern and asked whether the issues could be resolved by Oct. 7. Chandler and Stallings said they hoped to resolve outstanding questions and submit a revised plat by the filing deadline to meet the Oct. 7 hearing. "We would just have to revise our preliminary plat to show, basically just platting that 5 acre parcel," Chandler said.

Action: The commission voted 7–0 to postpone both the preliminary plat and the plan‑development public hearings to Oct. 7, 2025. The plat — if refiled — will return to the planning commission after Park Board review and is scheduled for first reading and public hearing before the Board of Aldermen on Oct. 28, 2025, if moved forward.

The record: Planning staff said the project history stretches back several years with multiple staff and attorney changes, and that internal review was ongoing. Teague said Building Services had repeatedly offered assistance but required formal submittals before permits could proceed.

Next steps: The applicant said it will seek confirmation on HDR eligibility and refile a simplified plat for the five‑acre portion. The commission set Oct. 7 as the next hearing date for both items.