Commission approves waiver allowing individual tertiary wastewater systems for 8‑lot Hills Hollow Estates with conditions

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a recommended waiver to the city’s large‑lot subdivision wastewater requirements for a proposed eight‑lot subdivision on a 31‑acre tract at the northwest corner of Pond Road and Route 100 (Hills Hollow Estates). The waiver would permit individual on‑lot wastewater treatment systems in lieu of installing a centralized packaged wastewater treatment plant.

Planning staff said the commission previously supported the waiver at its Jan. 21 meeting by a 5–1 margin and outlined four major conditions that the commission adopted: (1) each lot must be larger than 3 acres and meet setbacks determined by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources following geological assessment; (2) effluent from the individual systems must achieve approximately tertiary‑level treatment; (3) each lot owner must deposit $2,600 to a homeowners association fund to ensure long‑term maintenance of the individual systems; and (4) drain fields cannot be located inside designated natural resource protection areas and density may not increase above eight lots without site set‑aside or centralized treatment.

Planning staff explained the conditions are intended to ensure water‑quality protections and to lock in the reduced density that justified the waiver. The commission took a roll call vote and approved the staff’s report and recommendation. Recorded votes show six commissioners voting yes and one no. The department will forward the report to the City Council for its receipt and filing.