Planning and Zoning recommends approval of The Woodlands at Pinckney Ridge PUD; vote 5-2

Warrenton CityPlanning and Zoning commissioners voted 5-2 on Oct. 2, 2025, to recommend approval of The Woodlands at Pinckney Ridge, a planned unit development (PUD) that would place 112 single-family lots on a 53.6-acre parcel east of Pinckney Street and west of Water Street.

The proposal, presented by Jeff Moon of BACS Engineering and Adam Baer of Ralls Development, requests deviations from the underlying R-3 zoning: a minimum lot width of 62 feet instead of 70 feet and a minimum lot area of 8,000 square feet instead of 10,000. Moon told commissioners the plan would create "112 total lots that is proposed for this" parcel and said the layout saves tree canopy and preserves roughly 19 acres of common ground, about 36% of the PUD site.

Baer said narrowing lot widths can lower infrastructure costs and help keep homes affordable. "By shrinking at this 8 feet, we can save over $10,000 from the development costs," he said, adding the average lot area in the development would be about 10,656 square feet. The developers said house sizes would range from about 1,300 to 2,600 square feet, with an average likely just under 2,000 square feet, and that construction would occur in four phases, roughly a year per phase depending on market conditions.

Why it matters: The commissionrecommended approval makes the PUD eligible for final consideration by the Board of Aldermen on Oct. 21. Approval would allow deviations from local lot-size standards and authorize the development pattern described by the applicant. Commissioners and members of the public framed the vote around two competing goals: creating more attainable single-family homes for working households and protecting long-standing local development standards.

Discussion highlights: Commissioners asked how many lots the developer would have achieved under current standards; the applicant said the current layout would yield roughly 10 fewer lots if the width and area standards were strictly maintained. Commissioners pressed whether the narrower widths would translate into lower sale prices; Baer said the reduced infrastructure cost is one factor that improves affordability but acknowledged market forces ultimately determine final sale prices.

Public comment context: Earlier in the meeting residents raised concerns related to a nearby annexation and a possible data center on a separate parcel, including claims of inadequate mailed notice and missing on-site posting. Commissioners and staff did not take final action on the annexation or a data center at this meeting; those issues were raised during the public comment portion of the agenda.

Other actions taken: The commission approved three boundary-line adjustments needed for plats and developments:

- WALTON STREET (SUBD129): boundary line adjustment to combine Lot 3 and Lot 6 at 206 West Walton Street. Approved by roll call 7-0 (one absent, two vacancies).

- PARK HILLS PLAT 1 (SUBD130): boundary line adjustment to combine four parcels into Lot 1A at 415 South Morgan Street. Approved by roll call 7-0 (one absent, two vacancies).

- WOODLANDS AT PINCKNEY RIDGE (SUBD131): boundary adjustment to realign the southern portion of Parcel 2 so the PUD can be contained on a single parcel (adjusted parcel 53.64 acres). Approved by roll call 7-0 (one absent, two vacancies).

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes (Aug. 7, 2025): passed 6-0 with 1 abstention, 1 absent, 2 vacancies. - SUBD129 Walton Street boundary adjustment: passed 7-0 (1 absent, 2 vacancies). - SUBD130 Park Hills Plat 1 boundary adjustment: passed 7-0 (1 absent, 2 vacancies). - SUBD131 Woodlands boundary adjustment: passed 7-0 (1 absent, 2 vacancies). - The Woodlands at Pinckney Ridge PUD (PUD-005) recommendation: passed 5-2 (Commissioners Cullum, Barton, Durbin, Cooper, Dieterman voted yes; Commissioners Cornell and Jepsen voted no; one absent). The commissionrecommendation goes to the Board of Aldermen on Oct. 21, 2025.

Next steps: The Board of Aldermen will hold the final vote on Oct. 21, 2025. If approved, the PUD would proceed to platting and subsequent permitting phases; streets will be required to meet city standards and will be turned over to the city at the appropriate time per city policy.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in the meeting record and are attributed exactly as they spoke during the Oct. 2 meeting.