Commission approves Pheasant Grove preliminary plat for 68 townhomes, five commercial lots on Landing Circle

The O'Fallon Planning & Zoning Commission approved a preliminary plat for Pheasant Grove, a 17.81-acre development at 1000 Landing Circle that proposes 68 townhome units and five commercial lots, during its Oct. 2 meeting.

Staff and the developer said the plan reduces previously approved density for the site: a prior approval permitted 204 apartment units; the current proposal comprises 17 buildings of four townhome units each, one common-ground lot with a detention basin and clustered mail kiosks, and five commercial parcels that include the existing Circle K station.

Staff recommended approval with conditions that address pedestrian access, sequencing of commercial construction and public-safety access. The commission added three conditions at the meeting: require building permits for at least two new commercial buildings to be issued prior to or concurrently with any residential building permits, provide a sidewalk on Lot 16 along Common Access B, and identify and sign 15-minute parking at the clustered mailbox kiosks and prohibit parking in the Landing Circle entranceway. Staff also noted the cul-de-sac must serve as a school-bus turnaround and that letters from the school district and fire district must confirm the turnaround size and bus-stop location.

Developer Clayton Daniels of Cochran Engineering said the residential units range from about 1,200 to 1,700 square feet, that Landing Circle will be widened to 39 feet, and that a 10-foot walking trail will wrap the development along Highway K and connect into existing sidewalks. Public advocate Arnie Dienoff testified in opposition to putting townhomes on the Highway K frontage and raised floodplain and density concerns. The developer replied the site is in the floodplain (not the floodway), that a city floodplain development permit will be required, and that the project includes a detention basin sized to meet pre-to-post development flow requirements.

The commission voted to approve the preliminary plat with the staff recommendations and the added conditions. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally in the minutes.