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Commission approves Brook Hollow subdivision despite resident concerns over radio tower and construction impacts
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Summary
The commission approved McKelvey Homes' 20‑lot Enclave at Brook Hollow preliminary plat while clarifying road‑repair responsibilities and requiring standard geotechnical and cultural surveys after residents raised fall‑zone and traffic concerns.
The O'Fallon Planning and Zoning Commission voted Dec. 4 to approve a preliminary plat for the Enclave at Brook Hollow, a 20‑lot single‑family subdivision proposed by McKelvey Homes at 845 Feis Road, after a sustained public comment period in which neighbors raised safety and construction concerns.
Developer Phil Brennan said the project will include 19 homes accessed from Brookhollow Drive and a single lot accessed from Magdalene Lane; the site includes an existing radio tower the developer and counsel said predates surrounding housing. Brennan said the developer is not purchasing the tower parcel and presented home plans and landscaping details in support of the plat.
Residents cited density, sightlines and public‑safety risks tied to a roughly 511‑foot radio tower on the site and questioned whether the subdivision would comply with fall‑zone requirements. Arnie C. Deenoff, the city public advocate, said he would file a complaint under the Open Meetings Act over a prior closed session and also urged stronger protections for neighbors. Several neighbors asked the city to require a cultural resources survey after on‑site coring showed possible artifacts.
City counsel Elizabeth Lum responded that the tower was constructed in 1983, before surrounding subdivisions, that it is a preexisting use, and that current fall‑zone requirements are being met. McKelvey representatives and engineering staff said the geotechnical borings and a cultural resources review are standard due diligence and that the drilling trailer currently on site is temporary.
The commission asked staff to tighten the condition language regarding road repairs so that developer responsibility applies to damage occurring after pre‑construction documentation; staff indicated an access‑escrow approach to cover repairs caused by construction traffic. The motion to approve the preliminary plat carried after that revised condition was agreed.
What they said
"I will be filing a complaint under chapter 610, the Open Meetings Act," said Arnie C. Deenoff, the public advocate, during citizens’ comments, raising concerns about a recent closed session and missing minutes.
Phil Brennan, representing McKelvey Homes, said the drilling and geotechnical work on the parcel is standard due diligence and that the company will work with residents and the city on construction access and street maintenance.
What happens next: The developer must meet the conditions attached to the approval during improvement‑plan review and permitting, including submitting geotechnical and cultural reports, providing required access agreements, and meeting the clarified road‑inspection and repair condition before and after construction.
