St. Charles County council approves Trailside Farms plat and creates CID to fund amenities

St. Charles County Council voted to approve the preliminary plat and final development plan for Mencher (Trailside) Farms and to create the Trailside Farm Community Improvement District, measures supporters say will fund on-site amenities and road improvements.

The council passed Bill 5464, the plat and development plan, on a 6–1 roll call after staff confirmed the underlying PUD zoning was approved in 2010 and the current submittal meets administrative plat requirements. County planner Robert Meyer told the council the proposal includes about 470 dwellings on 236 acres, nearly 60 acres of common ground protecting tree stands, floodplain and a cemetery, and amenities including a skating rink and trails.

The council then approved Bill 5465 establishing the community improvement district (CID) unanimously. The CID will allow the developer to collect assessments to finance lakes, trails, parks, playgrounds, a memorial, traffic and road improvements, utilities and other infrastructure inside the district.

Opponents, including Rose Zook, told the council the development had changed since earlier presentations and warned residents might face additional CID assessments layered on homeowners association fees. "Are they going to know that they're going to be paying extra above HOA?" Zook asked, urging the council to reconsider density and the proposed Community Improvement District.

Neighbors and fire and planning staff pressed for traffic mitigations and a second entrance so emergency responders can access the subdivision. Meyer said the Wentzville Fire District required a second entrance before more than 100 homes in any single phase could be built and that the developer was coordinating with a nearby church and fire district on secondary access.

Council supporters cited the traffic improvements included in the project and the county’s broader planning context. "When you have a two‑lane road where people are driving 60 mph and stopping to make a left turn into a school, a signalized intersection is a lot safer," Councilman Baker said, describing the traffic-signal and road investments associated with the plat.

The measures now clear the council; implementation will occur through plat approvals, CID administration and any subsequent permits or infrastructure agreements. The council did not set specific construction start dates; staff estimated build‑out could take several years depending on phasing and market conditions.