Collinsville council approves rezoning, preliminary plat for 60‑unit Haven Hills complex

The Collinsville City Council voted Jan. 27 to rezone a woodland parcel and approve a preliminary plat that together enable the Haven Hills planned multifamily development, a three‑building complex totaling 60 one‑bedroom units.

Senior planner Caitlin Rice told the council the request converts the site to a planned R‑3 district and accompanies a preliminary plat that splits three existing parcels into two lots, dedicates 15 feet of right‑of‑way along Rees Drive for future improvements and places the stormwater detention basin on Lot 1. Rice said the developer reduced an earlier 96‑unit proposal to 60 units, lowered building heights to the city maximum of 35 feet, increased parking to two spaces per unit and submitted a traffic impact study, geotechnical and ecological reports. "This proposed development is three buildings of 60 units of one‑bedroom units," Rice said.

Council approval included two deviation waivers: lowering the city parking standard from 2.5 spaces per unit to 2 spaces per unit and permitting roughly 50% masonry rather than the city's 100% masonry requirement. Rice said staff recommended the parking deviation based on industry parking‑generation data and noted similar nearby projects with lower masonry requirements. The packet states the project proposes 29% of the site as preserved open space (about 2.78 acres) versus the 12% minimum.

The vote followed extended council discussion about potential impacts on neighboring properties and the public road network. A traffic analysis presented to the planning commission modeled development in the area through 2047 and concluded the proposed Ramada–Rees connection reduced traffic through established residential streets, while recommending long‑term upgrades to several intersections. Rice noted the developer will construct the new connection and dedicate right‑of‑way to accommodate future city reconstruction.

Several council members and residents pressed for clarity on how the right‑of‑way dedication would affect property access and driveways; one council member warned that granting masonry variances for cost reasons could lower long‑term quality standards. A council member voiced residents’ frustration that the project offers only one‑bedroom units: "But unfortunately, it's all one bedrooms," the member said, urging the council to weigh community needs.

Motion and vote: The rezoning ordinance was moved by Councilmember Houseman and seconded by Furman and passed on roll call. The council then approved the preliminary plat, with staff noting remaining construction details and easement work will be reviewed at the engineering and permitting stage. The council recorded that the planning commission had earlier recommended approval with conditions, including locating the detention basin on the developed lot and meeting the city's maximum height standards.

Next steps: With both ordinances passed, staff will process construction documents and civil plans under the major subdivision review process; the preliminary plat approval does not authorize final construction until those engineering reviews and permits are completed.