Ashford Place development plan raises neighborhood concerns
Keriana Gamboa
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Homeowners living near the site of a planned subdivision in east Columbia are raising concerns about traffic and other issues.
Troy Miller Properties LLC is asking the City of Columbia to approve a development plan for 77 new housing units on 24.13 acres off East Broadway near the Brooks subdivision.
The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously decided to table the item at a meeting on Thursday night.
Brooks resident Aleece Rhinehart told ABC 17 News the property owner had expressed interest in further discussions with neighbors about the project. However, she noted that no meetings have been scheduled, and the community remains uncertain about how their concerns will be addressed.
Community members submitted more than 90 pages of comments about the project, according to correspondence provided by the city.
The proposed development will be located at the north end of Sagemoor Drive. Each building in the proposed development will have up to three housing units.
Traffic appears to be the primary concern, particularly on the neighborhood’s two main roads. In response to these concerns, the City of Columbia plans to extend El Chaparral Avenue as part of the new development. Additionally, Columbia Public Works will consider traffic calming devices on Hoylake Drive to help address safety concerns.
Brooks resident Holly McCoy says her main concerns center on Sagemoor Street, where she lives.
“My concern is the use of the street in front of our house as the main entrance into a high density living arrangement. These are single-family dwellings, and I would, you know, have that concern of high traffic on this road,” McCoy said.
City Planner David Kunz said the city conducted a 2017 traffic study that evaluated developments larger than the one currently proposed and found no significant impact on Sagemoor Street.
The first construction phase will include 23 buildings; the second phase will be 36 buildings; and the third phase will include 18 residential buildings and improvements to Sagemoor and El Chaparral Avenue. Each building will have three units included.
Steve Smith and his wife live next to the proposed development on the north end of the street. Steve said they are a part of their neighborhood’s homeowners association, and are also concerned about the long-term effects on property values.
“Our properties are held to a certain standard to be maintained, and not knowing if the new development going in next door is going to be held to that same standard, we sort of wonder how that’s going to affect our property values,” Smith said.
ABC 17 News has reached out to the developers for comment.