Residents of Holts Summit turned out in force to oppose a bill to rezone an acre of land on Karen Drive at the Board of Aldermen regular meeting Monday.
Many residents of the Lake Park neighborhood believe a new low-income senior housing development will increase the area's crime-rates while depreciating the value of homes in the subdivision.
If passed, the bill would rezone the acre from a R-S zone, which is designed for single residential housing, to a C-2, which will allow the development of residential housing for low-income seniors.
MACO Development Company already owns a 4.3-acre parcel of land. The additional acre would spread the development and create more green space for the residents, MACO representative Dan Sanders said.
Sanders also said MACO would be responsible for the maintenance and lawn care of the development, but members of the community weren't swayed.
"This compromises the rest of our neighborhood," resident Melanie Swenson said. "R-2 zoning is designed to protect us and our homes. We want to protect our homes and Holts Summit and help it grow. We need to find another option."
"I haven't heard the fat lady start singing so I guess it's not a done deal," community member Terry Donner said. "You're doing the will of your people out here. It's them first, you last."
Prior to MACO owning the land, community members claimed during public comment that the area belonged to Alderwoman Sharon Schlueter, who was not present at the meeting. It was also made known Mayor Landon Oxley and Alderman Thomas Durham voted for the development at a planning and zoning meeting on Aug. 20.
"She did not have enough guts to come tonight and avoid looking us in the face," Allison Goran said. "That is not an alderman that wants to serve the community.
"Bringing in low-income housing does not grow a city economically. Keep this off the road by saving that one acre."
Several community members believed council members had already decided to approve of the bill and wanted to voice opinions in helping out residents at Lakeview if the complex was developed.
"This is an infrastructure issue," Trevor Foley said. "Karen Drive is not designed for the traffic it already has. Should this go forward, you need to improve the infrastructure in the area."