New Neighborhood Moving Into Town and Country

The Town and Country Board of Aldermen voted Monday night to approve the architectural review of a new subdivision called Estates at Town and Country Crossing. The new neighborhood of 69 homes would be located at 1000-1272 Town and Country Crossing Drive, near Clayton Road.

This approval means the developer, Pulte Homes, is expected to begin building within six months, said Sharon Rothmel, Town and Country's planning director. The site plan had previously been approved. Monday's architectural review vote approved the design of the homes.

Pulte presented the home designs to Town and Country's Architectural Review Board, a volunteer board of residents headed by Alderman Phil Behnen, in July. The board reviewed Pulte's plans and recommended approval to the board of aldermen.

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The board of aldermen spent the July 11 and July 25 meetings discussing the plans and requesting changes from Pulte Homes.

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"This is so big, we paid some attention to it," Ward 2 Aldermen Al Gerber said. "They haven't really purchased the land—it's been contingent on this vote. If this goes through, the land deal goes through, and they start building."

Monday night before the board voted, some board members once again expressed concern over the new development.

"From my view, there is just a disconnect from what you're proposing and what's deserving or belongs in Town and Country," Ward 2 Aldermen Tim Welby said.

"I would like to see pictures of your first development to make me feel more comfortable, instead of architectural renderings," said Ward 3 Alderman Steve Fons, addressing the developer. "Maybe my perception is off. It may be very much in keeping with the fit of the community, but at this point, I definitely have some concerns."

Fons and other aldermen mainly had concerns over aesthetics.

"My concern is the style and the closeness with the houses. Since I haven't seen a picture, perhaps my mind runs wild," Alderman Gerber said. "If I could see a picture, maybe it would put my mind at rest."

"I am concerned the homes look track. I would prefer that homes on that site are of greater substance than this. That they are more like the buildings behind it," Jon Benigas said. "I am much more in favor of larger villa-like, two-family construction going in there rather than this."

Mayor Jon Dalton spoke to board members about the the guidelines they must follow when determining whether to approve the architectural review.

"We have an ordinance, and that ordinance sets a standard. What we have to be guided by is our legal standard," Mayor Jon Dalton. "If this proposed development is in compliance with that ordinance, I don't think we should go backward."

"The standard is fairly general and depends on what remains in the surrounding areas," City Attorney Steve Garrett said when asked for standard specifics. However, Garrett said the city ordinance recommends that there should be a variety of architectural design. 

"Just saying you don't like it is not good enough," Garrett said.

"We're at a bit of a vital step here, because once this process leaves, we don't know what to expect," Dalton said prior to the vote.

George Stock is a Town and Country resident and engineer with Stock and Associates, which developed the site plans with Pulte Homes. Stock said he understood and appreciated the concerns of the aldermen.

"This is something different in Town and Country. You don't have this density in Town and Country," Stock said. He also provided aldermen with more architectural renderings of their previously requested changes, including siding color, and told of similar neighborhoods in West County. Stock said there are homes similar to the proposed Pulte Development on Baxter Road, although the Town and Country homes will be more expensive.

Christ Matted, vice president of Land Planning and Development for the Pulte Homes, agreed to the following additional changes prior to the board voting on the architectural review.

• Color blocking and earth tone siding is required on all homes seen from Clayton Road and Town and Country Crossings Drive
• Brick or stone siding required on the homes along the entrance to the neighborhood
• Higher cost dimensional shingles on all homes
• Required window wrapping on all homes
• Bay windows and roof requirements on a ranch-style home

Despite Pulte agreeing to those changes, not all aldermen were convinced the homes were up to par when it came time to vote.

"I don't believe that the look of this development fits the landscape of Town and Country," Welby said before the vote.

"I believe that more substantial homes are necessary for this area, although I would prefer to see something else, I am going to vote in favor of the architectural review," Benigas said before the vote.

The architectural review passed by a vote of 6-2. Welby and Gerber did not vote to pass the review.

Rothmel said Pulte still has to get approval of the improvement plan which is the infrastructure including roads, utilities and stormwater. The record plat and final site plan also have to be reviewed and approved.

Check back to Town and Country-Manchester Patch for more from Monday's board meeting, including a new board president and low-interest loans for homeowners.