Development Agreement Information
Over the last several months the City has been in discussions with McBride Development about new single-family residential developments within the City of Florissant. These talks included a possible land swap which would allow a residential development on a rear portion of Koch Park, and in return, the addition of new park land adjacent to Sunset Park. The City recognizes the value of park property and maintains over 500 acres of parkland within theCity, and provides numerous parks and recreation amenities to the residents all throughout the year.
Koch Tract Lot B proposed new subdivision. Lot A and C remain with the city.
A portion of Koch Park in the rear of the park (31.49 acres) has been utilized as a passive park, with the only permanent attraction being an archery range for several decades. These 31 acres of passive parkland do not include any of the current ballfields, splash pad, playgrounds, or other park attractions that are within the 37+ acres that will remain of Koch Park. During discussions with McBride the City concluded that this portion of passive parkland could be utilized for a new residential development, only if the City received comparable acreage of passive park property in return. Under the proposed plan, the City will receive 43.7 acres of property which will result in a greater amount of greenspace. (an additional 12.2 acres).
A new state of the art recreational archery range will be added to Sunset Park through monetary and labor donations and will include a tower, shooting line, and 14 targets.
New Park Parcel and Trail Extension Details
Trails were mapped by Police and Fire Departments over the years.
Under the proposed plan McBride will transfer a larger parcel of land to the City (43.7 acres) than the rear portion of Koch Park that would be used as a residential development and the property being transferred to the City will be utilized as a passive park in conjunction with Sunset Park.
This new parkland is adjacent to the current Sunset Park trail and includes an approximately 1,500 feet of additional river front property along the Missouri River, which complements the already 4,500 feet of river front property the city currently has in Sunset Park.
Love-Tract Lot A proposed new parkland.
This new parkland would start where the current Great Rivers Greenway trail ends, and the City is advocating for future plans that could include the expansion of the current trail system into the new park property and the goal would be to connect it to Koch Park.
A connection like this is consistent with the comprehensive plan update which called for expanding our walking and bike trails and connecting our City parks. In the future, this plan would allow the connection of Old Town Florissant to St. Ferdinand Park, Sunset Park, and Koch Park.
This proposed new parkland is already filled with an intricate system of natural trails that could be utilized for hiking. The city can work to publicize and name the trails and create wayfinding signs, etc.
Comprehensive Plan Details
Aerial photo of proposed new parkland.
A new housing development in this area is consistent with the recent comprehensive plan update which called for new single-family housing and highlighted this area as a potential fit for that.
The City of Florissant strongly desires to increase the variety of housing stock available to current and potential residents. In the Florissant 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update, it was noted that the majority of the housing stock in Florissant is older and lacks modern amenities.
At the same time, the plan stated that the population of Florissant was getting younger, with the median age dropping to 35.9 years old and household sizes approaching 2.5 people.
To accommodate these younger households and provide housing options for established smaller families looking for modern homes, the City set a goal to facilitate the construction of new housing that offers amenities that appeal to these buyers.
Because Florissant is a mature city with most of its land already developed, the study recommended that the unused portion of Koch Park—the Project site—could be repurposed as a new residential development.
This would serve to maximize the potential of the unused land and provide needed housing for existing and potential residents while adding new park land near Sunset Park.
Based on St. Louis County Assessor’s data, approximately 91 percent of the City’s single-family housing stock was built prior to 1970. Houses built in this period range from an average size of 1,131 square feet to 1,286 square feet.
The result of this development pattern means that people looking for modern, high-amenity housing must currently look outside the City to meet their demands.
New Housing Subdivision
The plan calls for 108 new single-family homes on the 31 acres of passive parkland in the rear of Koch Park.
These homes would range in square feet from roughly 1,150 to 2,600 square feet, and they would be priced from $250,000 to $400,000+ range.
The average lot sizes for the new subdivision would be over 7,000 square feet.
The City would also receive a 10-foot-wide ½ mile multiuse path to be built around the new subdivision that willconnect to Koch Park, and this path could be utilized as a connection from Sunset Park to Koch Park.
This walking and bike path will be maintained by the City and available for public use.
A large tree line buffer and common ground will be maintained on the northwest side of the property to shield adjacent property owners, and approximately 8 acres of the 31 acres of the housing development will be maintained as common ground.
The home models range from 2-3 bedroom to their 4-bedroom plans.
The new homes will come with two-car garages, open floor plans, private en suite bathrooms, and basements.
Economic Benefit Details
The City could experience a broader economic development benefit from the increased customer base and spending that comes with additional residential development. These newer homes are often desired by growing families looking to stay in their current communities. Additionally, the older, more affordable homes they leave are then sought after by young professionals looking to buy their first home, especially in communities with amenities and services they desire. These demographic shifts (as suggested by the decreasing median age) have real potential to support local retailers, and even help attract new and varied businesses who see the market opportunity of a greater number of younger residents with growing buying power.