Planning commission approves rezoning for 1652 US Highway 61 in Festus

The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve PB26-0026, a request to rezone three parcels totaling about 49 acres around 1652 US Highway 61 South in Festus from large-lot residential to a non-planned industrial (NPI) district. The commission’s approval means the recommendation will be forwarded to the County Council for final action.

Planning staff (identified in the record as Miss Hall) told commissioners the site lies in the county’s urban growth area and is mapped for emerging industrial uses in the Visualize Jefferson County master plan. Staff noted a small portion of the property falls in a 500-year floodplain and that a stream order 1 runs through the site, and said required buffers and screening in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) would be applied at the site-development stage. “Since this request is for a non planned district, there is no site plan attached at this time,” staff said, and recommended approval based on compatibility with adjacent industrial zoning and the transportation network’s capacity.

Petitioners identified themselves as representatives of Strawbridge Investments LLC. Ken Gilo said, “The property is owned by Strawbridge Investments LLC,” and confirmed the owners’ address in Festus. Co-owner Larry Goodwin told the commission there is market interest for warehouse and light-industrial users on the site and that rezoning is the first step before engaging engineers and environmental reviews. “People are looking for white industrial usage property, where they’re looking for warehouse space,” Goodwin said.

Commissioners asked staff for clarifications about natural features and permitted uses; staff confirmed a second top-corner feature is also a stream order 1 and reiterated that certain uses — specifically data centers — are not permitted under the NPI designation. A commissioner moved to approve PB26-0026; after a second, the Chair called the vote and the motion passed unanimously. The commission’s recommendation and record will be transmitted to the County Council for final consideration.