CLAYTON — At its May 4 meeting Clayton city council tabled the first of two readings of an ordinance to adopt the planning commission’s recommendation to approve an application for a new housing development bordering the eastside of Haber Road the southside of Phillipsburg-Union Road.

The development, ‘Salem Springs,’ consists of 42.99 acres of land bearing Parcel I.D. No. M60 03006 0009 located to the west of the existing Irongate subdivision located in the City of Union.

The ordinance includes a zoning change from Rural Conservation District-2 (RCD-2) to Planned Development District (PDD).

The original plan called for the construction of 162 homes, but according to Clayton Director of Development Jack Kuntz, the number of homes was reduced at the recommendation of the planning commission to 155. That number could be reduced again.

According to City Planner / Zoning Administrator Seth Dorman, city council might request a change in the size of the lots in the development that would further reduce the proposed number of homes.

Dorman said the applicant for the project has requested that council not vote on the proposal until June. The applicant wants more time to discuss changes to the requested lot sizes. Dorman said the legislation could be taken off the table at the May 18 meeting but could not predict if council would do so.

A workshop session scheduled to take place one hour prior to the May 18 regular council meeting would give the applicant the opportunity to discuss with council any requested changes to the proposal.

Clayton has an agreement with the City of Union, which would provide water and sewer service to the new development.

About 20 residents of the Irongate subdivision attended the May 4 meeting to voice their concerns about storm water runoff from the new development.

Kuntz said the development would include three retention ponds that should improve drainage issues for Irongate residents, which have experienced basement flooding during heavy rainstorms.

Homes in Salem Springs would mainly be built on slabs, but a few buyers might opt to have basements according to Kuntz who said that Clayton staff is aware of the drainage issues in that area.

Clayton Properties Group, Inc., doing business as Arbor Homes, applied for the change in zoning. Arbor Homes is the builder in the Hunter’s Path subdivision currently under construction at the northwest corner of Westbrook and Union roads in Clayton.

Arbor Homes is also building homes in the Union Springs subdivision in Union, located to the east off Phillipsburg-Union Road along Settlers Trail and includes Clemmons Court, Spring Ridge Drive and Lakeside Trail. Homes in Union Springs are listed from $269,000 to $339,000.

Reach Ron Nunnari at [email protected].