No new apartment buildings would be allowed in unincorporated parts of St. Charles County for six months, under an ordinance approved by the County Council June 29.
The plan passed unanimously and is expected to be signed into law by County Executive Steve Ehlmann.
"We haven’t been the ones building all these apartments—it’s the cities," Ehlmann says. "What I want to see is houses built that young people can afford to raise families in."
During council discussion, Ehlmann noted that since 2007, the towns within the county have approved thousands of apartment units, while St. Charles County Government has approved only one complex for the area it controls—unincorporated St. Charles County.
Apartment units approved since 2007
Number of apartment units approved by area since 2007:
People are also reading…
- Cottleville—826
- Dardenne Prairie—281
- Lake Saint Louis—1,415
- O’Fallon—2,933
- St. Charles City—1,732
- St. Charles County—180
- Weldon Spring—185
- St. Paul—0
- St. Peters—2,895
- Wentzville—1,516
Ehlmann says one way to encourage more houses that families with children can afford would be smaller lot sizes.
"I think we need to do zoning to allow smaller lots in some areas," Ehlmann says. "Not everywhere, but we need to find places either our cities or unincorporated areas where you can build on smaller lot sizes."
The County Council’s six-month moratorium will only stop the consideration of more units within unincorporated St. Charles County. It would not exert any control over the incorporated cities within the county, which have their own power to allow development projects.
