Strategic to Wentzville's Future? Board Continues De-Annexation Discussion

The Wentzville Board of Aldermen once again took up a discussion of de-annexation, specifically for a group of four homeowners in the Meadowbrook Estates subdivision.

READ MORE: Aldermen to Discuss Annexation/De-Annexation Issues

Three of the four homeowners were in attendance.

"This is a private transaction gone bad," Alderman Rick Stokes said. "I don’t see where it’s our business to fix that . . . It’s not our job to even get involved in this."

Alderman Cheryl Kross disagreed. "This is something we can fix . . . I do not feel these four pieces of property are strategic to the future development of the city," she said.

Both Stokes and Alderman Michael Hays expressed their concern that the de-annexation could set a precedent for any homeowner or subdivision that was unhappy with the city to request de-annexation.

Homeowner Dennis Rose told the board that they expected concerns about setting precedents, but he asked the board to consider the fact that only four homes were involved. "You’re not de-annexing a neighborhood. It's only four houses out of 36." He emphasized that the other homes were not part of the city.

The board voted three to two to proceed with the de-annexation. Kross, Alderman Chris Gard and Alderman Sonya Shryock voted yes. Stokes and Hays voted no. Alderman Forrest Gossett was absent.

The four owners had originally agreed to annexation when a developer approached them about running a sewer line through their properties to a new development. The property owners agreed to the annexation in exchange for access to city sewer system.

When the developer went bankrupt, the development, along with the promised sewer lines, were never constructed. The land that was going to be developed instead became a single private residence. With the possibility of sewer access gone, and the four homes receiving limited city services, the owners requested de-annexation.