By: Becky Killian

A majority of city officials have approved the rezoning of land owned by a developer who intends to build a combination of single-family houses and townhomes.

The 3-to-2 vote was made during the Monday, Sept. 9, meeting of the Salem Common Council.

The vote changes the zoning of about 5 and a half acres that will be accessible from an entrance along Old State Road 60 east of Eastview Church of Christ from R-1, which allows single-family homes, to R-3, which allows multiple-family dwellings like townhomes.

The rezoning came to the Common Council after the Salem Plan Commission gave it a favorable recommendation during its Aug. 26 meeting.

The city’s attorney, Alyssa Cochran, explained to Council members that the only decision before them was whether to rezone the land.

Council member Dylan Moore was first to make the motion to approve the rezoning; however, his fellow council member, Danny Libka, suggested that the matter be tabled due to the controversy it had garnered. He noted that one of Cochran’s firm members, Jake Vissing, was most familiar with the rezoning and he wanted to wait until Vissing was present to give his input.

Libka’s suggestion found no footing, so Moore reiterated his motion. The rezoning passed with Libka and Steve Crane opposing it. Moore, Randy Lee Jr., and Roger Pennington voted in favor of the change.

The rezoning isn’t the last hurdle the developer, Anthony Mosby, of Pekin, will have to clear. Before any construction begins, he will need to return to the Plan Commission with development plans that will have to be approved.

Mosby has pursued the rezoning for more than a year. After public resistance to the development made officials balk at approving his request, Mosby changed his plans multiple times only to be confounded by further negative votes.

The most recent draft of the development showed about 10 single family houses and about 30 townhomes.

A controversial entrance from the adjacent Eastview Terrace Subdivision has been eliminated from the plans.

The homes will be sold for around $300,000. Most of the townhomes will be sold and the remaining units will be available for an estimated rent of about $1,100 a month, which Mosby said is comparable to existing rental prices in Salem.

Building Commissioner Ronnie Voyles said the reasoning behind the request for R-3 zoning is that it has less of a setback requirement than R-1. That lesser setback requirement allows for the higher-density development Mosby has proposed.

Mosby has maintained he wants a higher-end development. The quality development – and the prices it commands – will help him to recoup the investment in the property, including the costly infrastructure required like the installation of roads of utility lines.

A 2019 housing study found that Salem has a desperate need for more housing, including luxury housing.

Mosby has told officials if the development comes to fruition and is successful, it will provide an incentive for more developers to take on projects in the city.