A proposed housing development in downtown St. Charles took another step towards final approval Monday with a positive recommendation from the city’s Planning and Development Committee.

St. Charles developer J&B Builders Inc. plans to build an eight-unit duplex development called River 504 Rowhomes, at the northeast corner of South First and Prairie streets.

The project would include four buildings, each with four stories, on the last remaining vacant lot on South First Street downtown.

The original plans for the site called for a mixed use development with commercial space on the first floor, but developers are seeking approval to rezone the property to residential, increase the building height limit from 49 feet to 57 feet and reduce the setback along South First Street from 5 feet to just under 3.5 feet.

The committee, made up of City Council members, raised concerns over the removal of the commercial aspect and developers’ plans to remove existing trees from the site, but ultimately recommended approval of the planned unit amendment in a split vote.

“There just seem to be a lot of inconsistencies from what the original vision was for the continuation of this street,” Alderperson Jayme Muenz said. “It seems like we should be continuing that streetscape the way that it was intended, but we’re now allowing this developer to go a completely different direction.”

As proposed, the duplexes would face First Street and have two-car garages in the rear, accessible via private driveways from Limestone Drive. Each unit would be 6,226 total square feet, with patios and rooftop terraces.

River 504 would be the final development of the Brownstone planned unit development, approved in 2001, which includes the adjacent Brownstone townhomes along the riverfront and the mixed-use Milestone Row building along South First Street, just north of the site of the current proposal.

Plans include 15 diagonal public parking spaces along the front of the buildings, as well as streetscape improvements and landscaping areas on the east side of South First Street.

Developers would also be responsible for connecting the Prairie Street sidewalk to the riverwalk.

Developers say they’re looking at a price of $1.9 million for each unit, and they intend to pay a $14,687 fee instead of providing affordable units.

The proposal had received a positive recommendation from the city’s Plan Commission on Aug. 19, with the condition that two parking spots be replaced with landscaping islands to incorporate additional trees and plantings.

J&B representatives Julie Salyers and Brian Buoy presented the planned unit development application at the Sept. 8 meeting.

In an effort to meet the condition set by the Plan Commission, developers added an option to remove one of the 15 parking spaces in exchange for a landscaping island, but deemed the two-island addition infeasible due to utility conflicts.

Committee members had the option to recommend approval of the plans as presented or opt for the addition of a landscaping island that would reduce the number parking spaces to 14.

Multiple committee members favored parking over landscaping islands and took issue with developers’ plans to remove the existing trees on the south side of the site, which staff said was the most efficient option to install sewer lines.

Alderperson Ron Silkaitis said he would not support the removal of mature trees and asked developers to look into alternative options for running the sewer lines.

“I will not accept” the removal of trees to install sewer lines, Silkaitis said. “I’m not going to cut down mature trees when there are other options to put that pipe in.”

Council members David Pietryla, Bob Gehm and Chair Bryan Wirball were also in favor of saving the existing trees.

“I do not support cutting down the right-of-way trees,” Wirball said. “I think you have to find a way to work around those mature trees.”

Muenz asked developers why the commercial use that was part of the original plans was removed.

Buoy said the original mixed use concept was not financially feasible and the residential designs are a better fit for the current market.

“The overall cost of that kind of development, with the parking garage as well as the common element, did not make the project feasible,” Buoy said. “We felt that this type of use was a better use for the property.”

Alderperson Steve Weber said he didn’t feel the removal of commercial space was detrimental and advocated for forfeiting the landscaping islands in order to keep as many parking spaces as possible.

“I am in support of having residential on the first floor. ... I don’t think it’s going to be an issue, not having commercial,” Weber said. “I’m in favor of having as much parking down there as possible. I’m not opposed to removing both islands and maintaining as many spots as possible.”

Muenz also expressed concerns over the density, the lack of shade and the small setback, which she said seems to crowd the sidewalk.

“I’m trying to understand visually what we’re doing on this street, which is supposed to be one of our iconic areas that we’re trying to build,” Muenz said.

Gehm asked developers who their target market would be for selling the units at the $1.9 million price point.

Buoy said they have seen a lot of interest in this type of product from people moving out of a large single family home who want to live in St. Charles.

“It is out of the price range for most individuals that inquire, but there’s a handful that have showed interest,” Buoy said.

Muenz asked how the project would be developed and in what timeframe.

“We have things on the market right now that aren’t going quickly that are in that same price point,” Muenz said. “I’m concerned that we build one or two of these, and then we have open spots that don’t get developed.”

Buoy said they would build the duplexes in two phases, constructing two buildings at a time.

“We will definitely be starting with two of the buildings, and dependent on how the sales go, would continue with the third and forth thereafter,” Buoy said. “We have the first building spoken for.”

Silkaitis did not share Muenz’s concern over the marketability of the development.

“A bank is not going to lend someone money unless they believe in the project,” Silkaitis said. “I’m going to leave that up to the developer, about price points.”

Despite concerns over tree removal, committee members gave the amendment a positive recommendation without conditions in a 5-3 vote. Gehm, Silkaitis and Muenz voted no.

With a positive recommendation from the Planning & Development Committee, the plans will go on to the full City Council, for possible final approval.

After the vote, Pietryla and Wirball advised staff to look into alternative options for installing the gas utilities without removing the existing trees, and provide an update at the next Council meeting.