Planning and Zoning commission does not recommend Rock Quarry student housing complex after pushback from residents
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A proposed apartment complex in south Columbia drew significant public attention at Thursday's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, where traffic concerns dominated the discussion and ultimately led to a stalled outcome.
The property, which is currently unaddressed, was located about 350 feet north of the end of Gray Oak Drive. Developers asked for 32.7-acre site to be developed into a 194-unit multifamily housing development.
After hearing concerns from residents about the proposed development along Rock Quarry Road, the commission's vote was split 3-all, preventing it from going to the City Council.
Traffic was the central issue throughout the meeting, with residents and commissioners questioning how the 720-bed apartment complex would affect an already congested corridor.
According to the traffic study for the proposed 'The Retreat at Columbia' development, engineers examined five nearby intersections:
- Rock Quarry Road and Riback Road
- Grindstone Plaza Drive and Gray Oak Drive
- Grindstone Plaza Drive and the Grindstone Plaza entrance
- Grindstone Parkway and Grindstone Plaza Drive
- Grindstone Parkway and Rock Quarry Road
The study concluded the project would not generate enough additional traffic to require major roadway improvements.
Engineers estimated the development would produce approximately 225-230 vehicle trips during its peak hours, including both inbound and outbound traffic. Of those trips, roughly 40-50 vehicles were projected to travel northbound on Rock Quarry Road during peak periods.
Developers did not analyze morning rush-hour traffic, instead focusing on midday and afternoon peak periods between 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.=5:15 p.m.
Brian Rensing, a traffic engineer involved in the study, said those timeframes represent the busiest periods for students and therefore provide what he described as a “worst-case scenario” for traffic impact analysis.
He also said during the meeting that morning volumes tend to be lower for student-oriented housing, claiming most students do not attend their morning classes.
Residents strongly pushed back on that reasoning, arguing students do attend morning classes and that Rock Quarry Road already experiences significant congestion during the morning commute. Several speakers said the study did not reflect real-world traffic conditions they experience daily.
The report also projected a roughly 15% increase in traffic along Grindstone Parkway. While engineers said the corridor would continue to operate within acceptable limits, residents argued that any additional traffic would further strain an already congested roadway without corresponding infrastructure improvements.
Safety concerns were also raised during the meeting.
According to crash data included in the study, there were 41 reported crashes along Rock Quarry Road between Stadium Boulevard and Grindstone Parkway from 2020-24, or roughly eight crashes a year.
The traffic study calculated a crash rate of approximately 181 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled along that segment, which engineers noted is below Missouri Department of Transportation averages for similar major collector and two-lane roadways.
Still, residents expressed concern that additional traffic could worsen existing safety issues along the corridor.
Another major point of discussion was whether the development would primarily serve students or function as general multi-family housing. Developers said there is no requirement for tenants to be enrolled at the University of Missouri or any other institution, but noted the complex would include shuttle service to MU's campus during the week.
The project was represented by Crockett Engineering, which also worked on a previously approved downtown student housing development.
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