BLYTHEWOOD – The third time was not the charm for the 104 townhomes Great Southern Homes proposes to build along Langford Road. The Blythewood Planning Commission voted 3-2 against approval of the development’s site plan Tuesday night.
The site plan is not required to go before council since the project is a permitted use in the TC (Town Center) zoning district.
The 12.55-acre property will consist of 1,500 to 1,700 square foot single family attached townhomes.
The project first came before the Architectural Review Board on Oct. 17, 2022. It has since gone before the Board two more times and before the Planning Commission four times.
It initially received Planning Commission approval in a 3-2 vote in September, 2023, with Commissioners (now-Councilwoman) Erica Page and Marcus Taylor voting against. Because of the lapse of time without the developer moving ahead on the project, the project had to go before the Commission again in December, 2024, when it was denied approval. The proposal was deferred in June, 2025 and denied again Monday night, in a 3-2 vote.
This main concern expressed by Commissioners and the public throughout the several meetings over three years is its proximity to one of the most congested intersections in Blythewood – Langford Road, Sandfield Road, and Main Street (Wilson Blvd/Hwy 21). That issue remains contentious.
Todd Anderson, senior project manager with The Traffic Group downplayed the traffic issue, saying the morning peak hours are expected to generate only 49 additional peak hour trips.
“Unfortunately, it’s just bad, and we see that. But it’s not enough traffic to warrant a traffic signal,” he said. “A lot of roads have bad traffic in peak hours, but by 10 a.m. the traffic is clear.”
Commission Chairman Ja’Maal Mosely expressed his concerns that the infrastructure in that area of town does not accommodate the traffic now and will not meet the needs of increased traffic.
“If you miss the light [at Langford and Main Streets] you’re going to be sitting in a line for a long time,” Mosely said. Mosely also noted that besides the traffic from the 104 townhomes, there is also traffic pouring out of Great Southern Home’s adjoining 300-home development onto Langford Road at the same time.
Planning Commission’s vote is final; however, the developer has the right to appeal.
