65 homes and 11 duplexes meet pristine wilderness and angry neighbors

COLUMBIA, 12/2/12 (Beat Byte) -- A subdivision planned by former KOMU TV news anchor Sarah Hill and husband Rob Hill has neighbors planning to protest.

Known as Parkside Estates, the subdivision would be one of Columbia's largest housing projects in years. It takes its name from a location some residents consider especially worrisome: next to Rock Bridge State Park.
 
"The plan calls for 65 houses and 11 duplexes with a density of 3 houses per acre," said area resident Sandy McCann. "We are concerned about density, traffic, and land having urban style development next to our state park."

Columbia Independent School formerly owned the site -- on Route K just south of Old Plank Rd. -- before selling it to the Hills in October.

High density housing has been a source of conflict between the Hills and residents near their rentals before. In 2009, Grasslands neighbors lodged several complaints over noise, crime, profanity, and chaos at a Hill-owned apartment complex on Clarkson and Burnam Roads.

McCann provided the Heart Beat with a "Petition of Protest" against the rezoning, tentatively scheduled for Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission review this week and City Council approval in January.

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