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City of Lake Ozark Awarded $300,000 Community Development Block Grant for Demolition Project: Lake Ozark, MO — The City of Lake Ozark has been named the recipient of a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to support a $433,030 building demolition project focused on improving safety and redevelopment opportunities in the Bagnell Dam Strip area. The remaining $133,030 required to complete the project will be provided to the City by the property owner, Reese Development. As a result of the grant award, 23 structures on and around the historic Bagnell Dam Strip will be demolished. All properties included in the project are owned by Reese Development. Among the structures slated for demolition is the former Shoreland Motel located on the Bagnell Dam Strip. Additional buildings included in the project consist of a series of residential and commercial structures located along Carls Drive, Ballenger Road, Thornsberry Road, Beach Drive, and School Road. These structures were determined eligible for CDBG funding due to their advanced state of blight and lack of structural safety, in accordance with adopted building codes. Several of the buildings contain asbestos and other environmental contaminants, and all have been formally certified by the City as dangerous buildings. Buildings were prioritized based on safety concerns, structural deterioration, and overall risk to the public. To qualify for the grant, each structure was required to have been vacant for an extended period of time. Demolition work associated with this project is expected to commence in 2026. “We are proud to partner with the City of Lake Ozark and the Missouri Department of Economic Development to continue the momentum of the last two years on the historic Bagnell Dam Strip,” stated Peter Colovos, Chief Operating Officer of Reese Development. “Brick by brick and block by block we are committed to redeveloping this jewel of the Midwest,” he added. Reese Development has invested more than $600,000 over the last two years in cleaning up the Strip and demolishing dilapidated structures. City Administrator Harrison Fry expressed appreciation for the state’s support:“We are grateful to the State of Missouri for recognizing the opportunity to breathe new life into the Bagnell Dam Strip corridor. This project begins by removing long-standing, dilapidated structures so that safe, meaningful redevelopment can move forward. I would also like to thank Reese Development for their cooperation and commitment to property revitalization, as well as grant writer Tonya Raines for preparing a successful application that made this project possible.” For more information, please contact the City of Lake Ozark.

TEST TW WEATHER

Posted on by dan

Tiny Town should help address housing shortage

Pictured is Tiny Town developer Matt Wright. Behind him is the laundry facility and at left is one of the homes ready for roofing.

 

New residents of the tiny homes complex on School Road in Lake Ozark should be moving in within a couple of months.

Developer Matt Wright says he has a waiting list for the eight structures in Tiny Town which he hopes will help meet the critical need for affordable housing not only in Lake Ozark but in the Lake of the Ozarks area. The concept is new to Lake Ozark, and city officials had to create ordinances and guidelines for the homes which will be between 300 and 400 square feet each.

The city’s zoning code was adjusted to include tiny homes in R-3 (multi-family residential) districts.

The laundry facility is nearly complete, and one home is ready for roofing. Pads and utilities for the other homes have been installed. Midwest General Construction of Tipton is the general contractor. Premier Pyrotechnics of Richland and Rice Concrete of Sunrise Beach did the earthwork, utilities and concrete work.

 

Tiny homes/clusters defined

A tiny home is a detached, self-contained dwelling unit with basic functional areas that support normal daily routines such as cooking, sleeping and sanitation. The units must be between 300 and 800 square feet in total floor area, not including lofts. They must be built on-site on a permanent foundation and cannot exceed one story (excluding lofts).

A cluster of tiny homes is one that allows for the flexibility for creative design and superior scenic quality through preservation of sensitive environmental areas and efficient use of land. Instead of a conventional subdivision, which traditionally results in buildings spaced evenly throughout the site, cluster developments allow for individual lot and setback requirements to be reduced so a group or “cluster” of units can be developed on a portion of the site. A cluster must include no fewer than four nor more than 16 units.

There will be eight homes in the Tiny Town complex. 

The central space used by all occupants of the cluster should include storm shelters, mail receptacles and community recreational areas.

•All tiny homes must be connected to public utilities. 

•All cluster developments must comply with lot setbacks

•Cluster developments must be retained under common ownership including all tiny houses and common open spaces.

•Each unit should include at least two parking spaces with no on-street parking within the development.

•No more than three individuals can inhabit a tiny home.

•Units are one-bedroom with a loft.

•Stairways must not be less than 36 inches wide.

•Units must meet structural requirements as defined in the adopted ordinance. 

 

Harrison Fry, the city’s assistant city administrator and community development director, has guided the city as it developed the tiny homes regulations.

“The city’s tiny home code was built by reviewing the policies of 17 cities in 11 states.  We feel confident that this is a safe and affordable option necessary for our community’s growth, and this trend could fit in well in any town focused on community equity,” Fry offered. “A smaller footprint has lower costs for the builder and for a tenant. An affordable option for housing gives those workers the chance to save for the future without worrying about having to leave the area to seek a good life.”