Dan Burkemper
Of the Suburban Journals
A rezoning request for land including the former St. Charles Speedway was approved by the St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission amid groans and taunts from the public gallery Wednesday.
The request to rezone three parcels totalling 65-acres was originally brought before the commission last month and met with vocal opposition from nearby residents.
The parcels include the site of the former St. Charles Speedway, currently zoned for general commercial use, another parcel zoned for light-industrial use and a third zoned for two-family residences.
Steve Groeper, the developer and owner of Bryan Road Properties, requested the zoning be changed to R-3, planned urban development to allow a mixed development of single-family villas and condominiums with an average price of $160,000.
Groeper and engineer Richard Francis of Bax Engineering were told to go back to the drawing board after their first proposal last month. The commission wanted two-car garages on every unit.
Francis presented the revised project to the commission with the changes in place. The number of units had been reduced to 352 from 377 and two-car garages were in place on every unit.
These changes did not appease the crowd of concerned residents who again showed up in force to voice their opposition to the project during the public forum. The prevailing concern among residents was the proposed access to McClay Road.
Resident John White presented the commission with a petition signed by about 120 people objecting to the proposed access. White said main concerns were the location of the proposed entrance, which residents feel is on a dangerous curve, drainage and flooding issues and traffic cut-through issues.
White also expressed concerns about the environmental issues brought on by the land being used as a raceway for so many years.
White said the development would invite heavy traffic to cut-through between McClay Road and Highway 94. White also expressed concerns about a lack of adequate parking in the development, which he said would invite on-street parking. White said school over-crowding and school funding would be an issue if the development were built.
Resident Ron Schwartz asked the board to note the number of residents who signed the petition.
"This is the third meeting in the past month we have shown up in force to express our opposition," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said although the McClay road access was the main concern, residents also objected to such a high-density development. Schwartz said he would like to see either a light industrial development, or a less-dense residential development.
"I have not heard one resident come forward and say they want this," Schwartz said. "If you grant this rezoning, then your minds must have been made up before this meeting started."
Resident Doug Reese was the lone voice in favor of the development. Reese said he felt the plan looked pretty good and favored it over light industrial development.
Ward 4 Aldermen Patrick Barclay and Bob Morrison said they had met with the residents and they are planning a future meeting with residents to discuss details of the development and their concerns.
"I still need some questions answered," Barclay said.
After more debate and a failed attempt to table the matter for another month, the commission took a vote.
Mayor Shawn Brown made the approval contingent on no access from the development to McClay Road and only if St. Peters Police Chief Tom Bishop and Central County Fire and Rescue Chief Russ Mason determine the development to have adequate emergency access without a McClay Road entrance. However, Brown said if there is a need for the entrance for emergency vehicles, the McClay Road access could be put back on the plan.
The commission voted 5 to 2 in favor of approval with two members absent. Final approval will now be decided by the Board of Aldermen at its July 22 meeting.
Of the Suburban Journals
A rezoning request for land including the former St. Charles Speedway was approved by the St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission amid groans and taunts from the public gallery Wednesday.
The request to rezone three parcels totalling 65-acres was originally brought before the commission last month and met with vocal opposition from nearby residents.
The parcels include the site of the former St. Charles Speedway, currently zoned for general commercial use, another parcel zoned for light-industrial use and a third zoned for two-family residences.
Steve Groeper, the developer and owner of Bryan Road Properties, requested the zoning be changed to R-3, planned urban development to allow a mixed development of single-family villas and condominiums with an average price of $160,000.
Groeper and engineer Richard Francis of Bax Engineering were told to go back to the drawing board after their first proposal last month. The commission wanted two-car garages on every unit.
Francis presented the revised project to the commission with the changes in place. The number of units had been reduced to 352 from 377 and two-car garages were in place on every unit.
These changes did not appease the crowd of concerned residents who again showed up in force to voice their opposition to the project during the public forum. The prevailing concern among residents was the proposed access to McClay Road.
Resident John White presented the commission with a petition signed by about 120 people objecting to the proposed access. White said main concerns were the location of the proposed entrance, which residents feel is on a dangerous curve, drainage and flooding issues and traffic cut-through issues.
White also expressed concerns about the environmental issues brought on by the land being used as a raceway for so many years.
White said the development would invite heavy traffic to cut-through between McClay Road and Highway 94. White also expressed concerns about a lack of adequate parking in the development, which he said would invite on-street parking. White said school over-crowding and school funding would be an issue if the development were built.
Resident Ron Schwartz asked the board to note the number of residents who signed the petition.
"This is the third meeting in the past month we have shown up in force to express our opposition," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said although the McClay road access was the main concern, residents also objected to such a high-density development. Schwartz said he would like to see either a light industrial development, or a less-dense residential development.
"I have not heard one resident come forward and say they want this," Schwartz said. "If you grant this rezoning, then your minds must have been made up before this meeting started."
Resident Doug Reese was the lone voice in favor of the development. Reese said he felt the plan looked pretty good and favored it over light industrial development.
Ward 4 Aldermen Patrick Barclay and Bob Morrison said they had met with the residents and they are planning a future meeting with residents to discuss details of the development and their concerns.
"I still need some questions answered," Barclay said.
After more debate and a failed attempt to table the matter for another month, the commission took a vote.
Mayor Shawn Brown made the approval contingent on no access from the development to McClay Road and only if St. Peters Police Chief Tom Bishop and Central County Fire and Rescue Chief Russ Mason determine the development to have adequate emergency access without a McClay Road entrance. However, Brown said if there is a need for the entrance for emergency vehicles, the McClay Road access could be put back on the plan.
The commission voted 5 to 2 in favor of approval with two members absent. Final approval will now be decided by the Board of Aldermen at its July 22 meeting.
