So sorry about the delay in getting back to you and keeping you up to date but we have been swamped with the challenges of learning the details of the county zoning process, attempting to negotiate the process and trying to secure some support from our county political leadership.
Here is a recap and the latest - - - - -
On June 20, approximately 200+ citizens attended the County Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting to voice our concerns over the Bauer Road proposed project, P.C. 22-16. At the meeting the developer’s attorney presented his glowing overview of the extensive benefits the project would bring to our community. He was the only speaker in favor of the project. Sixteen speakers joined us in expressing objections to the project, requesting the Commission not approve it. These concerns included: 1) Improper continuation of the prior Zoning change from R2-to R6 considering condition stipulated; 2) Improper and distorted traffic study; 3) Further erosion of funding for our Mehlville schools; 4) EPA concerns related to area flooding due to runoff; 5) Over building of apartment units in our area (South County is becoming a County apartment complex dumping ground; 6) The propose project being incompatible with our low density, single family neighborhood. The County Planning Commission asked only several minor questions and accepted the report for review. The Commission also called for a vote on the proposal. There was a near universal vote of the 200+ attendees against the project. Only the five Developer’s staff voted for the project.
Next, on July 11, the County Planning Office’s Staff presented of the results of their review of the proposal to the County Planning Commission. The presentation highlighted the developer’s proposal, briefly commented on the concerns raised by the community (summary of the June 20th meeting in about 50 words) and made a recommendation to approve the project with some minor changes. It reported that the County, MODOT, and MSD all found no difficulty with the proposed development (no details provided). There was no mention of the additional emails, letters, petitions, or comments that we all provided since the June 20th meeting. None of our follow-on efforts were even recognized. The whole presentation lasted about 5 minutes. The Planning Commission asked only one question. It was about the length of the extra lane proposed for left turn exits from Bauer to Tesson Ferry Road. The staff had no answer to the question. (We could have answered the question as we measured it, about 145 feet (about seven car lengths), but were not permitted to make any comments.) The Commission then approved the proposal by a 7-0 vote. They scheduled the proposed project to be forwarded to the County Council at the Council meeting on July 26 with a recommendation for approval. NOTE---NO ONE SPOKE UP FOR US----- NOT ONE COMMENT
Next, The County Planning Commission formally presented their recommendation to the County Council at the Council Meeting on July 26th. The Council accepted the Commission’s recommendation but no discussion of the matter was scheduled. The Council discussions are to be held at future Council meetings with a vote likely to be held the third or fourth week in August. Fortunately, at the meeting Ernie Trakas, David Gregory, and Bill Hogan attended and took an opportunity to speak directly to the Council. They ask for and were granted an opportunity to speak briefly to the Council. Ernie did an excellent job explaining why we were opposed to the project. He instructed the Council on all the opposition among the community and at the Planning Commission on June 20th. He noted that we have over 1500 signatures in opposition. He explained the failures in the “Traffic Study” and called for a County relook. He closed by asking the Council to reject the proposal, or return it to the planning Commission for rework.
Bill followed Ernie by explaining the incompatibility of the project with the nature of our low density community and our great dependence upon Bauer Road as our sole lifeline. He then took exception to the County Planning process which only allowed us but 15 days to organize and collect our community views about the project. He explained how the present process is biased against the voice of the community. He also took exception to the process for requesting a hearing on the project before the entire Council. He explained how the process provides us only 10 days to collect and get notarized the opposition signatures of 25% of the landowners located within 1000 feet of the project. He explained to the Council that in our case this is a nearly impossible task as 8,000,000 of the 12,000,000 square feet of property located within 1000 feet of the project was either commercial or tied up in development trusts. He noted that this means that we had to collet 3,000,000 out of the remaining 4,000,000 to get 25% total required. He explained how this is a nearly impossible tasks considering only 10 days to do it with vacationing and out-of-town land owners. He asked that the Council recognize this and permit a hearing in any case. There were no comments from Council members. Later David Gregory contacted a Post-Dispatch reporter who was also in attendance. We spoke to him about our situation and he subsequently spoke to our Councilman, Kevin O’Leary. The councilman indicated that he had heard us and that he would call for the Council to hold a Hearing on our Petition. The reporter subsequently reported in the July 27th edition of the Post Dispatch, Mr. O’Leary’s call for Council action. We are very grateful for the Councilman’s commitment to give us a hearing.
Which brings us to “What’s next”? We are presently inquiring Councilman O’Leary regarding the timeframe for the hearing and planning for our presentations. Normally we would get 30 days to detail our position to the Council. We await his response. In addition, the attorney that our subdivisions hired, filed his report with us and sent letters of concern to Mr. O’Leary, The County Planning Commission, and the County Council. He expressed his doubt about the legitimacy of the current zoning and the Developer’s Traffic Study. We are presently evaluating whether to pursue legal action, the cost of such action, and the specifics on how to raise the required funds. A course of action will be coordinated with our subdivision and residents in the near future.
So the focus of any further actions on our and your part must now be placed on the County Council. We urge each and everyone of you to email or call each member of the County Council expressing you opposition against the project. Remember, only through our strong and unified actions will our voices be heard. Our elected representatives on the County Council are as follows:
District 1 – Hazel Erby – [email protected] 615-5436
District 2 – Sam Page – [email protected] 615-5437
District 3 – Collen Wasinger - [email protected] 615-5438
District 4 – Michael O’Mara – [email protected] 615-5439
District 5 – Pat Dolan – [email protected] 615-5441
District 6 – Kevin O’Leary – [email protected] 615-0159
District 7 – Mark Harder – [email protected] 615-5443
Finally, our website for signing our petition against the project is still up and running. We have nearly 1000 signatures and need to get another 1000 in the next two weeks. Please help us by asking family, friends, and neighbors to go to Sayno2Bauer21.weebly.com and sign the petition. Anyone who is a register voter in St. Louis County can sign the petition.
Thank you for your support and we will work to keep you fully informed.
VOTE FOR LINDA BOWEN
LEMAY TOWNSHIP REPUBLICAN COMMITTEEWOMAN
Tuesday, AUGUST 2, 2016
Paid for by Bowen4Lemay, Ray Bowen, Treasurer