Where Is Our New Zoning Code?
Over a year ago St. Louis adopted a much heralded new Strategic Land Use Plan that was going to pave the way for future development in the City of St. Louis. It does a great job of organizing the city into various areas and giving brief descriptions setting out a vision for each. However, our 1947-era zoning codes are still the law. These codes give us the suburban model as standard practice and require special efforts to build what we should be building.
St. Louis is hot right now. We’ve got buildings being renovated all over the city and new construction is popping up in many neighborhoods. If things go well we will continue over the next 5-10 years to see more and more new construction.
But what will this new construction look like?
Will it be the suburban model of generic building surrounded by parking lots or will it be the type of sensitive scale mixed use buildings that we are seeing in areas like Lafayette Square? Lafayette Square, you will note, doesn’t rely solely on the zoning code because they have their own historic district standards which mandate urban design. They have no worries about a drive-thru lane.
But what about the rest of the city?
We were quite dense and urban at one point in our history. Those of us that consider ourselves urbanists want — no demand — that we put ourselves on a course to become much more urban in the near future. The Slay administration is doing so only in small doses — mostly downtown.
Sorry Francis, that just isn’t enough.
Get the zoning code updated — NOW!
– Steve
PS added @ 8:30am. The new code should be form based zoning.
I think the aldermen like the current system of confusion, where they can be a developer’s friend or foe, and can freely choose to listen or ignore neighborhood feedback.
Right now, you have a Zoning Section in the Building Division at City Hall, where you have to go for zoning review and conditional use permits. Yet you also have a Planning Agency up on Locust, where you have to go for changes in zoning, historic review, and planned unit developments. And almost any action by the Planning Commission, which is separate from the Board of Adjustment and Preservation Board, usually requires an action by the Aldermanic Housing, Urban Design and Zoning or Neighborhood Development Committees.
Confused? Well, it’s intentional. Because as alderman, if I like your project, I’ll help you through these hoops, but if not, they’re my roadblocks to stop you. And such aldermanic intervention occurs with or without the support of residents in our neighborhoods.
[REPLY – Well folks Brian’s comment pretty much sums up the truth of the matter. Once again it is the aldermanic system holding us back from being a great city again. Half are up for election early next year. The others can be recalled anytime. They aren’t going to do it — so we must. – SLP]
Back when the Planning & Urban Design Agency was created in 1999, I wish Harmon had had the guts to move Zoning over there. Likewise, after longtime zoning administrator and former 8th ward alderman John Koch passed away, I thought there was another similar opportunity. But neither occurred.
And that’s pretty much because most of the aldermen like it that way, and the mayor has no interest in changing the system as far as I can tell, so long as it serves his (and Barb’s) interests.
Sorry to break this to you, but the truth is that most people are very happy with their alderman (thank you very much) and they couldn’t care less about city planning and zoning.
The vast majority of city residents are much more concerned about whether or not their dumpsters are emptied on time.
[REPLY – Sad but true, most don’t care about planning. So let the Aldermen worry about the constituent’s dumpsters and leave the planning to professionals, not politicians! – SLP]
Rollin Stanley presented his new technological plan to the MO APA chapter and was widely recognized for the advancements into the 21st century with the comprehensive plan. When will it be up for voting or how can it be approved through St. Louis City?
Alderman Trashed, we seriously do care about this even though the average citizen is not aware they are immensely affected.
Its not that they dont care about zoning, most dont know what it is and how it relates to their everyday lives. I am sure they care about the fact their neighbor is a nasty fast food chain that has glaring lights and doesn’t get their trash picked up for weeks at a time (check out the Jack-in-the-box at Chippewa and Kingshighway- they had about 20 bags of trash sitting on top of a full dumpster with birds picking away at it) These things can be covered with zoning and ordinances. Zoning is what keeps pawn shops from putting flashing lights and Illuminated signs in their windows (Same intersection). It keeps porn palaces from being built next to churches and schools. It keeps places like McDonalds from tearing down the two houses to the left of you and putting in a new restaurant just because they feel like it. Zoning should not be about aldermen, but instead about the people who review the drawings, plans, and proposed changes to any area in St. Louis.
Zoning and Planning wonks agree, zoning matters.
Little old ladies and gentlemen are the bread and butter of aldermanic power and re-election.
Little old ladies and men don’t care about zoning, but rather their social security check, and whether their niece or nephew firefighter or police officer will have the residency requirement removed.
When aldermen do things to make old people happy, they stay in office.
How many old people do you see complaining about zoning?
They complain about their dumpsters, leaf removal, and the condition of their neighbor’s garage.
Funny then that “a lot old ladies and men” forced the City to back down from a former Southtown K-Mart proposal.
Day-to-day, granted, many constituents don’t care much about planning and zoning. But when it comes to the bigger projects, residents are definitely vocal.
And as much as residents like their aldermen, they often love their neighborhood associations. And it’s these groups and their leaders, whom the aldermen then usually run development plans by, at least if they want to remain aldermen.
Don’t you think that Rollin’s land use plan is a bit underwhelming?
There’s so much use segregation in it that you would never guess an urbanist hotshot created it.
Funny you should mention Lafayette Square. I believe that at one time the 1947 zoning-codes once called for the demolition of Lafayette Square, as well as Soulard.
Conspiracy theories are entertaining but perhaps our zoning codes are merely keeping pace with…
3.12.010, 3.12.020 Board of Police Commissioners to issue ID cards and automobile placards for members of the press and attaches of radio stations
3.16.010 City Welfare Department’s Public Defender Bureau shall provide legal services to poor accused of ordinance violation
3.22.100 Coroner may pay someone up to $2 to bring a dead body to shore
3.36 Part 5 Management of Bellefontaine Farms and Meramec Hills (St. Louis Industrial Farm for Girls) by Dept. of Welfare’s Board of Children’s Services
3.46 Model City Agency established
8.84 Regulation of charitable solicitations
9.06 Regulation of ice for sale
9.12.010 Commissioner of Weights and Measures
11.28.010 Prohibition on sale of abortifacients
12.16.010 Robert Koch Hospital established for treatment of tuberculosis
12.28.010 The City Bacteriologist shall carry on his work in the Snodgrass Laboratory
12.44.040 Registration and Regulation of Midwives
15.32.010 Decent Literature Commission appointed by mayor
15.86.010 Prohibition on fortunetellers, clairvoyants, spirit mediums, necromancers, seers, astrologists, palmists
15.142 Prohibition on bringing paupers and insane persons into the city
etcetera