HUDZ Committee & Aldermanic Courtesy

The controversial Board Bill #39, to amend the Grand/Gravois/Meramec redevelopment area to allow a drive-thru on a single parcel along the mile-long area (encompassing 61 acres), is not on the formal agenda for the Housing, Urban Design and Zoning Committee meeting for this Wednesday morning at 10am (room 208 city hall).

Committee Chair Alfred Wessels (13th Ward), probably one of the strongest supporters of aldermanic courtesy, has the ability to allow for last minute additions to the agenda. We’ll see if he tries to pull a fast one to help out his colleague in need.

Wessels has told me directly he supports the old practice of “deferring” to the wishes of an alderman as they assume he/she knows what is best for their own ward. Back in the day when nothing new was being built and aldermen were just handing out patronage jobs and putting up stop signs, where requested, such a practice might have been OK. Wessels has been in office so long it is likely a challenge for him to think any differently than they have for decades.

But this old school tradition sells the city short — big time. Today’s developments are bigger in scale than anything we’ve seen for a good 40 years yet we are treating major planning issues like small time concerns. Nobody in city government is looking out for the city as a whole. We’ve adopted a new strategic land use plan but it is a worthless document until our zoning is modernized from its 1940s roots.

Planning wise the city is in a mess. Aldermen are selfishly protecting their territories to the detriment of the city as a whole. Aldermanic courtesy must end if we are to update our zoning and look at how we are to redevelop those areas of the city that have been damaged through suburban sprawl and abandonment over the last 50 years. We cannot thrive under the current political structure.

Those aldermen, such as Florida and Wessels, who support Aldermanic Courtesy need to be sent back to their day jobs or at the very least get a strong message that we will no longer tolerate them deferring their legislative duties to the wishes of a single person.

– Steve

Tower Grove Farmer’s Market a Huge Success!

The speeches haven’t even begun opening the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market but if the first few hours are any indication, it will be hugely successful.

Occupying a small paved area west of the Pool Pavilion (which itself is on the West side fo the traffic circle), the market was full and vendors and paying customers.

Organic produce, live plants, eggs and meats. Other local items such as handmade soaps, bread, and pasta rounded out the selection.

The only problem was really a good one, lots of people and bicycles. It was crowded but that added to the feeling of success. Had the same number of people and vendors been spread over a wider area it wouldn’t have been as good.

Bike parking was an issue so some secured their bikes to the fence of the nearby tennis courts or light poles. Hopefully before the end of the market in October some bike racks can get installed nearby. Joining the Friends of Tower Grove Park might help that cause.

I noticed many residents walking to the farmer’s market both from Tower Grove South and Shaw neighborhoods. That is really great as I’d hate to see so many cars in the park that someone starts thinking a parking lot is needed.

Big kudos to all the organizers, sponsors and elected officials (including Ald. Jennifer Florida), for making this happen.

See additional photos on Flickr.

– Steve

Fox 2 News’ Elliot Davis Interviewing Ald. Florida

I’m reporting today from the Board of Aldermen meeting. Following the meeting Fox 2 News reporter Elliot Davis began questioning Ald. Florida. From the balcony I can’t hear his questions or her answers. Suburban Journal reporter Jim Merkel followed Davis in questioning Ald. Florida.

On a side note, the aldermanic chambers are absolutely stunning. The public balcony is located on the third floor of city hall. If you have not attended a meeting before give it some consideration if you are downtown on a Friday morning.

– Steve

Board of Adjustment To Render Decision Regardless of New Design

On April 19, 2006 the Board of Adjustment tabled a decision on the citizen appeal of a drive-thru variance for a proposed McDonald’s on South Grand. At that hearing Ald. Jennifer Florida stated “they” would be revising the McDonald’s plan to reflect the Toronto standards that I first suggested on March 20, 2006. Funny, but it almost sounded like Florida considered herself part of the development team rather than the people’s representative. But, I digress…

A May 4, 2006 , letter from the Board of Adjustment states:

“If plans are not received within 2 weeks of the date of this letter, the Board will deliberate upon this matter with evidence already received. If revised plans are timely received, this appeal will be rescheduled for a later date.”

So is the wonder team of Pyramid, McDonald’s, Core States Engineering and spokeswoman Jennifer Florida working on a revised site plan? Probably, because it did not seem like the Board of Adjustment was impressed with the standard menu of small building, tons of parking and excessive curb cuts.

I just called the city’s zoning department to inquire if any new plans have been submitted, I am awaiting a return phone call. Meanwhile the deadline is a week from today.

I have re-read Toronto’s “Urban Design Guidelines for Site with Drive-Through Facilities” and I must say it is quite complete (4.9mb PDF file). The document covers the history of drive-thrus, problems associated with them and reasons for seeking to control where and how they are built. The document should be adopted by every other city in North America, including St. Louis.

Any facility with a drive-thru that is being touted as applying these guidelines needs to front on all public streets. So, a business such that is not on a corner should have its building up to the single street it faces. Those located on corners, however, should have their structures up to the public sidewalk on both streets. Anything less is simply lip service.

The original site plan of the proposed McDonald’s had three curb cuts, two on Grand and one on Winnebego. Way too many for a single business. Anything they submit needs to have no more than two curb cuts. Lighting should also be carefully designed to minimize glare on neighboring properties. But as I’ve said before, this really shouldn’t matter. The McDonald’s could & should just rebuild on their current site and Pyramid should build a mixed use project on the old Sears site.

– Steve

Sign the Recall Florida Petition at Tower Grove Park on Saturday

Volunteers will be taking signatures from folks wanting to sign the Recall Florida petition this Saturday from 9am to 11am near the new Tower Grove Farmer’s Market. Look for volunteers in Recall Florida t-shirts near the new Tower Grove Farmer’s Market opening this Saturday just West of the Pool Pavilion. This is just West of the main traffic circle, see #20 on this map.

Be sure to check out the market but it looks quite promising with some great vendors lined up. It will run every Saturday into October.

[UPDATE 5/11/06 @ 11:45am. I revised the headline to remove the Farmer’s Market reference. I also made it clear the volunteers with the petition will not be in the market but near the market. As people have commented, this market is a great thing for the city and has absolutely zero involvement with the recall effort.]

– Steve