Residents Oppose Development at Olive and 170 at Olivette Meeting

Olivette elected officials found a new way to clear a public meeting room. An overflow crowd came to the Tuesday night city council meeting to to watch the vote on Bill 2700, dealing with an ordinance amendment to create an MU Gateway mixed use district and to rezone property to allow only certain types of development.

When Attorney Paul Martin recommended the vote be delayed until the first meeting in September, any planned fireworks were mostly put on hold.

A number of residents from nearby Stoneleigh Towers subdivision and some area developers spoke anyway, then the entourage quickly cleared the room.

Such as it goes as the wheels of government grind slowly, especially with land use development.

Mayor Arthur Merdinian thinks the plans for the southeast corner of Olive Street at I-170 will still get done. Presently, only an Office Max store stands on that heavily-wooded, oddly shaped flag lot.

“I think if we can get the wording of the ordinance to the point where everyone is comfortable with it, I think we can get it passed. Right now, it needs a little bit of refinement.”

The people of Stoneleigh Towers continue to resist any major development plans.

“We’ve been working with the people of Stoneleigh Towers over the last three or four weeks since it was introduced to incorporate their concerns into the zoning district.

This is an odd-shape and there is a large portion of that property that is heavily wooded and has been zoned commercial for years. It is difficult when you back up to trees, but when people moved in, they knew there was always that possibility it was going to be developed. Over the years, that possibility has been there,” said the mayor.

Steve Noles and his partner Bob Elkan of Noles Properties oppose this measure.

The partners have spent significant time and money to attract a premier convenience store operator to take over this property situation by a busy highway. “During the course of those discussions, we were hamstrung by the Joint Overlay District, and then assured that we would be back on track when the district expired. Instead, the City extended the district, again assuring us that we would be back on track upon the new expiration date.” said Noles.

All of this was outlined in a letter to the city dated August 28, 2012.

“Instead, we are faced with a new zoning proposal that precludes any realistic development of our property,” said Noles.

Noles has now previewed what he sees as a possible legal fight between his company and the city.

Richard C. Shepard and his partner Dennis DeSantis of Gateway-Commercial and Shepard Real Estate Services of Chesterfield have already developed 19 other MoDot remnants at the conclusion of similar road and bridge project. (rebuild of the highway and bridge at I-170 and Olive several years ago).

Correspondence the two have received from the city indicates that there is no interest in allowing any service stations or traditional adjoining retail.

“A gas station wants to be there because I-170 and Olive is a perfect spot for one, and could be both attractive and advantageous,” said Shepard in his letter to Olivette dated August 27, 2012.

Surely, the developers and residents of Stoneleigh Towers will refill the chairs at city hall when the council takes up Bill 2700 at the first council meeting in September.