Blog

By Carol Arnett

Representatives from Wal-Mart were back before the Florissant City Council again Monday night, this time with a revised plan for the proposed store at 2375 N. Hwy. 67. This is the property east of Lowes and west of the Candlewyck subdivision on Lindbergh.

The biggest change to the plan is that the store will no longer be on the east side of the property. Jeff Otto, with THF Development, the company working with Wal-Mart, explained that the store will now on the west side of the property. The main entrance will still be from the light on Lindbergh. A new entrance to businesses on the other side of Lindbergh will be created so they can share the light. The store size will remain the same, but there won’t be a drive-though pharmacy.

Otto addressed two issues that the city had with the previous plan. First, there was a flood plain issue with the dirt being moved for the project. Otto explained that dirt will be moved from one area of the site to another, which will not affect the flood plain.

A second issue the council had was the traffic on Lindbergh and trucks trying to exit to the left out of the site. Otto said that all delivery trucks would be instructed to arrive from the west and make a right turn into the store. They would also be instructed to leave the store by turning right and going east on Lindbergh to Highway 367.

Councilman Tim Lee noted that the project will use a Transportation Taxing District (TDD). In this funding mechanism, taxes are collected from stores on the site to pay for transportation improvements. Lee asked how long the tax would be collected. Otto replied that it could be collected for 40 years, but he was not sure if it would need to be.

The council also had concerns about some parking spots at the back of the store. The plan showed approximately 80 spots. Lee asked if they were for employee parking. Otto said they could be used for that, but employees or customers who parked there would need to walk around to the front of the store to enter.

Councilman Joe Eagan asked about hours. Otto said the store still planned to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The council previously required that a security guard be present in the night hours.

Five people spoke in favor of the store. They included the seller of the property and the owner of nearby property. This new plan will require city council approval.

In other matters, the council held a public hearing and passed a bill approving a new sign for St. Louis Bread Company. All the chain’s locations are changing their signs to a slightly different design.

The council also passed a bill approving funds for the children’s theater programs at the Valley of Flowers Festival. This funds will be reimbursed with a grant. The council also approved a request by Peggy McLullison to keep four chickens at her home on Elwood Court.

After the meeting, Mayor Schneider  talked about the successful Business Showcase/Taste of North County, the city co-hosted with the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce

“When the chamber came to me and asked how we could make the 25th anniversary special, I said two words – feed them,” Schneider said.

“The Civic Center  probably was the most crowded it’s ever been.”

“The Taste of North County was a great addition. It was a bargain; you couldn’t eat all the food they had available for just $5. We may have to move the food tables downstairs” as the mayor was already talking about next year.