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Wal-Mart Gains Final Council Approval
By Carol Arnett
Although some members expressed their reservations about the project, the Florissant City Council voted unanimously to amend the zoning of property to allow for a Wal-Mart in the city.
Councilman Joe Eagan offered an amendment to the ordinance regarding the security at the store.
“Quite candidly,” Eagan said, “Wal-Mart has shown me that they are very good at skirting the intents of our ordinances in the city.” His amendment specified that at least one security guard be provided between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The security guards shall be off-duty Florissant police officers if Florissant police officers are reasonably available. If off-duty Flroissant police officers are not reasonably available, then the security guard shall be a Missouri certified class A police officer.
Wal-Mart first presented the idea of a store in Florissant to the city four years ago. The first plan used Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and several members of the city council spoke out at the time against using TIF for the project.
The approved plan calls for a Transportation Development District (TDD). This financing plan allows the developer to sell bonds, and then levy a tax at businesses in the district to pay them off. The funds raised can only be used for transportation improvements. The TDD was approved by the Circuit Court of St. Louis County.
Councilman Tim Lee said he wasn’t planning on speaking, but he wanted to clear up misconceptions about the financing of the project.
“Early in this process several years ago, I went on record saying that I would not support any type of tax abatement, TIF financing, or CID financing,” Lee said. “There is no special financing being given to this project. This council… stood together and said we would not consider a TIF even though the developer said they would walk away without a TIF. They came back with a CID and this council also stood together and said we would not support a CID and the CID went away.”
Lee continued, “this project was approved with no public financing. Not a single penny will be taken from any school district or fire district of the city. Every entity will come out ahead. There’s not a single person that losing a nickel of tax revenue because of this project coming in.”
Eagan added that he was opposed to the TDD financing being used for the project. “I want to make it clear I’m opposed to the use of the TDD. That was done behind our backs. The TDD was formed with the approval of the court over the city’s objections,” Eagan said.
Council President Keith Schildroth echoed Eagan’s words. “our hands are tied by the courts, as [City Attorney] Mr. Hessel advised us. Schildroth said that the city attorney and the mayor advised the court of the city’s position, but the court approved the TDD over their objections.
The new store will be a large Wal-Mart with a grocery center. It will be approximately 170,000 square feet large, with a minimum of 852 parking spots.
The approved plan puts the store on the west site of the property. Cars will enter at a new light on Lindbergh, which will be shared with businesses on the other side of Lindbergh.
The property, at 3350 and 3400 N. Highway 67 and 3605, will be rezoned as a B-5 planned commerical district, which allows for the construction of a new retail center. The site is near the intersection of New Halls Ferry Rd. and Lindbergh Blvd., south of Lindbergh between Lowe’s and Coldwater Creek. The site is currently zoned B-3 Extensive Commercial District and M-2 Industrial District.
