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By Carol Arnett

The first public hearing at Monday’s Florissant City Council meeting was a continuation of a previous hearing regarding a request for a special use permit to Taste Buds Catering to allow for the operation of a catering center and diner at 1A Mullanphy Gardens Shopping Center.

Connie Bobo spoke for Taste Buds. She said that some plans had changed. Originally, she wanted to have a teen café at the business, but has decided against it. “We’re just going to do a business café and cater more to businesses, so the hours would be from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.”

Councilman Tim Lee asked her to expand on her idea. He said he had hoped to hear from her earlier, but had not.

“The teen café is off. There was just too much resistance,” Bobo said. “It will be a place where professionals can come and have meetings if they want to,” Bobo said. “It will also be open to the public.”

“I’m still a little confused about this business café,” Lee said. Bobo said that the business would carry coffee, tea, and sandwiches. They will also offer Wi-Fi and computers.

“I’m going to be looking at drawing up the legislation for the special use permit,” Lee said. “Because we’re doing something totally different now, this is kind of throwing a curve at the last minute.”

“Basically, you’re just going to run a restaurant,” Councilman Gerard Henke asked. Bobo replied that it would be. “You’re not going to be serving alcohol?” Eagan asked. Bobo replied that they would not.

No one spoke in opposition at the hearing.

   The second public hearing was about a request for a special use permit for HRLH, Viet-Thai for a restaurant at 8458 N. Lindbergh. Amy Purdy spoke for the restaurant.

“We are a Vietnamese and Thai restaurant,” Purdy said. “In this area, we have a lot of Thai restaurant, but not a lot of Vietnamese, so it will be a good adventure for everybody.”

Hours will be 10 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. seven days a week. They will be seeking a liquor license.

Purdy also owns Thai restaurants in O’Fallon, St. Peters, and Chesterfield. “We know how to run a restaurant, Huynh said. The council held a first reading on the bill approving the restaurant.

   In the third hearing, Kevin McDaniel of Bootsy’s BBQ and Burgers requested an amendment to his special use permit to allow for an outdoor smoker at the restaurant at 12675 New Halls Ferry Road. He said that currently, the restaurant does all smoking at his north city location and brings the smoker to Florissant because he is not comfortable leaving the smoker at the city location.

“I really have no problem with the whatever,” said Councilman Mark Schmidt. He did however, say that McDaniel had smokers going already, which was not allowed previously. “I have a problem with that,” he said. “You’re getting approved for one smoker, and you had two back there,” he said.

McDaniel said that he left the smokers on to create the smell that people associate with a barbecue restaurant. He said that he never did any cooking on them.

The council held a first reading on the bill approving the restaurant.

   In the fourth public hearing, Handyman Hardware requested an amendment to their special use permit to include digital on their sign at the store at 2635 N. Hwy. 67. The company recently updated the signs at the Telegraph store in South County and the new sign will be similar to the one there. It will include an electronic message portion. The council held a first reading on the bill approving the sign.

  New Wal-Mart Opens This Week

Mayor Tom Schneider said the new Wal-Mart store will open on Wednesday morning on North Lindbergh. He was planning to attend the ribbon cutting. He noted that this could be the first Wal-Mart opened in the metro area without public financing. Wal-Mart was denied TIF financing when it first announced plans to build in Florissant two years ago. The new store was built without public funding. The mayor said the area has the “economic engine” to support the new mega store.

In other action, the council:

• Approved a liquor license for the 7 Eleven store at at 900 Shackelford.
• Held a first reading on an ordinance allowing the repainting of masonry at the Advance Auto Parts at 2700 N. Hwy. 67.

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