City Pit Bull Ban Still Protested;

Wal-Mart has Parking Lot Problem

By Carol Arnett

The Florissant City Council once again heard from several people who would like to see the city council overturn the city’s ban on pit bulls. The breed specific legislation (BSL) has been criticized for punishing all pit bulls.

The city has legislation regarding dangerous dogs, and protesters urged the council to use that legislation to deal with dogs who have caused problems. Advocates against BSL have spoken at the last few council meetings, urging the council to look into the legislation.

The council also held a public hearing about the new Wal-Mart. Raymond Frankenberg II, an engineer on the project, spoke to the council. He told the council that a portion of the parking lot is moving. The area would be to the right as someone exited the store, at the corner of the lot farthest from the store. The parking lot as well as the ground beyond it is moving.

Four acres are moving, Frankenberg said. They are moving in the direction of Coldwater Creek. He said that there is a layer of soft grey clay which is very soft about 80 feet down. When it rains, a lot, “it liquefies, if you will.” In very dry periods, he said, the movement almost stops.

Two geotechnical firms are working on a solution. The have been monitoring the movement.

   The solution, Frankenberg said, was to take weight off the area. The company plans to haul off approximately 35,000 cubic years of material. This will take between seven and 15 weeks, Frankenburg said. “Once we’ve unloaded the first 12,000 yards of material, should see movement stop,” he said

A portion of the parking lot will be closed as the material is unloaded. The trucks moving the material will work from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week, Frankenburg said.

Councilman Joe Eagan noted that when the store closed a portion of the parking lot, they reduced the number of spots to less than the number called for in the original plan.

“You’re operating the business out of ordinance,” Eagan said. He added that it should not be a surprise that the land was moving. “Building a building on a creek is a bad idea. I can’t believe people smarter than me did not know that,” he said.

Councilman Tim Jones said that he thought Wal-Mart was not fixing all the problems. “You guys are going to be coming up to us after this,” he said, with more problems. He spoke about residents nearby who were affected. Wal-Mart bought one home in the area because of damage to the yard.

”What you did to those residents is terrible,” Jones said.

“I’m a heavy equipment operator by trade. There’s no way that wouldn’t affect her yard. There’s a bunch of problems there and you are dealing with them piece meal.”

Eagan added that he would like to change the hours that trucks can be working in the area. “We made those people’s lives hell up there during construction. Could we start at 8 instead of 7 and let them sleep?” he asked.

   In other matters , the council

• Passed a bill that allows changed to the existing ground sign for the property at 696 N. Hwy. 67
• Passed a bill allowing a new landscaping plan for the Commercial Bank at 400 W. Washington.
• Passed a bill that provides additional penalties for failure to pay for solid waste collection.
• Approved a request for a package liquor at tasting permit for CVS Pharmacy at 696-698 N. Hwy 67.
• Passed a resolution supporting a grant application for park improvements to Manion Park.

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