Blog

By Carol Arnett

The Florissant City Council heard from three potential new businesses at the city council meeting last Monday. They held a public hearing for each of the businesses.

The first hearing concerned a request by Angela

Dachroeden to rezone the home at 520 Brown Street from Historic Residential District to Historic Business District for small shop. This is the house behind Fritz’s Frozen Custard. The exit drive from Fritz’s to Brown Street runs along the home’s back yard.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P & Z) recommended denial of the request. Councilman John Grib asked Jane Boyle, who serves on the P & Z Commission, to speak about why the request was denied.

“We looked at Brown Street as a whole,” she said. “Every house that faces Brown Street is residential.” She added that the commission thought the rezoning would encroach on residential areas.  “Although the home is adjacent to businesses—  that happens in Old Town,” Boyle said.

Councilman Tim Lee asked Dachroeden if she knew that the property was zoned residential when she purchased it. She responded that she did.

In the second public hearing of the night, the council heard plans to turn the old Sonic Drive-in site at 8453 North Lindbergh into a surgical center.

The center would be affiliated with the Eye Center farther south on Lindbergh. It would be a new, 4,000 square foot, one story building. It would be built so it could easily be expanded 2,000 square feet toward the back of the property.

The center would keep the same curb cuts on Lindbergh and Mater Dei Drive that Sonic had.

Mayor Tom Schneider said that he was in favor of the project, and he believed nearby residents would be also. “The condominium owners would rather have a surgery center than a fast food place.”

In the fourth public hearing, Mark Gillette asked the council for a special use permit to run an auto repair business at 1890 N. Highway 67. He said it would be a small, one-man shop, with only him working there. Councilman Keith Schildroth said that he thought it was a good use of the property and wished Gillette luck.

The council passed an ordinance approving the business.

In other action, the council:

• Passed two bills dealing with keeping animals and fowl in the city. Recently, there have been several requests to keep chickens and other animals, prompting the council to update the ordinances regarding animals.

• Appropriated funds to hire a part-time inspector and  part-time inspection clerk for the Department of Public Works.

•  Passed an ordinance transferring a special use permit from Joe’s Pub at 490 rue St. Francois to Bottom’s Up Sports Bar.

• Passed an ordinance appropriating $20,000 from the Park Improvement Fund to install a Frisbee golf course at Dunegant Park.