Blog

By Carol Arnett

The Florissant City Council started the new year with six public hearings at their first meeting, including a hearing about the old fire house in Old Town.

Jeffrey D. Brehm is requesting a zoning change for the firehouse, located at 605 rue St. Catherine. It is currently zoned “Historic Residential District,” and he would like it to be zoned to “Historic Business District” to accommodate his business.

Brehm owns Computer Aided Measurement Services (CAMS), a business that provides equipment and expertise in measuring large objects, such as planes and boats. Brehm started the business after several years with Boeing.

Brehm would use the former station house for his business and live in the former administration building.

Brehm called the building a good fit for his business. Most of the company’s work is done off site. The company constructs portable stations that employees  take with them to measure objects. These are about the size of a large toolbox on wheels. These and the company’s vehicles would be stored in the garage, Brehm said.

The company has two employees, who are often in the field, Brehm said, and should receive minimal UPS or FedEx shipments.

Three of the hearings dealt with sign issues. The shopping center at 428-490 Howdershell Road requested permission for a new sign. This is the center with Max’s Meats, between Keeven Lane and Flordawn Drive. The council noted that improvements the council  requested were made by the center’s owner.

Uncle Bob’s Self Storage at 450 West Washington also requested permission for a new sign. Councilman Keith Schildroth noted that there have been no complaints about the storage facility and said it was a good business.

GMT Auto Sales, at 225 N. Hwy 67, also requested permission for a new sign. However, they noted that the sign is already up. Council members questioned how that happened. The representative from the sign company took responsibility for not getting appropriate permissions before installing the sign.

The remaining two hearings dealt with a mechanical contractor and a cocktail lounge. There was a request to amend the zoning code to allow the business at 890 Lafayette to store equipment and materials inside the business. This is the corner of Lafayette and St. Antoine in Old Town.

There was also a request by Cory and Teara Frazier to open Toast Time Lounge at 12781 New Halls Ferry Road. This is in a strip center on New Halls Ferry south of Parker Road. Councilman Mark Schmidt noted that the business was a bar before it was annexed, and this couple was buying it. “I have no problem with this,” he said.

No one spoke in opposition at any of the hearings.

In other action, the council approved full liquor by the drink licenses for Chipotle Mexican Grill at 2393 N. Hwy. 67, Chinese Gourmet at 14065 New Halls Ferry Rd., and Toast Time Lounge at 12781 New Halls Ferry Rd.