Politics & Government

Frontenac Places a Six Month Moratorium on Land Use Development

City planners will update the long-range plans before proceeding.

Frontenac has nine very enticing acres of land just west of Lindbergh on Clayton Road at 10601 Clayton Rd. and 10605 Clayton Rd. Developers have come to the city with some different ideas and concepts.

“That’s why we have to be so careful, because we have so little of it (land) said Keith Krieg, Frontenac’s mayor. “Whatever we do will last for decades,” said the mayor.

The board of aldermen put a six month moratorium on development activities while the comprehensive plan is updated for land use regulations.

In the vernacular, planners will have to “cool their jets.”

Reliance Bank would like to redevelop the property on the northwest corner of Clayton and Lindbergh. Stephen Bahn of Bahn Commercial Real Estate has a contract with the Ladue School District to either sell or lease the abandoned Ladue Early Childhood Center building, known to old timers as the Wright School.

Bahn is assembling adjacent properties and has three home owners property under contract and is negotiating the fourth  on the acreage all the way to Spoede Road. One long-time resident, with property abutting the proposed redevelopment area is very concerned what might be in store for the future.

“We don’t know what will be proposed for that property yet. I told the Ladue superintendent (Dr. Marsha Chappelow) we might get all kinds of great proposals, or in this economic climate, we might get nothing,” said Bahn. Bahn is prepared to send out requests for proposals locally and nationally, just as soon as the moratorium is lifted.

“That’s why we are studying this,” said the City’s Attorney Kevin O’Keefe. The attorney carefully explained any plans would fall in line with maintaining and preserving the integrity of the city.

The city held a public hearing about this issue in conjunction with the establishment of the moratorium while land use planners study it further.

Amending the building code

In other business, the city adopted an ordinance allowing the building code to allow the architectural review board to grant variances under certain conditions in the R-2 residential district.

By that, smaller new developments in West End Park along Lindbergh will allow for homes with brick and stone facades in front be wrapped with vinyl on three sides. Currently, the Frontenac building code requires all new construction to use the primary front building material on 60 percent of the structure.


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