By Antonio D. French
Filed Friday, June 23, 2006 at 9:52 AM
On Wednesday the St. Louis City Board of Adjustment heard testimony from people for and against a proposed new McDonalds drive-thru restaurant on South Grand Ave. In a closed session after their public meeting, the members of the board voted to deny the opponent's appeal to an earlier ruling granting the hamburger chain a conditional use permit. Labels: Development, Video_Reports
This controversial development has been the spark of an on-going effort to recall Ald. Jennifer Florida, in whose ward the new McDonalds would be built. Florida, who has expressed her support for the plan, was not at this week's meeting.
Alderman Craig Schmid was at the meeting. He continues to break with the longstanding tradition known as "aldermanic courtesy" -- when aldermen usually bow to the wishes of other aldermen as it relates to issues in their wards -- and again testified against the development.
Also testifying against the McDonalds was blogger and "urbanist" Steve Patterson. Patterson has been a vocal critic of this plan for months on his Urban Review blog.
No private citizens spoke in favor of the development, but two representatives from McDonalds did. Attorney Gary H. Feder told the board the development plan for that area (which forbids drive-thru restaurants) does not preempt city zoning ordinances which do allow for conditional use permits to be issued.
6 Comments:
Even in a non-redevelopment district, a drive-thru would still be a conditional use. So you'd think a district specifically forbidding drive-thrus would be condition enough to deny a use that even elsewhere is only granted conditionally. Anyone with any education in land use law would know that what is happening in this case is spot-zoning, a dangerous precedent that opens up the entire city to equal consideration.
6/23/2006 12:02 PM
IT'S TIME TO RECALL J-FLO!!
6/23/2006 12:17 PM
Anon number 2, why don't you volunteer and collect signatures? Any help is appreciated.
Instead of being upset, people need to take action. People can sit at home and complain during dinner, but unless you do something, you will be complaining all your life.
6/23/2006 12:24 PM
Burgle, burgle... I'm so glad that I'm moving across Grand! That other place was so slimy! Burgle. Too bad that the new place will have the same management and employees. Burgle, Burgle...
6/24/2006 9:47 AM
This move is part of the overall plan for development from Gravois to Chippewa.
And, Gravois Park, you can't always get what you want. Btw, you have the highest crime rate in the city, and this McDonald's will alleviate that crime. You've been weeded and weeded and weeded and now it's time for you to be seeded with a Big Mac!
6/24/2006 9:52 AM
Anon #1:
What I've been told, although I have not looked for myself, is that while the proposed McDs and drive-through are not within the scope of the redevelopment plan, they are within the zoning. Further, that while zoning can be relied upon as a matter of law, redevelopment plans cannot, and cannot truly be enforced. Finally, since the drive-through would be allowed by current zoning, there is no spot zoning involved in this situation. As I said, I have not checked this out, but I have this all on good authority from someone with a planning background.
6/27/2006 9:42 PM
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