Politics & Government

Council Members Deny Bid To Table Delmar Gardens Plan

Executives for the senior living facility in Creve Coeur have only until January 14 to address questions raised by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission in rejecting the company's plans for a major project on Ladue Road.

After months of meetings, plans and input, Creve Coeur City Council members decided Monday they would not wait three more months to take further action on Delmar Gardens' proposed development plan for Ladue Road.

The proposal, which would rezone land near Interstate 270 for assisted and independent living facilities along with single-family residential homes, was rejected by Creve Coeur's Planning and Zoning Commission. That negative recommendation from P&Z was on Monday's Council agenda for a first reading.

but did not have one of the main principals in the project involved at the meeting Monday. A project consultant, Dan Lang, represented Delmar Gardens and said others had schedule conflicts.

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"It feels almost presumptuous that we would automatically give this deferral, is what it feels like to me," Ward 3 Councilwoman Charlotte D'Alfonso told Lang.

A Delmar Gardens executive declined to tell Patch in a phone interview Friday how the company's proposal might look different in three months time or how the city's comprehensive plan, which planning and zoning commissioners cited in making their negative recommendation, might be different.

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Monday, Lang said company executives wanted more time to get independent research on the need for more senior living facilities in Creve Couer and the region. That request fell on deaf ears for several council members who felt like the time already spent on the process, some 56 days from the last Planning and Zoning meeting on the topic to next month's council meeting, January 14, will have provided Delmar Gardens enough time to respond.

"This is not ok to be even considering this unless there is substantial reason to," D'Alfonso said in reading a prepared statement that lasted roughly seven minutes. "If they have something new, and its substantially new, then they need to start right over at the beginning all over again." 

Ward 3 Councilman Dr. Bob Hoffman pointed out project backers could also seek a deferral prior to the January meeting if necessary.

Council members voted 6-1 against Monday's request, with Ward 1 Councilwoman Beth Kistner the lone opponent. Ward 4 Councilwoman Jeanne Rhoades was absent. No actual vote on the project was required Monday as part of the first council reading.

Lang deferred comment on the outcome to Delmar Gardens officials. An executive for the firm did not return a text message seeking comment late Monday.


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