Council Overrides City Planners on Proposed Fresh Market Site

Despite a negative recommendation by the Creve Coeur Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff, Creve Coeur city council members voted 7-1 Monday to approve a text amendment that will keep alive the possibility of bringing luxury grocer The Fresh Market to the city.

Ward 4 Councilwoman Jeanne Rhoades was the lone dissenting vote.

The Koman Group sought the change in zoning protocols to give council the ability to hear site development plans that fall outside the setback requirements along Olive Boulevard. The Fresh Market has submitted a plan that leaves the building 104 feet from Olive Boulevard. City codes call for 80 feet.

"This Isn't A Referendum On Fresh Market"

As is often the case, public sentiment expressed Monday over the text amendment had more to do with issues tied to the specific project and not the implication of the specific change itself.

Margie Jaffe and her husband Martin spoke of the benefits of bringing The Fresh Market to Creve Coeur, citing the ability to bring shoppers to town instead of going to cities like Brentwood or Town and Country to shop at Straub's or Whole Foods. Judy Pass spoke of the potential for The Fresh Market to attract high end businesses to the proposed city center.

"This isn't a Referendum on Fresh Market," said Creve Coeur's Director of Community Development Paul Langdon. Langdon has repeatedly said that moves that change setback requirements erodes the overall goal of improving pedestrian-friendly access along Olive with buildings that are closer to the street.

While it was not part of considering the text amendment, considerable time was spent debating Monday what to do about proposed loading docks for the project, which face Olive Boulevard as currently proposed.

An architect on the project said topography on the rear of the property prevented putting the docks there and would be the only option that would allow trucks pulling in and out of the property to access the docks without wading into traffic on Olive. A suggestion to enclose the docks was rebuffed due to building heights and a nearby trash compacter.

The site development plan will now be in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission next Monday night.

"The site plan will face challenges whether you approve this or not," Langdon told council members prior to the vote.

Remembering Mike McDowell (See Accompanying Video Clip)

A moment of silence was held after the meeting invocation to remember the late Mike McDowell, the longtime area city administrator who served Creve Coeur and Olivette before recently moving to a similar position in Wentzville. McDowell died suddenly on Friday. His funeral was held Monday at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Creve Coeur.