Public Hearing Set for Private Wildwood Property

Four different Wildwood property owners have been locked in discussions with city representatives for the past couple of years over the land use classifications designated for their properties. One of the four locations—deemed the "Jones Properties"—is the subject of a public hearing Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers at 183 Plaza Drive.

This property currently is designated "Neighborhood General" and Neighborhood Edge" under the Wildwood Town Center Plan's regulating plan, which was adopted by the city's Planning and Zoning Commissioners on March 1, 2010.

The property owners requested a portion of the property be designated "Downtown District." The owners repeatedly have noted this intersection is one of only a few in the Town Center area that is signalized and across the street from similar land use designations.

The owners also stated the size of the site and its single ownership among a family positions it well for future use.

The property is located on the north sdie of Missouri Route 100, east of Missouri Route 109. It includes the following eight addresses:

• 2567 Taylor Road
• 2350 Eatherton Road
• 2344 Eatherton Road
• 2531 Taylor Road
• 16721 Manchester Road
• 2555 Taylor Road
• 16602 Overlook Hills Drive
• 16618 Overlook Hills Drive

City council members toured this property on Nov. 17 to get a first-hand orientation of the property, surrounding areas and land uses in context of potential uses.

In 1994 prior to the incorporation of Wildwood, a residential developer petitioned the city to develop 500 residential units of mixed single and family dwellings on the property. The project included land not under the direct ownership of the Jones Family, according to city documents. The project included the extension of the Pond-Grover Loop Road.

The rezoning of this land tract was completed by the St. Louis County Council and the required site development plan was submitted by the petitioner. However, the plan was submitted after the incorporation of Wildwood was approved by voters, but prior to Sept. 1, 1995—the date that had been set for its formal establishment. One of the multiple property owners would not sign the overall records, so the final step in the county's zoning porcess was never completed.

After Wildwood incorporated shortly after this phase of this project, the development was not considered to have clear rights to proceed, as originally planned by St. Louis County officials.

City records indicate a number of development interests over the years considered the site for potential uses, but only one proposal was submitted. That proposal came from a residential developer and property owner for single family detached dwellings on individual lots to be built on approximately 12.5 acres of the overall site. It was approved by Wildwood city council members, with a major component to construct a large length of the Pond-Grover Loop Road.

According to city records, the developer was in the process of completing the site development plan, but stopped. Since that time, approximately 2006, Wildwood's director of planning and parks Joe Vujnich said no other formal submittals have been considered on this property.

Vujnich said the intent of both the Town Center Advisory Panel and the Planning and Zoning Commission for not designating any portion of this property was part of the Downtown District was "to protect the surrounding residential subdivisions and ensure the areas of Town Center already intended for the highest level of activity were not lessened by a glut of similar properties, thereby fragmenting the core of the city."