Wildwood Council Postpones Chicken Coop Appeal, Groups Compromise

Who knew a "seasoned" chicken coop could create this much fuss, particularly with no chickens involved?

Wildwood representatives reportedly worked through a process over the past few weeks to secure design plans for a much-needed multipurpose space at the Wildwood Historical Society's property. WHS is an independent, nonprofit organization managed by volunteers.

See previous Patch April 30 article about the chicken coop impasse:

city council members are expected to be provided an update about the proposed addition at Monday night's (May 14) meeting, and to approve the society's desire to move on to requesting permission from St. Louis County officials for the site plan. At the last city council meeting, WHS members asked council members to approve their plan, which had not yet gained the nod of approval from the city's Architectural Review Board, sparking a debate about which entity really governs design plans outside of Wildwood's Town Center.

The coop itself currently is 38 feet by 20 feet. The initial addition plan was for 36 feet by 32 feet; a revision reduced that to 32 feet by 30 feet.

Terri Gaston, a planner for Wildwood's Department of Planning & Parks said Anthony ‘Tony’ Duncan is the architect that signed the original and slightly revised plans for the meetings of Feb. 9 and 22 with the ARB, and April 12 with the ARB and the city's Historic Preservation Commission members.

An official set of plans for an alternate design reportedly came from a special meeting held May 3 for representatives of the both the society and ARB groups, Ron James, Wildwood city council member for Ward 6, told Patch. He said several alternative designs were sketched out during the meeting until finally all agreed on one approach as a compromise.

One of the points of debate among the groups involved with this project since February was the style of roofing the addition should have. James said an exterior approach called a "Cape Cod style" was now adopted. He said the last plan called for the new building to be attached to the existing coop.

James made the plea to fellow council members last month to not postpone the WHS appeal, due to the need for the society's leaders to be able to apply special funds being targeted to the addition project by the Peggy and Steve Fossett Foundation before the year's end. James is a 45-year resident of Wildwood, and a has been a WHS member for the past 17 years.

"I don't like to see battles going back and forth, but (Wildwood Historical) society members have put together an excellent collection of artifacts and history, and they need a bigger place to share it with everyone," he said. "The head of the (Fossett) foundation in Chicago wants the money used before the end of this year for tax purposes. We have limited dollars and a time element here; we just need to get it done."