Ladue City Council looks at Potential Use of Churchill Property

After listening at length to attorney John Meyer’s attempts to explain the Club’s reluctance to agree to a request to subdivide the Churchill School property, the Ladue City Council sent the request back to the Zoning and Planning Commission for more discussion.

The club had raised issues such as landscaping, the access road that divides the proposed development, and potential noise nuisances. This caused the council to decide that the commission should take a closer look at the proposed development. 

Michael Rechan of Michael Lauren Development had requested to subdivide the property at 1035 Price School Road, formerly occupied by Churchill School, into two lots with a home on each lot divided by an access road.

 The Zoning and Planning Commission had recommended approval.

 “The Bogey Club expressed some concerns and the City Council asked us to work things out,” Rechan said. “We were not able to do that. The club was proposing a series of encumbrances, in one case they wanted full approval of landscaping before Ladue would have the opportunity.”

Rechan said he did not agree with that. “And the Zoning and Planning Commission agreed. No one wants to buy a property with two approval processes.”

Meyer told the council that it was their “responsibility as council members to impose conditions that are designed to protect the surrounding properties, the welfare of Ladue, and its citizens to maintain the general spirit and integrity of the law.”

Mayor Irene Holmes said, “What is your point?”

Meyer answered that he wanted to make sure that the council understood the objection. “There are the conditions that should be imposed and those requirements have got to be addressed.”

“Isn’t the hardship that it’s two lots instead of one?” asked Councilwoman Nancy Spewak. “No one is going to purchase a lot if there is an access road through the middle of the property. What is your main concern?”

Meyer said that residents of Ladue should have concerns if the council sets a precedent that could give rise to other nonconforming subdivisions.

Holmes told Meyer that if the Bogey Club wants the property, it should buy it. “If you don’t like the view, buy it.”

Meyer said the club doesn’t want to buy the property, but wanted to make sure that the club has access to its other buildings. He then raised another point about potential buyers of the property complaining that the club was a “nuisance,” because of possible noise.

City Administrator Michael Wooldridge said that they want to insure that they have continued access “but there’s already recorded easement granting that access.”

“In my opinion, this has dragged on for a considerable amount of time and is the best use for this land that we have seen,” Spewak said. “I would like it to go back to Zoning and Planning for the conditions that they believe are necessary and get it back to us.”

Councilmember Harold Burroughs agreed, saying the parties should negotiate in good faith.

Wooldridge told Patch that the Bogey Club, as an adjoining property owner, has the right to express their opinion about the proposal. “That’s what they’ve chosen to do. “They’re looking to be sure the property is developed in a way that protects their interest. There are some design issues that the club wants some say in, and that’s something that has to be worked out with the proposed property owner’s and the club.”