New Ameren Substation in Market Place in Ladue

The old Ameren substation, 9819 Clayton Rd., in the Market Place in Ladue could be in danger of failing, Steve Bihr, Ameren project engineer told the Ladue City Counci late Monday afternoonl. 

“We want to build one that will be double the capacity of this one,” he said. “It will have sound walls, which mean any sound emanating from the unit will be lower than the present substation.”

“This substation will also double the capacity of the present one,” he said. “This should cut the number of outages in 1,000 homes and business in this area.”

Bihr also said Ameren would elevate the substation from the 100-year flood plain.

The station lies east of Foxboro Road. Foxboro Road home owner Mary Berner asked Bihr if a study had been done to assess flooding problems.

She said that a flood in 2008 caused water in some basements.

Bihr said that a civil engineer study showed that any flooding would be "minimal."

Berner asked for a copy of the report, and City Administrator Mike Wooldridge said the city would make a copy for her.

Bihr added that the new station would have new containment walls that would prevent the mineral oil used as a coolant from leaking into the surrounding ground.

“The old one could possibly rupture and cause this to happen,” he said.

Wooldridge said that approval was contingent on the Ladue city flood plain ordinance.

While the planning and zoning commission approved the special use permit, Wooldridge said, “Ameren cannot move forward with the project until they meet the requirements of our flood management ordinance or have received a variance to our flood plain management.”

Ameren’s request will be on the August 18 agenda.

In other business, the council denied a request for rezoning 15.5 acres on the northeast corner of Conway Road and South Lindbergh Boulevard.

A request by B&F Enterprises, LLC, to subdivide and rezone portions of the 15.5-acre plot at the northeast corner of Conway Road and Lindbergh Boulevard died when no one made a motion to refer the request to the planning and zoning commission.

Wooldridge said the proposal was to subdivide the property and rezone three acres to commercial and rezone another segment from a C-residential to a D-residential area. 

C-residential lots are 30,000 square feet, while D-residential lots are 15,000 square feet.

Councilman Charles Heimenz said he saw no reason for the plan to come before the council since the developer wanted to downsize the lots.

“It does not meet the parameters of the comprehensive plan,” he said. “I see no reason for a comprehensive plan if we’re not going to adhere to it.”

Councilman John Fox, liaison to the planning and zoning commision, said that they discussed the proposal at length and agreed with Hiemenz.

Hiemenz told Patch that the piece of property had been unused for some time. “I think that the thought that developers have had over a period of time is ‘let’s test the waters with the city.’

“This is not the first time since I’ve been on the council that we’ve had a request to take a creative look at this property,” he said.

Hiemenz said he was “surprised” that the legislation came to the council. “Certainly they have every opportunity to ask at any time, but we go back to our comprehensive plan, which we did in 1936 when city was incorporated. We have reviewed it, updated it, but it is basically the same plan that has served us very well.”

The council also postponed the zoning ordinance concerning residential entry/driveway gates until the August 18 meeting.