Planning and Zoning Commission Approves Site Plans

Traffic issues and rain were the big concerns of the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Wednesday night.

Proposed site plans for a renovated Mobil station and a new Wendy’s were approved, but not without some discussion. The proposed Mobil on the Run, located on the West side of Mid Rivers Mall Drive, south of Suemandy Drive, involved turning a small Mobil station into a Mobil on the Run convenience store.

The plan, of course, is to generate more traffic and business to the gas station by building a much bigger convenience store. Commission member John Durajczyk wondered if the increased business would be problematic on an already busy road.

The Mobil station site plan has an opening on Suemandy and an opening on Mid Rivers Mall Dr. for customers. Durajczyk was specifically worried about drivers making a left turn to cross all the southbound lanes to get access to northbound Mid Rivers Mall Drive. With increased business, Durajczyk was concerned about more traffic and more accidents.

Jerry Hollingsworth, the Board of Aldermen representative to the Commission, agreed with Durajczyk that during rush hour, the traffic could be problem. Hollingsworth said he wasn’t going against Mobil, but rather he was concerned about the safety.

“We need business in St. Peters,” he said. We’re not trying to be anti-business.”

City staff said they had also had the same concerns and researched the accident in the area. Staff said that in two-and-a-half years with around 15,000 cars traveling southbound Mid Rivers Mall Drive daily, there had been only two accidents related to the Mobil exit.

The Commission finally agreed to approve the site plan with a contingency. Six months after the opening of the renovated station, the city will look at accident reports to see if there is an increase. If there is, the city may prohibit left turns onto Mid Rivers Mall Drive.

The other site plan the Commission questioned was for Wendy’s to be located South of Highway 94, east of Jungermann Road. The site plan calls for rainwater to fall off two sides off the roof and onto the building’s landscape. Hollingsworth was concerned about rain mixing with mulch and making a mess.

Wendy’s said they have had no problems at other locations. City staff said they would work with the restaurant to make sure the issue wouldn’t become an issue and the site plan was approved.

• The Commission approved home business requests for Off Center Publishing, Personal Designs, Redbird Research and Alternative Heating and Air Conditioning.
• For the second month in a row, Under Cut Lawn Care failed to show up to the meeting to receive permission to operate as a home business. The Commission decided to put the request on the agenda for June, but after that the business would have to start the process all over again.
•  Hooters was given permission to host its 5th annual car show.
• An architectural review of Shamrocks Pub N Grill was approved.
• Mobil was given permission to open up the convenience store during a public hearing.