City Council Sends Bike-Walk Plan Back, Passes Funeral Protest Restrictions

A majority of the seats were filled at the University City City Council meeting Monday night for a hearing and council discussion about a citywide bike-walk plan.

Trustees of two of the largest subdivisions in University City–University Park and University Heights Subdivision No. 1–had problems with the 90-page Draft University City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

Bike routes proposed by the plan run through the subdivisions, but no one from either were notified. Morton Hyman from University Heights Subdivision No. 1 and Dennis Fuller from University Park were concerned about liability and cost if the plan went through. 

Second Ward Councilwoman Paulette Carr said neither trustees of the private subdivisions or University City merchants were included in the process.

“When I talked to the task force a year ago I said take this out to the people, and apparently trustees are not people,” Carr said.

Carr said the plan was marched through without asking the council its opinion. She said boards and commissions may make recommendations to the council, but the council is not required to rubber stamp those recommendations. Only the council can make policy.

Mayor Shelley Welsch reminded the council it wasn’t up for a vote that night, also that the master plan was paid for by a $62,000 grant from Trailnet.

Third Ward Councilman Byron Price said the city isn’t even keeping pace with regular street repair, and funds shouldn’t be siphoned to make curbs accessible to bikes.

Third Ward Councilman Arthur Sharpe, Jr. said he wanted to know the financial liability, otherwise he said he’s for it.

Second Ward Councilman L. Michael Glickert said he’d like to see it go forward, and the council is capable of handling any issues, including those with the subdivision.

Carr said parts of the plan are good, and parts will not stand up to the city charter.

“Take it to the plan commission where they can pull it apart,” she said. She said it will require extensive citizen contact to make it successful.

The council passed a motion to return the plan to the Plan Commission for further work.

The council also passed an ordinance to prohibit funeral protests within 300 feet of a service. Creve Coeur, Clayton, Maplewood and Manchester recently have passed similar ordinances, and the St. Louis County Council is considering a countywide ordinance.