By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
The First Capitol News has learned that a local developer looking to build within the City limits was at one point told by City staff there was not enough sewer capacity to allow his project to proceed. This matter first arose after Planning and Zoning approved the site plans. The bill introducing the development's approval was, for a short time, pulled from first reading of the March 8 Council meeting. Councilman Gieseke who serves as liaison to Planning and Zoning called city hall concerned with such a late opinion after the developer had spent several months and as much as $40,000, believing he was doing everything asked of him by the City.
The development which is located at the former SSM doctors building on West Clay is in ward 9 represented by Councilman Joe Koester. Koester stated that, "While there are still some concerns from a few property owners, the developer plans to locate his own office at this site and has promised to be a good neighbor, clean up the site, handle water run-off issues, retain as many mature trees as possible, move trash receptacles from their current location to a spot farther from homes that back up to the development, offer several quality-of-life features such as a community room, as well as offer affordable senior housing in some of the existing buildings which have about 1,100 square feet of living space with no stairs to contend with."
Koester also stated that the St. Charles City School District will benefit from the new development of about 79 owner-occupied condominiums as well as retain commercial space towards the front of the property. Koester stated, "The development prohibits any rental units yet offers new construction that is affordable with home prices from about $130,000 to $150,000. This is also a defensive measure because I don't think anyone wants a giant apartment building complex at this site. I'm happy the developer is a local businessman who plans to make this location home to his new headquarters."
More of a pressing issue for Councilman Koester was the fact that the local state representative, Tom Dempsey, passed special-interest legislation that forces the City to take the sewage of new development outside the City limits to the detriment of growth within the City. This allowed TR Hughes to hook up his St. Andrews development into the City sewer system even though the development is located outside the City. "You have to stop and ask yourself who your state representative is working for -- the people of his district or wealthy donors and friends. In this case, it's pretty clear that stripping local control and handing it to Jefferson City was cronyism at its worst. It's interesting that the folks in Jefferson City claim they want less government and more local control until it affects a campaign contributor. I hope future laws coming down from the state do not single out our City. I think everyone would be happy if St. Charles could be treated fairly for once, but it's particularly frustrating when the special laws that only apply to our town come from your own representative and state senator. It was made very obvious that the law forcing our hand in taking the sewage from newly developed county sites while potentially turning development in our own town away was bad legislation and the state needs to remove itself from such local issues. How more local can you get than municipal sewage treatment" Koester said.
Councilman John Gieseke said, “This is why this Council needs to be careful when we are granting sewer tap ons to those outside the City. Development in the County takes up much needed sewer capacity and limits our abiliity to develop our City and our tax base. I would uge the people of the City to pay attention to those Council people who continually want to help County residents and County developer forsaking the residents of the City.
Unanimous support was given at the March 8th council meeting with all ten council members co-sponsoring the development that will be called, Collinbrook.
