Walmart Development Gains Traction with Florissant Planning and Zoning

took a small step in becoming reality on Monday night during the Florissant Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

After questioning and speaking with the petitioner for more than an hour, the commission recommended approval to rezone the 3350 and 3400 N. Highway 67 and 3605 Seville to a B-5 zoning district by a vote of 4-2. City council will hear from the petitioners in an upcoming public hearing.

Previously, Jeff Otto of THF Realty presented the commission with plans for the . The commission voted to continue the presentation until Monday’s meeting.

Otto stepped to the podium prepared to address all of the questions and concerns that the commission had.

He said that after a number of discussions and meetings, many corrections improvements had been made, including: 

• Reducing the height of the light poles to comply with Florissant’s maximum of 25 feet;
• Landscape would be moved to the top of the hill to give residents living in the vicinity a buffer from seeing Walmart at their doorstep;
• With permission from the Missouri Department of Transportation, the company would install a warning light;
• In order to block the line of sight of residents, an eight-foot vinyl fence would be installed.

Otto also addressed concerns relating to the Lindbergh Plaza strip mall, located across from the proposed development, and its owners’ thoughts. He said that many positive conversations had taken place, and the owners are supportive of the development as well as the moving of the entrance to the plaza further down.

“We’re very encouraged by his reaction,” he said.

Commissioner Jim Hessel asked Otto to get in writing the agreement reached between the plaza owners as well as THF Realty.

He also presented modifications to the building’s masonry to be split-face block as well as double-wythe masonry, two layers of masonry that make up a one-foot thick wall.

“I believe we’re in great compliance with what you have,” Otto said to the commission. “Cross Keys (Shopping Center) has a similar type of development.”

Building Commission Philip Lum said that the development presented by Otto and THF is only one-third compliant with the city’s masonry ordinance. According to Lum, the masonry ordinance states that developments must be either solid brick—with 75 percent meeting the ASTM certification—or natural cut stone.

The commission’s motion for approval included the provision that the Walmart development meets the city’s masonry ordinance; however, Lum said the Florissant City Council has the final decision.

“The council can grant materials other than masonry in a B-5 zoning district, and they have,” Lum said.