Maplewood Planning and Zoning OK’d a commercial condominium on Monday.
That’s a commercial condo, not one where people live. Maplewood zoning administrator and assistant city manager, Anthony Traxler, said knew there would be confusion.
In a commercial condominium, more than one business can jointly own facilities, similar to condominiums where people live. Two lots of the Sunnen Station Redevelopment Plat were consolidated to form the condominium.
The commission also discussed rising home values in Maplewood. Commission member Pickett Lema said realtors often ask her if she would like to sell her house. She said she’s not happy that the rising prices will increase her taxes.
Lema also said her pet peeve in Maplewood is “dirty mops and buckets” visible under the stairs leading up to Penzeys Spices and the Crow’s Nest that the restaurant keeps there. She said she’s talked to both businesses about it.
She also noted that Maplewood restaurant Pie Oh My was mentioned on St. Louis Public Radio. Its pies will be used at Shake Shack, a new restaurant opening in the Central West End.
Member Sandi Phillips said she would like to see more public trash cans in the city. She said they could start with one at Auto Zone. Traxler said if trash cans are too close to an apartment complex they get filled up, then trash builds up around it.
It would also help if the P and Z agenda included more than the absolute bare minimum. Simply putting a short description stating this is a “commercial condo” in the meeting agenda is relevant info. I don’t understand that if they can predict the confusion, why is no effort taken to clarify preemptively? I get that few people actually go to a P and Z meeting, but this strategy isn’t helping.
That’s a good point. I think webster groves has very detailed agendas and meeting minutes. Some meetings also have additional materials that are presented, which would be nice to have ahead of time too.
What role does the planning and zoning have with house prices? Also, even with taking into consideration that Ms Pickett was just making a hyperbole, there are simply more important things to bring up. The P and Z does not need to be a reactive body. There are codes that could be reviewed and adjusted proactively. The P and Z is able to make recommendations to the city council on things like creating new zoning.