Maplewood Plan and Zoning Monday night passed — recommended for passage to city council — a group home for mentally/physically disabled people, a dueling pianos bar and an auto detailing shop.
Before the discussion on the group home, David Bray, a future neighbor of the home at 3632 Manhattan, presented a petition opposing the move signed by almost all the neighbors surrounding the home. He said they were concerned about property values among other things.
Maplewood assistant city manager, Anthony Traxler, said according to Missouri state statutes, municipalities can restrict group homes for the disabled only on proximity to similar homes or appearance.
The home will be the second one in Maplewood for L’Arche, a faith-based group home that opened its first on Marshall Avenue in 2011.
Traxler also said there have been no issues with L’Arche in the past, and this home would have minimal impact on the neighborhood. Three or four individuals with disabilities will live there, along with two or three live-in assistants. Only the assistants will drive, and there is enough parking on the site that they won’t need to park on the street.
See also: Home for people with intellectual disabilities has one Maplewood location, wants a second
St. Louis L’Arche Executive Director Paula Kilcoyne said they help the residents be involved in the community, and they have an extensive network of friends. She said the existing house spends about a thousand dollars a month in Maplewood on things like groceries and haircuts at Rich’s.
Philip Ludbrook, MD, a physician at Washington University who takes care of patients with congenital heart defects, which many Downs syndrome people have, said the house offers a caring environment.
“I am so impressed that L’Arche offers the quality of life you would wish for your own brother or sister. It’s a loving, caring, nurturing environment, which as Paula has said, teaches the core members, people with disabilities, to be respectful and to be respected.”
The house has letters of endorsement from Crossroads Church, Concordia Lutheran Church, Citizens National Bank and several neighbors.
Maplewood City Council will hear the case, initially, at its Oct. 13 meeting.
Update: Paula Kilcoyne called 40 South News on Wednesday to say that David Bray met with her in the hall after the meeting to say that he had a complete change of heart after listening to her and others talk about L’Arche.
“Welcome to the neighborhood!” says Ruth Lauer neighbor to Manhattan Ave proposed L’Arche home. Ruth called to say, “I am very happy that developmentally disabled adults can have a nice home.”
Thank you for all the neighbors of L’Arche St.Louis who have expressed their support of our plans to open a second home. If you would like to show your support to City Council you can come to the Public Hearing this Tuesday Oct 13 at 7:30 at Maplewood City Hall.
Here’s an update: The man with the petition from the neighbors said after the meeting that he had had a complete change of heart.
THIS!
L’Arche USA is thrilled to hear that so many friends and neighbors in Maplewood are supportive of L’Arche St. Louis opening a second home. L’Arche homes provide a safe, loving environment for adults who have intellectual disabilities and are places of welcome and unity in their neighborhoods. L’Arche St. Louis is part of a worldwide network that has been in operation for more than 50 years. L’Arche USA consists of 18 communities with 64 homes across the country where people with and without intellectual disabilities share their lives. We are excited to see L’Arche St. Louis grow and be able to welcome more people to discover the joy of friendship between people of all abilities. -Bethany Keener, L’Arche USA Communications Manager
I live nearby and welcome the new neighbors with open arms. I work with several persons with disabilities and love all of them. They will be a asset to the neighborhood.
L’Arche purchased our old convent (Immaculate Conception Church-Maplewood) several years ago for their first group home. It is the most wonderful organization and they are an asset to our Maplewood community. One of the residents volunteers at our rectory office twice a week and is a joy to be around. Another resident serves on the altar at least twice a month on Sunday mornings at mass. All of the residents also have other employment and keep active and busy weekly with trips to the Heights, Turner Center for the Arts, etc. I wholeheartedly recommend that any potential neighbors attend a Monday evening community night and get to know about L’Arche!!
Do the neighbors think a group of ex-convicts are moving in? We’re talking about four people with Down’s Syndrome or other disabilities getting a chance to live in a loving home, with wonderful people caring for them. And it’s faith-based to boot. Would love to hear detailed, real reasons why the neighbors oppose… not just the boilerplate excuse of property values.