Maplewood officials in a work session meeting Tuesday evening discussed the Raising Cane’s restaurant proposed for the southwest corner of Manchester and Big Bend.
It was passed by planning and zoning, and read twice and tabled by city council. Council member Shawn Faulkingham had asked for the work session meeting because he won’t be at the next council meeting, where a public hearing and final vote are expected.
Mayor Jim White asked Public Works Director Anthony Traxler for an explanation of setbacks, which have been part of the the discussion. Setback is the space between the street and a business’s parking lot.
Traxler said Shaefer Shell, previously on the lot, had zero setback. The city requires 15 feet. Raising Cane’s was given a variance to have a five-foot setback along Manchester and Big Bend, and seven feet on Ellis Avenue. Traxler said that includes the sidewalk and green space.
He said Raising Cane’s could comply with the 15-foot setback if they buy and demolish a house on Ellis for more space, which they were willing and able to do.
Faulkingham said he had two concerns. He wants signs at driver height warning of pedestrians and a hood system that scrubs the smell of the cooking chicken. The signs will be added to the ordinance. Commercial real estate agent, Bill Barnes, said a scrubbing system is planned ($25,000 – $100,000 cost).
City Manager Marty Corcoran said Faulkingham won’t be at the August 9 council meeting, but council member Tim Dunn, who has been absent, will be there.
My goodness. Why is there still so much uproar about this restaurant. Should we bring the gas station back? Should we put in a Tiffany’s jewelry store? Wouldn’t it be fun if we all got to vote on which businesses get to come to town. Better yet, how much fun would it be if we all got to vote on which kind of people get to live here – like a condo association or a country club. What a blast. Thankfully, that will never happen, and should never happen, ever, ever.
Raising Cane will succeed or fail on its own merit. Actually, I think it’s a bit of an upgrade being surrounded by Jack in The Box, Steak n Shake, White Castle, Imos, and Quicktrip, which is pretty much a fast food restaurant that also sells gasoline. I’ve been to all of these places and they’re great.
It is encouraging that so many people are engaging a dialogue on one of the many issues that face our city government and community. As a Maplewood resident, business owner, architect, and City Council member for the last 14 years, I attempt to hear all sides of any issue, analyze the positive and negative components of each bill, ordinance and proposal to determine what course of action would be most beneficial for the residents, businesses and schools of our community. I encourage more interaction and engagement with our city government as a way of lessening the frustration that I hear in some of these comments. Enrollment in the upcoming Citizen’s Academy would be a good way to gain a working knowledge of how our city staff and elected officials serve Maplewood. Participation in one of our boards or commissions will also bring about a better understanding of the process and nuances of making responsible decisions that help shape our city. I am available after Council meetings to discuss any issues that you would like to talk about in person.
Why wasn’t McDonald’s held to the same standard as Canes? Why are they granted a variance while McDonald’s would have been forced to buy the adjacent properties and fight the uphill battle to rezone residential property to commerical(per the city managers comments in previous articles)? I’m not for either coming to Maplewood, but why the difference in treatment?
Read old articles on the treatment of McDonald vs Canes… Something doesn’t add up. McDonald’s couldn’t finalize plans, so they didn’t even buy the land. Canes has bought the land, started work on it, and the city hasn’t even approved the plans and variance?? They wouldn’t make the investment if the City hadn’t promised them the approval of the variances needed to move forward. Where is the accountability and transparency?
There was never a proposal by McDonalds that did not include the acquisition of additional residential properties. Therein lies the difference between the proposed projects. As a Council member whose vote is required for approval, I am not aware of any promises made to any developer of the property. It was made clear during the McDonalds vetting process that a reasonable proposal that did not require the rezoning of residential property would be considered. If you had attended any of the Planning and Zoning or Council meetings or public hearings you would have more objective information with which to draw logical conclusions, especially regarding accountability and transparency.
I don’t see them as being very different at all. Both places would have to ask for a variance or acquire land and rezone. Both are opposed by residents on Ellis and the larger Maplewood community.
If it was in the interest of Maplewood residents to have another fast food establishment, then there wouldn’t be opposition to it. Residents don’t want Raising Canes, so uphold the existing laws. If there is overwhelming support for it (like there is for the Craft Beer Cellar) I can see making an exception, oh wait, that was voted down by the Council.
Ryan Hummert and now the Veterans Memorial, haven’t gone thru any of the citizen commissions for input, and are ridiculous in cost (and still climbing). Ryan Hummert was pitched as a private project, and we find out the City is footing the majority of the bill. I don’t remember there being a bid for the architect on the Veteran’s memorial… or is that kept behind closed doors? Don’t lecture me about accountability and transparency, Barry.
The fact is that most citizens of this city can’t attend meetings every two weeks and get “informed” as Barry has told us we should. It’s a great thing to do that. Be able to devote the time and energy to fight with city council every other week, but we shouldn’t have to. They should answer our concerns and govern for us. I give Barry credit that he’s the ONLY council member that responded to my concerns personally, and this forums concerns as a whole and I respect him for that. As far as I can tell though, the mayor and the rest of the council have no interest in addressing the communities concerns.
Hope this doesn’t hurt Gus’s.
Everyone wants to complain about this but no one wants to actually DO anything about it. Maplewood can’t pick and choose what businesses they allow and don’t allow in the city just because they don’t like them. If the land is zoned accordingly and these restaurants put up the money there is little city officials can do to stop it. If people are so concerned with another FF place going in, go to the bank, get a loan and put your own restaurant/store there. Or, if you’re not satisfied with the elected officials and how they represent you, run for alderman yourself or nominate someone who better represents you. But we all know that won’t happen. Most people would rather bicker behind their keyboards and not enact any real change.
The City is giving this business variances from the existing zoning restrictions. They are going out of their way to bring this business into Maplewood. I’m not saying they pick and choose, I just want them to uphold the coming restrictions already in place.
If they didn’t get variances, they probably couldn’t go in there.
They are giving some businesses variances and not others. I would like to know why.
Do you have examples of recent variances that were not granted? I am not disagreeing with you I am just curious.
Craft beer cellar was just outright denied based on the council not liking the type of business it is.
Is that entirely true though? Was it not denied because box liquor stores were against the rules and it would require a change in an ordinance? Being denied because there was an ordinance in place prohibiting the type of business it is and denying the business simply because they don’t like it are different. To me, changing an ordinance to allow a certain type of business to operate in the community and simply granting a setback variance are not on the same level. For the record, I am for the Craft Beer Cellar in Maplewood and go to the one in Clayton often.
Assuming any of you are in favor of bringing better, positive things to Maplewood, when are you all going to run for office? Also, I suspect that some of Maplewood’s elected officials and employees are corrupt. I’d love for local attorney general or other such entity to start an investigation. I think some are lining their pockets and doing things illegally.
I understand all of the people complaining about Raising Cane going in where shell was least it’s a fast food restaurant come over here by the Marietta parking lot where all the alcohol is. Then you can sit and listen to the people on restaurants deck till 2 in the morning seems like everything new goes and gets an alcohol license I thought there was a limit to how many license you can have in Maplewood. And forget about leaving your house and then coming back and finding a place to park even though we have signs that say residents only people still park there and there’s nothing we can do about it except give them a ticket. When the parking lots full and the street is packed where do they expect us to park since we can’t have it towed.
I wonder what it would take to have it changed so that they can be towed. I agree with you. If I lived on Marietta, it would be incredibly frustrating.
Lots of residential streets in city areas have a sticker system so that residents who have parking privileges can be easily discerned. Maybe this would be a solution for the issue on Marietta. If you park there and don’t have a sticker (maybe after like 4pm or something) you can be towed.
We were told that you cannot have them towed. Which doesn’t make sense if they’re parked illegally you should be able to have them towed.
So, they need a hood system that scrubs the smell of cooking chicken, and they need a sign warning drivers of this and of pedestrians? I’m confused. What benefit will Maplewood derive from permitting this business to open? Other than revenue, I mean, which could be realized from another kind of business. It’s a shame to be attracting all of these wonderful new families to our town because of our outstanding school system, only to turn around and feed them nothing but fried chicken.?
Great points Ralf
Since it is zoned correctly, maplewood can’t deny them. Maplewood can only influence the design plan.
While Maplewood can’t outright deny them, if they enforced the ordinances already in place and stopped handing out variances, it might be enough to make it impossible/unprofitable for a fast food business to go in that place.
They are receiving a variance on the setback from 15′ to 5′, and are required to have a specific number of parking spots (which from the last meeting I attended, sounded like 29). I wonder if the 15′ setback was held fast, if that would be enough to lower the number of parking spots they could put in that plot, and force them to consider another location. The currently have 31 spots.
Exactly. They are bending over backwards to make sure this business goes in. I wonder if they would have done the same for a local business or developer without unlimited resources and name recognition?
I think someone with the right background should ask for an investigation into how Maplewood’s elected officials and employees are conducting themselves. I think they believe that they are above the law. Just exactly what kind of backroom deals are going on? How many pockets are being lined? All of this has the stink of corruption and greed. What is and has been happening literally STINKS. It simply has to be illegal. They just think they can get away with it. Well, NOT ANYMORE! Who knows someone in the local district attorney’s offices to ask about how to proceed? Let’s get the ball rolling on finding out why these types of things keep happening despite Maplewood’s good citizens NOT wanting this type of stuff.
Wow, you folks hate everything, that intersection is a four way, I’m for Canes, what else are you going to put there? It was open for bid, Chick fillet? They didn’t bid, and Canes will clean up the environmental issues.. I ate at one in Baton Rouge, definitely not your fried chicken meal.
Pretty sure most intersections are four way. And this literally is “your fried chicken meal” unless we’ve all been terribly misinformed by their website.
But the main point that you seem to be missing is that the city is bending over backwards for this place, which seems to be against the consensus.
pretty sure J.Butler could not care less about bringing something better to Maplewood at that intersection. I mean, fair is fair, Cane’s was the highest bidder, right? The city’s hands were tied because Canes just up and bought the land, without checking into anything with the city before buying it, right?? If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell to you!
We’re old, young, black, white, hispanic, liberal, conservative, richer, poorer, lived in Maplewood a kong time or we’re newer, etc. The one thing that unites all of us is our disappointment about this, one more fast food restaurant for our city. It’s mildly revolting. Its sad. We sigh…we all kind of collectively say “Well, can’t stop it now”. However, I do seriously hope that our elected public servants in Maplewood are paying close attention to the comments and remarks made on 40SouthNews, a public forum that allows for comments to be made much more openly because you might feel intimidated to come to city hall in person. Do they hear this disappointment? Can they sense how completely helpless and resigned we all feel about this and other things happening in Maplewood? It’s depressing. Do they care at all? Are they just going to continue to do whatever they darn well want to do regardless of what its citizens really think? I hope such hubris catches up to them at some point 🙁
The reply you will here from some around here is that this Fried Chicken place is different than the KFC, Gus’s, Popeyes, and Porters’ (which I actually love and is the only LOCAL SMALL business among them). My response is, OK, it’s a different kind of fried chicken place. It has a drive through and is definitely a standard fast food joint. If we are going to add this place, why not add a Chik Fil A right next to it and become the fast food fried chicken destination unrivaled in the city. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE 5 fried chicken places within a mile of each other.
The other reply you will hear is that it’s good for tax revenue and that we don’t own the area so we don’t have any say in it. True, we don’t own the land, but we AS A CITY, should be encouraging diverse and local businesses to build. That is a high traffic spot, but I’m sure Raising Cane’s is not the only business that would be interested. If we just let this go to its inevitable conclusion, Maplewood will start to be nothing better or more interesting than west county. I know I didn’t move here to have access to every fast food joint imaginable.
I hope the homeowners that have to deal with living right behind this monstrosity put up a fight with the council. That might be the only hope.
If the city gave half the help and leeway they are giving to Raising Canes to a local developer that wanted to do something with that space, I guarantee we would get something better, but as it looks right now, favoritism by the council is really what gets you the right to build in the city. We should be striving for local and unique, not just in the Special Business District, but throughout the city.
I have attended public meetings for a variety of reasons at city hall before. I have seen how different entities are treated differently depending upon what I do not know, I hate to think it’s all about money, but that is what it seems to be most of the time. Sometimes it seems as if they are amiable even if it’s not about money, but it’s not consistently like that, it almost seems more like a strange crony system based on who you are or who you know. I’ve heard neighbors describe encounters they’ve had with Maplewood government that are so awful, then some have had the easiest time in the world, but there is no central theme to explain why there are such drastic differences, it is absolutely baffling, very hard to understand. I think newly elected officials are needed on some or all levels as quickly as possible. New life is needed. I hope there are new citizens who are ready to step up for all of us. I know we cannot fire employees who are doing their job, even they are not the nicest or most competent workers in the world, but the ones who are elected can be exchanged for great improvement.
Vote.
Them.
All.
Out.
Someone needs to run against them first.
After seeing what’s going on recently, I’m looking into running for Ward 3. No idea how it works, but looks like I’m qualified based on the charter and Faulkingham’s term ends in 2017.
Good. Even if you just thinking about running, are you able to mention some ideas what you envision for Maplewood? Thanks
I’m wondering how many of you commenting were here in the city when Quiktrip was being built. Aside from the proposition vote, which made it a real possibility that the gas station would not go through, the choice of chicken over another protein appears to be causing as much or more anger. In contrast, Quiktrip involved tearing down a monolithic brick building to give way to an ugly and enormous gas station with far more traffic than a fast food restaurant will produce. I mention this mainly out of curiosity. Were you also against Quiktrip? Because Raising Canes will come and go and can possibly be replaced with another restaurant some day more in line with what residents want. The gas station is likely our lot for a much, much longer time frame, given the underground tanks and its massive footprint.
Yeah, it still irks me. I haven’t forgotten. I’m reminded every time someone violates traffic laws when they exit Quiktrip and almost cause another accident. I can’t imagine I’m the only one.
No, you are most certainly not the only one who was against QT. In fact, I hope that you recall that the school district was very vocal and well organized in its opposition to QT. Many families were against QT. What kind of person would want a convenience/gas mart literally RIGHT NEXT to their child’s school??!! HOW AWFUL! It **still** is incomprehensible to me that our elected officials hate our public school so much that they allowed QT to happen, it is HORRIBLE, there is nothing good about it being there! It was voted upon anyway and passed and I still have no idea how or why that happened (and the worst thing is that, although I vowed to never set foot inside and I have never and will never buy gas there, sometimes we do pop into QT for a coffee for convenience sake, but I feel like a traitor when I do that!) I hate the fact that older elementary, middle, and high school students congregate there. But of course they do, this QT is ON THE SCHOOL’S CAMPUS for God’s sake! I also hate the traffic mess it has created, which will only get worse with increased traffic at the corner where the old shell station was located. OK, now it’s another fried chicken place, but if it was not chicken, it would be burgers or pizza or some other fast food/junk food. It would never be anything positive or interesting, because that is not what our elected officials want for Maplewood. Well, I have news for them, aside from kids who would drink soda and eat junk food ALL day long if it was their choice, NO ONE I know wants this place to be built. they feel powerless to stop it from happening. Left to make their own choices, kids WILL choose the junkiest foods. Why on earth do you think families did not want the QT right next their school??!! It was not just because of traffic, which is the top safety concern. It was also because QT is nothing but a junk food haven. Heck yes, new elected officials are needed in Maplewood, and as soon as possible, PLEASE. Maplewood has to stop allowing these junky places, it needs to grow in a better, positive, forward thinking direction.
Yes, I am aware of the school district’s vocal QT opposition and actually helped gather some of the signatures necessary to bring it to a vote. My main point was that I noticed new voices on 40 South News against Raising Canes and was wondering if they lived here during QT debacle. The community is always gathering new residents and it’s helpful to know when people arrived. I find that also influences how you view things. Basically after QT, I kind of gave up on that corner. The only benefit is that I can now see our lovely high school/middle school from all angles, but otherwise? The intersection is ugly and busy.
Glad the city is bending over backwards for this redundant business, but other’s don’t even get a fair and informed chance from the council.
true! Very disappointed in Maplewood public officials, both elected and appointed. Doesn’t look like they ever listen to us
1. So the drive-thru window will face Big Bend?
2. I REALLY hope they make sure that their cutouts and parking lot are at-grade, level with the neighboring streets. The elevation change at the neighboring fast-food-chain Jack-in-the-Box from the street to their elevated parking lot/drive through really slows down traffic in the right lane on Manchester.