About 40 Maplewood residents heard from McDonald’s representatives Dec. 22 at the library about a proposed new McDonald’s at the southwest corner of Manchester and Big Bend. The McDonald’s reps heard from the residents, too, mostly that the restaurant wasn’t wanted on the corner.
The residents, especially those on Ellis Avenue, which would share a corner with the McDonald’s, were concerned about traffic, safety, trash, odors, property values, the drive-thru, two houses being removed and other issues.
Now, Maplewood Planning and Zoning will hear the proposal at its Jan. 5 meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting is open to the public, and comments are welcomed.
See also: McDonald’s meets Ellis Avenue residents: free-for-all, Potential Maplewood McDonald’s franchisee part-owner of others
The commission will also hear proposals for a golf-themed restaurant at 7401 Manchester Road, the former Monarch Restaurant location, and a fitness studio at 3111 Sutton Boulevard.
See the full planning and zoning agenda.
Update (Jan. 2): McDonald’s has pulled out of the Jan. 5 planning and zoning meeting, with no notice of future plans. A letter was sent from the city to Ellis Avenue residents informing them of the change.
Here is the link to the contact information for the city council members and the mayor. Contact them and let them know your thoughts.
http://www.cityofmaplewood.com/index.aspx?nid=110
I moved to Maplewood for it’s local charm and community. We are turning into a St Charles- gross- chain restaurants and traffic! Shame on our counsel for even considering….it should stay where it is in deercreek. Not to mention the smell! And right by our kids schools just a block away!
Now THIS is the type of McDonald’s they ought to bring to M’wood. If they can do it in Australia, why can’t they do the same here? http://www.eater.com/2014/12/29/7464241/mcdonalds-australia-launches-super-healthy-test-concept
I think it’s coming there regardless of how the neighbors feel and then all the tax revenue will come to Maplewood. Residents need to offer constructive design ideas on ways to relieve some of their concerns. Otherwise, the sound of the cash registers might keep the neighbors up at night. It’s going to happen even if it’s not the first choice of the rest of us. Campaigning for design ideas that will make it more attractive on that corner will be more productive in the long run. We have plenty of eyesores on Manchester and Big Bend Blvd already so a good design would be an improvement.
google fancy Saratoga McDonalds for a great photo. If Maplewood would in the future have development a mile of Manchester to Metrolink and the mile of big Bend going south and north look like store fronts, this could look pleasant.
http://blog.timesunion.com/realestate/fancy-saratoga-mcdonalds-is-open-for-business/8289/
and how do you think the vote would turnout if taken to the people AGAIN. The community spoke on QT and based on the business when driving by QT there are many people happy with QT. I agree with White. the ones against QT and now McDs are nothing more than a “vocal minority”. It’s good to see the council representing the people and not the few. If we are to learn from our past, getting signatures(1000’s) is not saying we don’t want McDs, all that is saying is lets vote. I have a hunch we all know how that will turn out so as Jane stated, its coming. Why? Because thats what the majority want.
I think you’d be surprised by how many signatures opponents could gather that would state that they are against a McDonalds at our major intersection. Yes, it is likely not the majority, but it would still be a critical mass of individuals. Proposition Q for the Quiktrip ended up being over 400 people against. That’s not insignificant, nor do I think that the mayor should so blithely dismiss hundreds of citizens’ opinions out of hand. He used the same language in 2013, and it’s still rings tone deaf to me over a year later.
Like you, I suspect opponents would lose in the case of a vote, but the amount of vocal discontent in many members of our coucil appears to be growing, based on my observations. This is not good and speaks to a certain degree of disconnect between our representatives and the evolving demographics of the community. Besides, how does Mayor White know exactly that this is the majority opinion? Has he asked or have they sent out a survey? I never received one. I think it’s clear that City Hall and its most influential member (Mr. Corcoran) want these things, but don’t pretend like they’ve done the research to truly determine what the residents want.
The sign leaving Maplewood is:
“We look at the present through a rear view mirror. We march backwards into the future.”
― Marshall McLuhan
Why would you think that a McDonalds on that corner would be good for the city? There has to be something better.
I hear a lot of residents expressing vehement opposition against this McDonalds. I certainly understand this. It wouldn’t be my first choice either. I, however, am a realist who also lost confidence in the corner being at all desirable after the Quiktrip (which I still think was a bad mistake for our city). Unless the citizens can gather the necessary signatures like they did with the Quiktrip decision (if the statutes even allow it in this circumstance) and then win a majority in the election, this McDonalds is going to happen, and pretty quickly, I might add. There’s no way it won’t if you look at the makeup of our council. Definite yes’s from my perspective: White, Hall, Wolf, and if not Cerven (a very likely yes given his track record) than probably another council member. That’s already four votes on a council of seven. For this reason, I suggest that you express your opposition but also suggest concrete ways in which the McDonalds plan could be improved. Otherwise we might end up with a suburban design that doesn’t fit the neighborhood. For instance, if the building is moved up to the street like the Webster Groves one, this will likely decrease some of the noise for Ellis residents. Next time you drive by the numerous McDs in the area, look at what you like or don’t like and write your councilperson. If you don’t want to even consider a plan you are so mad, then review the statutes, start gathering those signatures, and become the public face of opposition. Heck, even if can’t technically trigger an election like Tonya Powell did a few years back, you can gather signatures of people who don’t want a McDs and submit it to the council. At least in that case, Mayor White can’t call you a “vocal minority” anymore.