CREVE COEUR NEIGHBORS FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
PLEASE ATTEND: City Council Meeting at Creve Coeur Hall
300 N New Ballas
Monday, October 23, 2023 7:00 p.m
Support Responsible Development
Our Purpose:
We are a group of Creve Coeur residents and citizens from the surrounding area who are concerned about the proposed redevelopment of the former Bayer West campus. The proposal is for a high density mixed-use development to be known as Olia Village. We welcome a destination-quality, amenity-rich, pedestrian friendly development in the area. We are advocating for a development that both addresses the city’s goals and also preserves the standards and character of the surrounding community. However, the proposed development was planned without any community input and without regard for the neighbors’ current zoning rights, their privacy and thir home values. We believe this development plan in its current form may negatively impact the neighboring communities by:
- Eliminating 50% of the existing mature trees in woods that have been maintained for the last 60 years and were designated as a gold-certified wildlife habitat restoration area since 1993.
- Rerouting stormwater and streams currently on the site.
- Constructing buildings and parking garages that will be six to eight stories high which is inconsistent with our community, especially adjacent to a well-established residential area.
- Creating excessive noise and light pollution.
- Potentially exacerbating the crowding in our public schools.
- Potentially contributing to traffic and safety concerns along our roadways.
Would you want an 8 story garage built behind your home?
Current Green Space
WE PROPOSE:
Maintain Existing Green Buffer:
We want to maintain the current 120 foot buffer of undisturbed, mature wooded area to preserve the natural habitat, maintain our privacy, and protect our property values. This would take up less than 4 acres of a 96 acre development and will aid the development in meeting the required standard of retaining 50% of the existing trees. The current development proposal is for a mere 40 foot buffer with a retaining wall reaching up to 14 feet high which will likely kill the nearby remaining trees. Maintaining the existing 120 foot buffer would ensure that there is appropriate distance between the existing residential lots and the development. This would protect the privacy, peace and beauty of our neighborhood that residents have enjoyed for over 60 years.
Respecting Water Run Off and Existing Waterways:
Two existing streams run through the former Bayer West campus. Monsanto constructed a parking lot over one stream, re-routing it to the surrounding properties. Current standards prevent building over these streams today. The current development plan includes re-grading the topography of the site and developing on top of these streams. We believe this will exacerbate the overall water issues on the neighboring properties.
Underground Parking:
Creve Coeur Neighbors would appreciate seeing development adjustments to include underground parking for multifamily residential units as is called for in the existing Creve Coeur design guidelines. The proposed development includes parking garages up to eight stories in height and there are no parking garages of that height anywhere in Creve Coeur. Parking structures and other buildings should respect the scale of surrounding residential neighborhoods. Underground parking would substantially minimize the noise and light pollution that would otherwise be caused by an above ground garage.
VOTE FOR OUR PROPOSALS
Creve Coeur Neighbors For Sustainable Development 