Planning

Planning Activities

The City’s planning activities include:

Land use and comprehensive community planning
Development management
Administering the City's zoning, subdivision and sign regulations
Local coordination of the Census
Beautification grants
Investigation of code violations
Assisting elected and appointed City officials in carrying out the City’s goals and policies

Municipal zoning, subdivision and sign regulations are continuously being reviewed to keep them current with the City's goals and policies. The City is currently updating the City Comprehensive Plan, last revised in 1996. As a part of its planning function, the City has produced a number of special plans and studies, including the Highway 141 Corridor Plan, to develop a plan to improve both appearance and traffic movement, and the City’s Parks and Open Space Plan and Parks and Trails Master Plan.

Call Sharon Rothmel, Planning Director, Tom Blanchard, Assistant Planner, or Diana Kaufman, Administrative Secretary, (314)-432-6606, for information about sign permits, conditional use permits, subdivisions, natural resource preservation, zoning and setbacks, and general information about land use and development in the City, or to obtain copies of the following City codes and plans related to planning and development:

City Building Codes - $5
City Maps - $5 (Street with Wards, Zoning, Subdivision - 34 in. x 36 in.), $1 (small street map)
Comprehensive Plan - $19
Flood, Stormwater and Erosion Control Regulations - $5
Sign Regulations - $5
Subdivision Regulations - $5
Zoning Regulations - $20

You may also review the City’s Zoning, Subdivision and Sign Regulations and the City’s amendments to the 1999 BOCA Code by CLICKING HERE.

Various planning permit applications, including Site Plan Review, Conditional Use Permit, Rezoning Request, Sign Permit, Occupancy Permit, etc. are available by clicking here.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

This commission serves as an advisory body to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen on rezoning, site plan, subdivision and conditional use requests and sign code, zoning and subdivision ordinance amendments. The Commission is responsible under State law for adopting the City's Comprehensive Plan. Subcommittees of the Commission are appointed from time to time to address issues related to revision of land use related ordinances and procedures. The Commission is composed of the Mayor, an Aldermanic representative and eight residents appointed to 4-year terms by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

Dennis Bolazina chairs the Commission. The Commission meets at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public, please click here for meeting minutes and agendas. A list of Commission members can be found by clicking here.

BEAUTIFICATION GRANTS

The city’s Beautification Grant program is a matching grant program intended to encourage subdivisions to enhance entrances and cul-de-sac islands with landscaping, irrigation systems, and even new subdivision entry signs. Under the program, the City can reimburse up to $5000 (or 50 % of eligible costs, whichever is less), after approved projects are complete. The applicant is responsible for obtaining permits required for any construction, and must agree to maintain the improvements.

City staff and the City’s Conservation and Historic Preservation Commission review all applications and plans for improvements to be sure that the proposed improvements comply with the grant program guidelines, as outlined in the City’s Municipal Code. The Commission will make a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen, who make the final decision on Beautification Grant applications. City staff will inspect improvements before the City reimburses applicants for eligible expenses.

The City Beautification Grant application is available by clicking here. Subdivision trustees can find out more information about this program by contacting Sharon Rothmel, Planning Director, at 314-432-6606, ext. 113.