Politics & Government

Semitruck Parking Lot Considered for Arnold Neighborhood

Arnold's Planning and Zoning Board will listen to suggestions to build a parking lot, for semi-trucks, near the intersection of Tenbrook Road and Arnold Tenbrook Road, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Arnold councilmen are asking residents to attend and voice their concerns during the Planning and Zoning meeting at , at 2101 Jeffco Blvd., at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22.

The Zoning board will consider whether to allow a business to build a parking lot, for semitrucks, near the intersection of Tenbrook Road and Telegraph Road,  Ward 2 Councilman Bill Moritz said in an email to residents.

The proposal is for the owners of , an Arnold-based business at 2960 Arnold Tenbrook Rd., to purchase the Stewart Property, drain and fill the pond area and erect a building for their business that is currently located on Arnold Tenbrook Road and near the railroad tracks, Moritz said.

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The business owner also wants to move a second business, a parking lot for semi-tractors, to the proposed location.

"That would result in the approximately 80 trucks and trailers now parked in the Industrial area farther down Arnold Tenbrook to this parking lot along one of the principal entrances to Arnold from South St. Louis County," Moritz said.

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The area is near a neighborhood, is curently zoned for commercial use but is not approved for industrial use. A parking lot is considered an industrial business.

If the board decided to rezone the area, the issue would go to Arnold City Council for a vote. Six of the eight councilmen would need to oppose the rezoning to defeat the proposal, Moritz said.

Similar zoning changes stand approved unless voted down, City Administrator Matt Unrein has said in past city council meetings.

Moritz said that he is concerned about the homeowers living next to the proposed semi-truck parking lot. There could be a lot of truck engine noise during all hours of the day disrupting the neighborhood.

He is also concerned about the apparance of a truck parking lot on Arnold's northeast border across from St. Louis County.

Ward 1 Councilman Doris Borgelt said, in a separate email to residents, that the proposed building would improve the area and support a small business owner who wants to expand and hire more Arnold residents.

"What you have is a small businessman who works hard, pays his taxes and wants to spend over a million dollars of his own money on a project that will enhance the area he is moving to.  He isn't asking for any tax breaks, subsidies or bond issues and has been a good neighbor," Borgelt said. "This is a project that is in line with good planning practices and will enhance the area, not detract from it."

Borgelt also asked residents to attend the 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall and the next City Council meeting scheduled for June 7.

If the Planning and Zoning board approves the zoning change, the council will likely consider the issue on June 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correction: The proposed site is at Telegraph Road and Tenbrook Road. An earlier version of the article said otherwise. The writer and editors erred


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