City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Good evening everyone. Welcome for the Alvette City Council meeting for October 28th, 2025. Can we please have roll call? Mayor Clark here. Chairman Prommo here. Council member Solomonov here. Council member Pashan Helman here. Council member Lewis here. Okay, so we'll go on with communications. I have no written communications. Thank you very much. Now we'll go to the city manager report.

In uh city manager Jennifer Yaki's absence, I will have a short um short presentation. I haven't used Zoom in a long time. There you go. They changed the color of it. There we go. I'm sorry. Good. Uh upcoming events, city offices closed on uh November 11th for Veterans Day. Uh that is a regular city council meeting day but it is cancelled so we won't uh have anything there. Uh coffee with the mayor is uh November 12th. Our guests will be the turkey truck committee members um I believe is going to be David Moons and Jamie Fingerman along with uh Jewish family services. It'll be Marian uh Sedenfeld and who their CEO I didn't I just misplaced her their name. Either way, we'll have good guests and we'll be debuting the shirts and uh special uh other um uh goodie for sale. Uh so, make sure you tune in on the 12th. Uh there's turkey right there Thanksgiving morning. Uh all proceeds are going to uh JFS. And there is, I'll mention a special need um right now with uh threatening of some of the um uh from the government shutdown along with uh you know, striking workers and uh furled workers at the federal government. there's an additional need for food. Uh we do have a food drive going on currently at the city center here and at Five Oaks. So, anytime you go, uh please try to remember to uh think of that and bring some food in for some folks in need. Uh the word on the street from them is they're seeing people they have not seen in, you know, a long time, maybe more atypical than what you expect, needing some uh extra help. Uh our upcoming meeting, city council work session next Tuesday the 4th at 7 p.m. Planning Community Design Commission. Uh a couple days after that, November 6th. And then like I said, November 11th, regular city council meeting is cancelled.

However, there will be a special meeting on the 18th which will take place the place of the two regular meetings. And then uh Oh, it's it's not on it is it's further down. Uh on the 25th, the city council meeting. I'm at the bottom of the page here is also cancelled. So on the 18th we'll have a meeting at 7 p.m. take care of November's business. Uh and then the following day on the 19th on Wednesday is a parks and rec commission meeting up at Five Oaks and then the planning and community design commission will meet once again on the 20th. So busy week on the 18th there. Uh but with that that's all I have for any city manager report but I do have of uh time for any questions if you have any.

Any questions from the council? Not a question. Just a reminder that and Jennifer knows this, but I'm going to miss next to the 4th um because I'll be traveling. Do we need any help from the council for turkey trout at any point? Do you know? Volunteers are always welcome. Uh do you have special places? We'll try to keep usually the um uh volunteers are always welcome, but you council members are better to be out and about cheering people on. And also the council members joined the mayor to present the check to the um to the food pantry. The Harvey corn. Is that before or after the race? Before. Oh before. Oh I think it's after the race.

After the race. Yeah. We'll do it after the race. The whole time do some scoring. Yeah. Yeah. Brian's trying to get out of doing registration. I think is really No, my fingers get cold. I'm in charge of the computers every year. So if anyone wants to help me with that, you have good technology skills. You can go. I'm running with my we can let you go at like 10 minutes. Yeah, that's fine. I'll sign up. No, it's good. Uh yes, more than if you want uh if you would like to help, you know, more than uh uh happy to facilitate that with David Moons and and the volunteer squad. Okay, it's a good time.

All right, so we're going to the uh staff reports. Yeah, I guess I'll keep sharing. We'll go over here. Uh staff reports. No, not there. Police department. Um overall, I think um you see some our calls for service are down. If we look at this kind of chart here, see uh there was a spike there in August and then everything's kind of calmed down. Uh for the month of September, I can't speak to anything in October. Um but uh you can see this chart overall. um stops, calls for service also. Uh we're are trending down. Um if we go over to the fire department, um there's some training. There's some repelling there in the uh stair tower. Uh that's good. A couple structure fires. Uh nothing else uh there report. I will mention uh you know the all fire department did I have a working house fire yesterday. Uh everyone is okay. Um is a good experience. Of course, you don't want the experience for some of our newer firefighters, but we're able to do um a really good job of kind of containing that fire into part of the house and uh saving uh the rest of it, which is uh what it comes down to when everyone is safe and out of the house. Uh parks and wreck, uh we had uh a dark sky, not a dark sky, but uh star night star event along with an open mic night, which was again a really a big success at uh uh let's say 20 30 people there. Um, youth soccer league is wrapping up this week. I think it's good just as the weather turns. So, perfect timing there. Uh, and then some um, so on the south side of Stacy Park uh, as it uh, abuts uh, Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery, not to be confused with where Emanuel Lutheran Church and the cemetery is now. It's the older one on the south side is about uh, Warren and and Stacy Park. there is a a tree line there and so they're reclaiming some of that but then putting

replacing with some other trees to keep that buffer there. Harvest Fest was on the 25th uh estimates 350 to 400 people. Uh so it's a good time had by all I think most of you were there so you you up to you if you had a good time. Um, we have um coming up um the People's [snorts] Choice movie uh ET will be showing on November 7th at uh 7:00 p.m. at Five Oaks. We talked about Tra uh Turkey Track coming up and then uh um Susie Faren there will have uh be at the Keystone Art Gallery at Five Oaks uh coming up uh in December. I think uh public works has got a great report here. the um this is a a new a sneak peek at what we're going to be viewing. Another great uh trail through uh part of the Great Rivers Greenway Trail. Um it'd be east of Dealman as it kind of works through down towards uh Price Road uh at the old rail bed. That's uh going to be another place to feel like you're not in not in the city at all. And then uh Bill's really happy to be um laying a putting up rebar to lay curbing there. Uh public works that's been there. It's been nice outside so that always helps out. And then um this is uh north of Alice. Uh down just right over here is the new Irvington Police Apartments. But this is part of a greater connectivity point. Um getting people from the northeast quadrant into and towards as the great the uh greenway gets built built out. There's a new sidewalk um that was negotiated as part of the agreement of the abatement with Irvington Place to provide sidewalks from it' be this. If we go down here and turn right here uh right up here you can turn AC. Is that right Carlos?

No. I'm on the other side. Okay. I'm on the wrong side, but a a a sidewalk a pedestrian can walk from anywhere in the northeast quadrant and enter the greenway trail, which is was not really possible very easily without being on the street. The Alice is pretty tight right there. But there will be sidewalks all the way across. So that's uh good as that work continues. Go ahead. So is this Coington right here? That's uh Hilltop Hilltop. Okay. It's not Bryce. Okay.

Yeah. Is this Oh, this is this is looking It's right here, isn't it? Yeah, place is right there. So, the public works building is right there. We're seeing the uh intersection of North Price and Alice right here. But right behind us and to the right go as it goes up Hilltop is another uh project, a CDB project going on to improve the sidewalks there with some of these ADA improvements. Yeah. So, this is the beginning part. As Ivrington Place is complete, the sidewalk will continue. And there's at uh at the public works building at 1200 North Price is also a new sidewalk as it crosses right there. So again, part of that same project is really good uh really good project. It puts a lot of pieces together. Uh Bruce McGregor does a good job of that. And also as we were negotiating some of that abatement at Irvington Place, this is how this comes together of kind of uh negotiating for some for money and for improvements and knowing what we wanted when we went into those uh those negotiations. Uh Carlos, what have you been doing? Uh we see a little bit of some the pictures here of the befores and afters of uh at lot 3. Uh so we were, you know, at a bear and now here it's even further than this now, right? It's has a

parking lot.

Yeah, parking lot. You can go in there and park. Uh and then the um detention pond here again from a little bit different view. Uh Irvington Place. Oh, this is right where we were talking. So uh a second ago, we were looking Oh goodness. Right here. We were right here. This this new the new sidewalk is right in here and it'll be continued on through here and then you can see some of the white sidewalk there right in front of public works and this will be continued all the way through. Uh the trail will be right right there in front well as it comes through. So uh things are going good and they're busy uh with at Carlos's group. Um, overall I I think we're above revenue projections on the new fees and being busy. That commercial permitting is always going to uh be based on one thing coming through. And I just closed what I wanted. So that'll conclude the staff reports. Uh I'll let uh the clerk want to take us on to the next set.

Monthly financial report.

That's right. Good. Good. So um as I kind of said part of this will be what we talk about with permits but uh general fund revenues uh above expectations 21,000 uh expenditures below by about 40 48,500 uh so that's a net favorable uh variance of 69,620 uh well within our reserve policy for the one-year. Uh we'll be discussing the reserve policy in December uh for that 5-year long-term uh uh that time frame. Sales taxes are strong into September, but not for the kind of reasons we would have expected, which is um more of a lesson in in how we budget for these things. And uh some things give and some things don't. uh Aldi had they did begin uh an increase from our expectations but it was more for of more of a one-off from a catch-up and some of it the timing of the state uh use taxes propped up this category for September and again this is uh sometimes you'll see this give and this take and overall what we're really concerned with is are are we kind of meeting these numbers in this long term and are we able to project them accurately uh property taxes uh slow until December um bills are coming out. We'll be able to get them here in the next couple weeks and then uh utility taxes slow on a more temperate summer that we had. Uh you remember it didn't rain a whole lot. Uh when it rain it doesn't rain that does increase some water usage. When it does rain, uh water usage goes down. Uh it's been more temperate there through uh we had a really nice spell in August. Anyway, all it means is we did not run our air conditioners as much and so the utility taxes kind of go down uh for us as uh we all pay our bills. Parks and wreck slower. Um they're below expectations. Uh the soccer registrations were strong. They met right at were right at expectations. Those membership and room

rentals are are stubborn stubborn and they're really dragging that category down still. Uh the remaining categories which is where the permits lie we talked about. Um, we can go into any of the detail of this if we'd like, but uh, it's all mixed. Uh, licenses, medical transport are lagging a little bit. Um, and then court permits, all those other things are they're stable. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Nothing to report. Um, on the expenditure side, everything's, you know, real close to where we'd expect them to be uh, at this. So, nothing to report there. We'll look at our chart of the month. Um, you can see where this orange line right here, we had this dip. Um, again, this is uh kind of losing out on some of the Aldi. Uh, just a timing difference. We received it back. Uh, got some here in October. Uh, if we were to do use tax, we'd see a big bump in this use tax for this month. Um, with that, but overall, everything's stable. These purple lines right here that comes in the last half looks a lot like this blue line right here. And I think our orange line is going to it's going to be about a level right up in here with the the addition of those all these sales tax. So, that's good. development happens and it takes time sometimes to to uh see the results but we'll start seeing them here. Nope. Uh open to any questions.

Just curious harvest festival how is attendance compared to previous years mainly as it relates to this because I know there's a fee for kids. You bet. Um you know overall I don't know accounts. One of the weirdest things about this with finances, um, if one person comes in and pays 10,000 bucks, I'm like super happy, but we need like 10,000 people paying a buck. And that's where, so this participation versus uh, money gets intersected a lot.

Um, and so I don't think we made those revenue numbers. Um, but it all comes down with, you know, the costs also go down when we don't have those those, but the participants are at 350 400. I think we estimated more at like 600, 500, 600 last year. I don't know how accurate any of those counts are. Sometimes when you're busy uh in line, I mean at Turkey Trout, you'd guess there's like 10,000 people there based on how many people are in line, but it's it's about 2500.

Yeah, that's right. There's about 200 people there and 2,000 registered. So, uh I don't know where that intersects with a lot of those things. I can definitely get that information. That's something that we're really concentrating on reporting. That should make it to that parks and rec commission meeting. Um, I want participation at the parks and rec commission meeting and then the finances kind of can come in here and they'll they'll intersect it at during budget. Think that they've been able to tally everything up yet as far as like the numbers that approximation at this point the 350 to 400 and they're still you know figuring out some of it out. So what happens is we do know how many people paid but then how many people came. Yeah. And that's that's a little bit different and so we're it's uh let's make

standpoint. I was curious how many kids came that they were paying cuz like we paid 45 bucks for a family. You bet. So, so every every child had to pay, but all those adults, the grandparents and all like they were buying and eating and so that was more revenue and but um it's uh it's important to remember that you know this is the first time we've kind of focused on this revenue side of this. We're we're pretty new at selling food. We're pretty new at at uh at charging people for the so we don't know where we're going to hit. Um there is a survey going out. So, I do encourage everyone that that did attend or did not to please, you know, fill that out. We want to know what's going on here. Uh, did you have a good time? That's really what it's about. It's really, did we have a good time?

We got a $10 million budget. You know, 2500 bucks isn't going to break a bank for Yeah, we can't have too many. Uh, and that's that's what it comes down to. So, did we have a good time and did we recover what we thought? So, good question. Okay. Yeah. Good. All right. Now, time for our city, excuse me, city council leas liaison reports. Oh, I thought you had already done that. Okay, have at it, sir.

Uh, so our quarterly investment report for uh it's the third quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of this month, but uh we have our uh three-month ladder. They're a little bit longer uh sorry, shortterm, which these are each in three-month increments. if we talk about them uh one every month. Uh we can see the rates here are really close to what we see all the way down. These are the rates that we're getting uh some of the 5% and these are the ones that are past one year. So we have three 3month um treasury bills pretty uh larger amounts and this is for liquidity. We keep the um keep everything uh closer. So, every 3 months we got 2 million bucks is should something come up or every month we have 2 million should something come up and need the money. Then we got this 12 month uh ladder at two um 245 250,000 each. Those keep rolling, keep rolling, keep rolling. Uh and then we have some of these longer term ones and that was to take advantage of these uh these higher rates and these so these will lock in 5% for the next until you can see here at least for the next year year and some all the way out to 28. I anticipate this will continue um into September is the leanest times for governments that rely on any sort of property taxes. we'll start getting uh million two million bucks in the next couple months and so we've kind of you know made it through I can't so I expect this to continue I don't need think we'll need any cash coming from this investments and we can let this money work and earn us uh some money so well then happy to answer any questions but that's the report

okay when is the pension board meeting next do you know yeah it should be meeting that they make the list uh it's next uh next Thursday the 6th I did make the list earlier there. Okay, we'll go on with the county uh city council liaison reports. We'll start the Who wants to go first? First, uh PCDC met on the 16th. Um couple of things to call out. We I'd been tasked kind of to go to PCDC

and talk about areas from the comprehensive plan we wanted them to work on. uh our meeting went 3 hours so I was at the end of that meeting so I did not spend a lot of time on that so I kind of gave him a quick overview of it um but then the plan is to follow up with them more so it might be a little bit delayed on coming back one thing that I just want to add to the list of things we want to follow up and talk about and Maxine you may have information on this is a topic that got brought up before that I hadn't heard before was wayfinding signs uh so if you think about you go to Maplewood you see the sign that says Maplewood over the banner and people are talking about all of that as this you know sense of place so like maybe when you cross under 170. Why or do we should we have signs that say all of that? It sounds what I was told and I wasn't here for the history was that this parks and rack said no in the past that they wanted to kind of control that or work on the overall sense of place and how those signs came up but it hasn't whether it's funding or whether it's come together. I know nothing more than that. But I I thought it was an interesting thing. The council was very interested in it or the committee was very interested in like why do we not have signs that say welcome to all of it in larger senses. Um I'm not sure if you can speak on it or maybe something to discuss topic.

There's a little history here. It does go back. It does come back down to funding a little bit. Um but I can get a better we can send out a history kind of where we are. There's a really good uh like plan that we are using right now and that's how why the signs at the parks look like they look. Uh that was a a piece of it and the parks are great and I think the parks actually had the sign in. It was more about kind of the roads and things like that. It's all part of the same project. the the wayfinding is all part of the same project for the welcome signs in Dvet and there used to be like a small little green sign like when you were on Dealman and Price and Olive and Ola Street Road and it's being phased because of funding

and so it's going to happen it's just hasn't happened as timely as I think people would have liked but if it's coming up again again let's let's revisit it right and see if that's what director go be able to tell them either way let's go and I think that there is unfortunately without the wayfinding There is so much more signage going in around like the basin. When I went to get on 170 the other day, I noticed there's a lot more signage around uh the word, you know, is out there more, but I but we have discussed it and um I was under the impression it was still in the phase stage. So, we we'll just have put it back on. And I think part of the reason it came up is with all the developments in New City, people are saying, "Oh, the Costco and all of oh this." We're like trying to say, "No, this is where we are. This is where you

My recommendation would be to ask that when Sydney and I meet with um Jennifer Yakley next week that we can ask her to put on a workshop and bring everyone what I was looking for.

Um perfect. The other thing is um let's see we talked about Olive Crossing a lot about landscaping and just you know areas around that some concerned citizens around the courtyard hotel that they're looking at and Carlos is tracking that down. And then we had further discussions on ADU accessory dwelling units in terms of we need to make a decision from uh they're going to eventually come to us to say what is our view on accessory dwelling units. Should they be two stories? Should not be two story? What's the expectations around those? So expect that to be a topic in the future. Um and then obviously the restaurant which Carlos will be presenting to us tonight. So

uh so I got a few things. October 21st, I went to the Cool Cities um meeting that was at Beyond Housing up in Berkeley, and it was a a great show, the biggest um turnout that I've seen for one of these meetings. Carlos and Don were there. It was on trees and native plants. Um and uh it was kind of a uh an overview of how beneficial trees and native plants are. Um, and then on October 25th, I participated in the trash bash. Um, which was wonderful and fun. Um, headed up by Bruce and Dawn was also there. Don Dodie from planning. Um, there were about 10 people who came out to volunteer. Um, but I think it's really fun to go trumping through the stream and picking up trash and my kids did too. my son was in waiters in the stream. So, [laughter] it was good good opportunity to, you know, just work in the community. Um, and then, uh, last night the economic development commission met and, uh, spent a good amount of time going over the roles and responsibilities that are outlined in um, section article three of uh, the codes. and also did a discussion about um doing a work session for the EDC um which is slightly unusual. I don't my sense is that that does does not or has not happened um often and the desire is for the commission to really hone in on their own mission vision and values uh specifically pulling in things from the strategic plan and the other uh plans that have been developed by the EDC.

two things that came up for um the council to think about and discuss uh at a later date. Um it was a unusual situation for the EDC where we had two members who were on Zoom, two members who were present and one who was unable to attend. For a commission of five, it requires uh it is required to have four people present in order to vote on anything, but the codes are apparently written in such a way that it it's not clear whether it's okay for them to be on Zoom. Um, and just also having to need a supermajority of four for that commission in order to vote on something um is unusual because it's more than just the simple quorum. Um, so something I think that we as a council should should look at potentially um changing and updating um especially around being present via Zoom. Um, and then also a question that came up was to get some more direction from the council on how to approach development strategies. um what what does the council want to see from the economic development commission? Um and especially since there's three of the five who are new members, uh the commission is really looking to see what kind of direction this council will take with economic development. Um so I think that's another [laughter] potential work session. Maxine and I went to the um housing authority meeting and she's going to present on our behalf.

So today was the housing authority meeting. Um so and at Rothell Heights which is down the down the street on Dealman right before you get to the um railroad tracks. That's where it's located for those of you who aren't familiar with it. And um so everyone comes from the St. Louis County Housing Authority that work on behalf of the Alvette Housing Authority and um we they each gave reports. So we received like a budget report. We received a um the occupancy report and some other reports on some projects that they're working on. So um at this point in time 100% filled. They're going to be they have u they're going to be starting to work on some of the sewer laterals down there for the families. Um and they're you know waiting to hear on some grants. The first um application they worked on has not been received and then there's some grants and that we're waiting on to see if they'll receive those. Um and then um and the budget and everything was really on target and um they're really a pleasure to work with and we meet quarterly. So, um, so I attended with Sydney that today. And then last Wednesday night on the 22nd, I, um, I went to the parks and recreation meeting. And I think that, um, Darren covered most of it with the pictures. Um, I was just going to I wasn't going to do it as as lovely with the pictures. I was just going to do it more anecdotal. Um, one of the things that we did talk about was um, the membership and they're kind of pulling the membership apart so that next month when I report about the membership, I'll be able to say the membership numbers are a little skewed and that when we give the numbers, it includes the active renew. And active renew is something that people pay don't have to pay a membership for, but we get reimbursement from their health care for. And this is like a like silver sneakers, but it's

not silver sneakers, but it's the same concept. And so what is through UHC, I believe, and Blue Cross, I think. I think I'm not sure what the other one is. And so the active renew, they're pulling those those people out of the numbers. They're pulling the employees out of the numbers so that we can see like how many employees, how many corpor are through corporations, and how many are, you know, residents or family residents. So, we're still close, even with pulling some of those out, the the number of residents is still close to that 900. And right now, because we're coming up on our three-year wow, three year November 5th, next week is we when we um when we did the ribbon cutting there. So, and people are So, right now is when people are starting to renew their memberships because they didn't go into effect until October, November um that year. So, um it was a good meeting and um a lot of the talk at the meeting was about the harvest festival which has come and gone and um I'll look forward to reporting back to you next month about the actual numbers and finances and how that all went. But um besides being a chilly night, it was great and I think Kate's family gets a shout out. Her high school kids and her husband were working the kitchen all night. So, um I love that we've taken over creating making the food and serving it because I think that that just it it it just flowed. It worked out really well. Um I heard great things about the uh hay ride. I didn't go on it because of my own asthma, but um but it just it was a busy night. Um and I enjoyed spending time with all of you. So, it was great. Well,

it's a lot of fun. I got a chance I don't have a report at this time. Okay. Next week.

All right. So, at this point, we're going to hearing from citizens. We don't see any on line and there are none in the audience. So, we'll move forward on to bill number 3053. If I could please have someone read that for us. Build number Z 3053, an ordinance authorizing a special permit use to Easy Storage Ewette LLC to operate a 3,772 thou uh square foot full service restaurant on the property grounds addressed as 9538 Olive Boulevard zone COR commercial office retail District.

Good evening, mayor, members of the council. My name is Carlos Tjo. I'm the planning director for the city of Alvette. And tonight before you is bill uh 3053. Uh I did request a first reading uh and schedule a public hearing for November 18th uh contrary to our normal rules of order. Uh and there the reason for the uh having the reading and then the public hearing subsequently or second uh was given the schedule and the timing for just the nove one November meeting and there so to assist the petitioner and to accommodate the plan commission process. uh you know was faced that I would miss the publication deadline uh for that. So that's why I'm requesting a first reading at your first meeting and then the public hearing uh November 18th. The publication deadline for that is this coming Monday. Uh and there and this would um this bill would authorize a special permit use for a full service restaurant at the easy storage facility. uh the lower level, the retail uh level. They had anticipated retail or restaurant use for this area uh in there as part of the uh the review process and uh they've been the developer. I'll give them credit being very very patient and uh looking to to obtain a restaurant type of uh tenant for that facility in this case full service. Um and there I'll be glad to answer any specific questions, but we'll go through a public hearing and uh explanation of the process. I'll also have the uh the applicant uh in attendance for that. But if there's any early questions, I'd be glad to answer that.

Do they have anybody in mind? Yes, the uh the uh tenant under contract is called The Taste of Jang Naan. Uh it's an Asian restaurant. It is uh local. It's their first restaurant and uh it is a full service uh restaurant that they'll be operating. Cool. And is that three bays or four bays? They will be taking the it's the three remaining bays kind of two and a half. Domo took a little bit more uh on on the uh on the eastern half and it'll be a great complimentary use between the two uh the two tenants. Any questions from the council? Um maybe just work talking about the parking yes situation. That was my question

because that's something they covered.

Yes. So, uh, part of the, uh, uh, Easy Storage is working with Mr. Clackner, who operates Olivet Lanes next door, uh, where they will lease and eventually, uh, seek to purchase, uh, 16 additional parking, uh, stalls on the Olivet Lane, uh, property. Uh, the property is over has more parking stalls. That's required by code. I think they're over by 25. uh and they're they're going to uh restripe the the the parcel ground so the parking will be perpendicular to the building as you go north to south and then uh kind of move that uh driving lane uh eastward towards the bowling alley in there and uh provide an additional 16 stalls. uh based the way our code works, they will still have more parking than what would be required by code uh in there, I believe, by 4 in stalls.

And there there is a diagram uh Mr. Man. Uh that kind of illustrates There we go. Thank you, sir. And then I have a little aerial shot of the bowling alley down there for for reference. So those parking spots there marked in yellow, those that does not exist, right? Yes. remove some of the parking that's perpendicular to those in order to accommodate for that. That is correct. Reconnect them both. Yeah. Yeah. And they currently have a crossaxis and some lease agreements with the bowling alley uh property. So we don't anticipate the same issues we as we have with Great Heart Brewery with the parking. This would be a better solution.

Correct. And that's why we restrict their hours uh in there. The issue is the great harbor which is is well parked as per code but the circulation and the lack of having a second out uh outlet uh onto olive really kind of hurts that uh in there and that was by by their design with a hope that someday there'll be some expansion either east or west of that uh to accommodate that. So they do have us they've secured we secured a cross- access easement between the both sides of the property if for some reason the Eden Rock or the bowling alley redevelop. Mhm.

Okay. Um, Carlos, this is a question that I have. Um, and I'll just be clear that I'm not totally sure how to state it, but being forward thinking, um, and seeing a restaurant of this size and being aware that the restaurant business, especially small, um, independentlyowned restaurants, can be a volatile market. Um, do you, and I'm excited for this restaurant. I want to maybe preface everything with that is that I'm excited for a sitdown restaurant. Um, do you have any concerns or or are there questions we should be asking and thinking about for a restaurant coming in of this size? Um, for a a first time restaurant tour.

Mhm. No, it's a good question. We we look at it in the way the the bill is craft crafted and you know in terms of our ordinance we secure that it would always be a full service restaurant. Uh if there was something that came in there's two parts to your question. one about this tenant and the long-term uh uh tenency or or possibility and yes, restaurant businesses are risk uh in there. The way we crafted the ordinance and well this bill and how our zoning ordinance works uh given that we reference what we call the North American Industrial Standard Classification System. So they identify business type of entities and there's one uh for food service and there's multiple types of food services. There, you know, so you have your drive-throughs, you have your fast foods, you have your buffets, and then you have your full service. Full service is defined as when somebody comes to your table to take your order and then brings your order uh to you directly. And the way this bill is crafted is to ensure that that is the the the authorization the council would be given a full service restaurant. So yes, there is ability that uh Jay Nan could uh could be bought out or change over time, but that if they wanted to do a different type of business service, let's say like Sugarfire, uh they would have to amend the uh they'd have to come back to the count uh to petition the commission to amend that that ordinance. So I know that doesn't directly secure the you know the concern, but that's how it's kind of laid out in that process. I hope that kind of addresses that question or if there's something you

I might understand your concern. I guess to me it's actually a great size for first time because I think about like all of Crossing there's potentially a much larger restaurant. So that would be a risk I think of a new restaurant but this isn't a huge the number of tables they have is not massive. It's it's at least 65 seats. You know it has a good number of seats but it's not the size of something else. And we love the idea. I know you love it too, but like this independent restaurant, new owner. I'm excited about the new business. So, and it's tough. And if I can add something, we got time. I hope. Exactly.

But, you know, as we tried to look at, you know, balancing small businesses and franchises and and we we are cognizant of that. I mean, the Chick-fil-A's, the First Watches, they're they're they're performing a role on goals and visions in another community, which I think is is is valid of what they're trying to do here. We try to balance those. The easy storage has a uh uh a uh chapter 100 uh agreement with the city of all of that. Uh and in that process we we try to you know not to say control who the tenants are but we are I think the term we use from the catalyst strategy is u uh we we're we're trying to be picky. So we you know they've held off on uh not providing personal service type of businesses. Uh we wanted something that could help us sales tax- wise or generate some sales tax wise but we also wanted something that was quaint something that was mom and pop to in there. So it it starts turning the risk this way and then we're trying to turn the risk back to the middle by b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b bing it with a chapter 100 uh in in their process. They've been

Can you tell me more about chapter 100? Chapter 100 allows them to abate some of the uh the the property tax uh in there. It also allows them to uh secure like the construction costs taxfree uh in there as opposed to a tiff which has an embaitment and then the sales tax uh and that's just a like a really short a little more complex in there but the the big differences.

Uh so that's the same thing we tried to do with with uh with all well the shops of Price Crossing. you know, it was the first trigger fire. They've been pretty successful, but then there was a Jimmy Johns, which was a chain. So, we try to and then Rebel Cup, you know, in there. So, we try to, you know, work and and balance that out and not have that if, you know, I'm sure the developers had their brothers, it would probably secure something that has a bigger financing arm behind them uh and such. And that's why, again, on the other side of town, it probably works in terms to to their vision. Our goal is always trying to, you know, is to take that risk and and and and be cognizant of what we also have to do to try to make it work. Uh and there use the best planning tools we have and sometimes those are those abatements uh in there. But I think again it was, you know, it was purposeful. You know, they they knew not to come back with something that was uh that personal type of service, which usually is like a a beauty shop, you know, something that you generally don't buy tangible products. Uh they looked at different retailers, different standards uh in there. And then they also knew that the city wanted to get more restaurants uh in there. And I think this was a pretty good

good one that they secured. And if not, you know, there's the other potentials if you know once this uh bill passes, let's say if it does change names or so that we still secured it to be kind of full service uh in there and if not that it's got to come back through the process because the thought or the vision may change over time. So I hope that kind of addresses it's a very good question. It's hard to answer. And I would like to add that the previous console um previous two consoles had had met multiple times with the owners of when they were building easy storage in the process of what we what was acceptable and unacceptable in the bays. Um and um they they would throw out suggestions and we sat and shared with them the vision and a lot of it was based on input from people in the community and we kept hearing loud and clear that people really want a nice sit-down restaurant. Um and um I think it also speaks to the diversity in the community, the kinds of restaurants we're getting and you know brass tap and now um help me with the name

French. the terrace. I get the taste of Oh, the taste of Jang Nan. Jang Nan is also a first to Missouri. I think it's the first one in the country, right?

There it's local. It's I like to say we we did Google it or or do an internet search and there is one in Shanghai and this is their second. I saw one in Singapore. So, I thought, "Oh, they're coming from Singapore." But on a serious note, but I think that we're getting these like ones that aren't chains and and that was something that we were really adamant with them. Um Sydney and I sat through a lot of those meetings talking about cuz some of the things they had talked about putting there. We didn't want somewhere like a team like like a mobile store that sells mobile, you know, phones. We didn't want that. We wanted somewhere where people could gather and be more of a community gathering place in a restaurant. And that we kept hearing over and over that people wanted somewhere not just to pick up food or to walk out with, but to be able to sit and have a family dinner.

But it was something that it looked or felt like something you put next to a quick trip. You know, we wanted to have a unique feel to it. Like it sounds like you said next. You missed the word not. No, I don't want anything that looks like it would be next to a quick trip, you know, if I didn't say that right. But yeah, we wanted to make sure it, you know, had a nice feel to it. place in a nice summer evening. You can just kind of walk up there and have dinner, get kudos from the wife, you know, and I think that easy storage for us because it's taken them so long to Well, and it's that I mean, they they've done Darren, I don't know what is it three years that they've been that's three years that they they've

have not taken in, you know, lease fees or revenues from from a lease and that process knowing what the city was looking for. And I I'll add too, you know, that you is and and part of it's on our role to articulate, you know, a lot of it's reflective in these plans that we put together, whether it was the original comprehensive plan, uh, the catalyst strategy and now the the the current plan that what we heard and what the council hears when you go out there, uh, you know, doornocking and all that, that people want something unique or they don't want a, uh, a franchise or or some, you know, the big, uh, corporate, uh, type of thing. And you know that that would be to me you know the I would reflect the same thing with the outlaw at the Oliver. They know that you know they they've had interest in there and they know that you know in discussions like but you know you know the council's going to give you a hard time uh in there. That's not what we had talked about in the beginning and all that. And I I think they're you know they're looking at the market and trying to find out how that balance works you know and that's on them to to figure it out. We hope within the next several months that we'll have something uh in there, but this is another one. You know, we've been working with Easy Storage, you know, noting that, you know, the community vision is not to have another chain store. Nothing wrong with them. It's just, you know, we're, you know, we want a balance and we have plenty here and we have a lot locally or, you know, just along the corridor with with our neighbors.

So, I'll bring this full circle. It's always about Carlos for one. He's always got plans for something. But in all seriousness though, what you just talked about Kate is the same thing. U there's a redevelopment um uh discussions on where we at today. you know, how do we curate this mix of people? And uh we have zoning uh to make decisions to be able to say we don't want that. And there's layers of this and what's everyone's role in this between uh the city staff uh what's the role of the planning commission in deciding what this thing looks like and where should it be there at all? And then we have a special use kind of a process of you know does council want this too and part of that uh education piece is uh what are the citizens saying in their plans and you know what does the council want? We had a a council went through a big push of redevelopment and this is what we're talking about curating the you know if you want us if you want an abatement we we want kind of want some things too whether it be sidewalks or um you know a a good mix of of of tenants in our spaces. And so this will continue part of it starts with that EDC discussions planning commission is going through those same things and we have [snorts] Carlos here too.

Just one last question on this to kind of key maybe think of this. So if this restaurant doesn't make it let's say 3 years from now it another full service restaurant could go in without an additional they have to meet the same criteria. Yes. Okay. So, so we're kind of adding the usage of the space to this, right? More than the rest through that definition of what's defined in the in our our code. It's that leaves it like it has to be a place where somebody sits down and somebody comes to get your order.

And even though the tenant is the space is built out as such, it doesn't mean that they can just hand this off to somebody else. It has to be it will go through the same process of uh a recommendation from planning commission on going through and then the council would get another special use permit and that's by design of do we want to keep doing this and is this the right fit? So that's again all by kind of design. Do all restaurant uses require a special permit or just

yes it's it's a pretty standard planning thing. So in any community most restaurants would require a special permit. Now we have carved out in a adjoining district in our city center district and our MU district also that if you know based on the square footage we we'll exempt certain restaurants uh in there to try to expedite or provide economic activity uh in there. So if somebody was going to come in with a uh you know a a 6,000t standalone restaurant, they're going to have to petition the city for a special permit. they'll be classified in one of these, you know, is it fast food, is it, you know, is it, you know, full service, is it buffet, and then we'll come and petition to you uh in there. Other communities may just do it slightly different. What we can't do is if you have a full get in trouble here, a full service restaurant, somebody comes in and provides full service uh in there, but it's like, oh man, that's not the type of activity or restaurant we we wanted. you know, we can't be picky about as long as they provide that same service. Now, the council has other tools in their pocket like the liquor license requirements or or or

Carlos, where uh right now do we have that the restaurant could come through come in and essentially right now has uh could could so so uh kick and crab um the uh Shaboo Shaboo and all those. And again, I don't know if some of you recall the old uh buff Chinese buffet that used to be in there. Those that's how they were crafted and that's how we kind of exped uh like some of these occupants to come in because the exception here is at at at the gateway at the in the tiff district there's a site plan and that would not be subject to special use. Correct. Correct. Right. So those have been allowed by council under that site plan to expedite this this process

within their de the council's developers agreement. they have authorized the standalone type of restaurants. [snorts] Okay.

So, good questions. Appreciate that. The one thing I'll note and and it's not through me and you know I'm I'm only the face only because I have the tools been provided by council to to back me up because I'm pretty shy guy. So, it you know it is the staff. is all those plans that you have put effort in and and funded in there. So that it's it doesn't go through me and I know Darren's joking in there but it it is something again you know uh it is a you know we're I'm here just to try to push what the community have provided or articulated within those plants. So, pardon. Still need the public hearing.

Uh, that no, that would be nice. All right, we can talk about it again in a couple weeks. In a couple weeks, we can talk. Now, they did get stuck at uh the commission meeting. Mr. Commissioner Lewis had noted it was three hours and they were last on the agenda. So, I told him that uh just to be here for the November 18th and there'll be to answer your questions and all that. So, appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council.

All right. So, now we have hearing from citizens part two. I don't see any citizens out in the audience. Don't see any online. So, we'll move on to item 11, review and acceptance of minutes. Uh, did anybody see any changes that needed to be addressed? Okay. Then I will accept the uh go like to make a motion to accept the minutes um from October 14th, 2025. Second. Okay. So, it's been seconded and we'll move forward and then um we'll go with the uh city attorney's report. We need a vote. Oh, I'm sorry. Let's have a vote. Uh council member Lewis.

Yes. Council member Pashan Helman. Yes. Council member Solomonov, yes. Chairman Prom, yes. Mayor Clark, yes. Motion has passed. Okay, now it's official. Okay, let's go on with the uh city attorney's report. Do we have any? No report this evening. Okay, thank you very much. I will take a motion to adjurnn. I'd like to make a motion to adjurnn. Second. Okay, so done. All adjourned.