Planning commission approves variances to allow Mid South Roofing redevelopment at 564 Main Street

The Forest Park Planning Commission on Oct. 16 approved a suite of variances requested by Mid South Roofing Systems to enable renovation and adaptive reuse of a commercial site at 564 Main Street in Ward 2.

Planning staff presented the case (VAR2025-15), saying the applicant, April Ingram, sought relief from multiple Downtown Main Street District development standards to accommodate an existing, nonconforming building and constrained site layout. Staff said the variances were intended to allow reuse of the parcel while meeting public-realm improvements and stormwater management goals.

Staff described six specific requests: replacing required low screening walls adjacent to residential frontages with dense vegetative buffers and bioswales; removing the requirement for continuous low walls or vegetation adjacent to sidewalks in favor of natural…