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Belleville council annexes two parcels near Lebanon Avenue over neighbors' objections
Summary
On Sept. 15 the Belleville City Council approved annexation of two parcels at 1801 Lebanon Avenue and 2430 Old Collinsville Road, clearing the way for a commercial zoning conversion despite neighbors' concerns about traffic, lighting and property values.
The Belleville City Council on Sept. 15 voted 9-6 to approve an annexation agreement and ordinance adding two parcels — Partial 08-14-103-035 (1801 Lebanon Avenue) and Partial 08-14-103-005 (2430 Old Collinsville Road) — to the city and to convert the land to C-2 heavy commercial zoning. The annexation passed after a public hearing in which nearby residents objected to a proposed commercial use at the corner.
Neighbors said the corner is not suitable for another gas station and raised safety and quality-of-life concerns. “If you have an entrance off of O’Connell Road into that gas station, it’s dangerous,” said Patrick Gull, a resident who said he and his wife live adjacent to the proposed site. “The road is just too busy, especially in the mornings, with high schoolers coming in and out.”
The annexation is intended to allow commercial development at a still-undefined storefront on the corner. City staff said the two parcels are contiguous to the city along Eleventh Avenue and that any specific development proposal would next go through the planning commission and site-plan review.
Another resident, Rick Brian, told the council residents worry about higher property taxes and the effect of commercial development on long-term neighborhood stability. In response during the hearing, a councilmember said the corner is already a commercial intersection and that a sales-tax-generating business would be an asset to Ward 1.
The council’s vote followed roll call debate; the final tally was nine in favor and six opposed. The council subsequently approved ordinances authorizing execution of the annexation agreement and annexing the territory to the city. The annexation itself does not approve a specific business or site plan; any development application will return for planning and permitting reviews.
Mayor and staff comments at the meeting reiterated that annexation is the procedural step to bring the parcels into the city and that future site-specific reviews will include traffic and safety analysis.
With the annexation now approved, city staff and the property owners will proceed with the standard planning and permitting process. Residents who spoke asked the council to consider traffic safety, lighting mitigation, litter control and impacts on property values as the planning review proceeds.
