Feasibility study for former police-station site presented; council leans toward public engagement and preserving riverfront

Presentation summary Derek, city planning staff, presented the long-anticipated feasibility study for the former police-station site (the PD site) in downtown Saint Charles. He told the committee the study is informational only and staff are not seeking land-use decisions at this time; instead staff recommended public engagement to gather community input before narrowing options.

Key constraints Derek said the site is about 1.75 acres and that several technical constraints will shape any redevelopment: maintained utility access along Riverside that cannot be closed; an approximately 60-foot buffer called for in the comprehensive plan; a required viewing corridor for State Avenue; adjacency to an active fire station (which raises concerns about traffic conflicts); overhead and local electrical lines along the eastern edge; and a well house/structure attached to the 1970s portion of the building that staff said would be impractical to relocate and could cost in excess of $30 million to move. Staff also presented subsurface data showing shallow bedrock and a floodplain that affects…