Applicant seeks to expand Clean Earth fill site; council hears floodplain and phasing concerns, tables request

The Planning and Zoning officer, Zach Greatens, told the council on Sept. 3 that an application to amend a previously approved special-use permit would expand a Clean Earth engineered fill operation at Missouri Bottom Road by about 80 acres. "This request is to expand the previously approved clean earth landfill located at 13810 and 13812 Missouri Bottom Road," Greatens said. The application would add parcels addressed 13728, 13738, 13748 Missouri Bottom Road and 14175 Ferguson Lane to the existing operation. Greatens said the property is zoned M-1 (Manufacturing District limited), the conference-of-plan shows future industrial use, and the site plan calls for phased grading and filling. The planning commission recommended approval with conditions by a vote of 7 to 5. Public concern: A resident identified in the record as Miss Fisher told the council during public comment that placing fill and "waste" on the river floodplain would harm downstream drinking water and that the city should not repeat past mistakes with toxic or asphalt sites. "First of all, that's a lot of land... it's gonna be trash on a flood plain," Miss Fisher said. Applicant and conditions: The applicant, Steve Quigley of Clayton Engineering, described the project as an engineered clean-fill operation monitored by a soils engineer and said the project's timetable depends on available material; he estimated "probably 3, 4 years" for the phases and said the "ultimate, goal for this property is industrial development." Planning staff and the planning commission recommended multiple conditions if the council approves an amendment, including: - A floodplain development permit is required. - Annual site-disturbance permit renewal is required. - Documentation from MSD, Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Bottom Levee District must be submitted to Public Works. - Grading and filling must occur in the phases shown and grading areas 1-3 must be completed before grading area 5 is started. - All fill activities must comply with chapter 550 of the Bridgeton Municipal Code. Council action: At first consideration the council tabled the ordinance to amend the special-use permit (bill 6506). Separately, the council approved a text amendment (bill 6504, ordinance 25-27) earlier in the meeting to require a special-use permit for clean earth landfill uses in the M-3R planned manufacturing district; that change does not itself approve the expansion but imposes an additional review requirement in certain zones. Discussion vs. decision: the council did not approve the expansion at the Sept. 3 meeting; the planning commission's 7-5 recommendation, applicant statements and the recommended conditions were part of the public record. The council left the matter open by tabling the bill so council and staff can review the application and conditions further. Ending: If the council takes the item up again, the recommended conditions and the requirement to obtain agency approvals and a floodplain permit will remain central to staff and public review.