Clayton officials withdraw Big Bend overlay after Washington University, Concordia ask pause

Clayton, Mo. — The Board of Aldermen agreed Jan. 14 to withdraw Bill 7045, the proposed “Big Bend” overlay district, after Washington University and Concordia Seminary requested the city pause the ordinance while the institutions evaluate future options.

Mayor Harris opened discussion on the item, saying, “we the city has received requests from Washington University and Concordia to withdraw the overlay as it is.” The mayor added that pausing the overlay “in no way inhibits the potential for the project itself to at some point move forward,” and urged continued collaboration among the city, institutions and residents.

Alderwoman Patel (Ward 1) — who led community outreach on the overlay — said the board and staff would not abandon the work done during the process: “we won't abandon what we've learned through this process.” She and other aldermen cited more than a year of public engagement, technical work (including updated sound readings), and drafting that produced detailed development standards and community protections.

Concordia Seminary representative Tom Egger told the board the institutions need time to “regroup [and] rethink,” and asked the aldermen to be patient about creating permanent, site-specific rules while Concordia and Washington University continue discussions. Egger told the board Concordia would “strongly oppose any kind of special, zoning, parameters for our... portion of our private property” until the institutions decide a path forward.

After hearing public comments from several residents and institution representatives, an alderman moved to withdraw Bill 7045. The chair asked whether any member objected; none did, and the ordinance was withdrawn for possible future consideration. Later in the meeting the board approved a separate staff directive — by voice vote — asking staff to explore how the process’s non–site-specific outcomes (for example, tree canopy protections, dark-sky lighting standards, transition zones, setbacks, grading and impervious-surface limits, and noise mitigations) could be implemented either citywide or for the site when and if a new proposal arrives.

The withdrawal does not change the city’s stated policy preference for use of overlay zoning in complex institutional developments, city officials said; it simply removes this particular ordinance from consideration while the involved institutions reassess their plans. The board and staff also noted that Concordia retains a conditional-use permit (CUP) and a related timeline for parts of its project, and that any future campus or athletic proposals from Washington University could proceed under existing zoning or a future overlay if submitted.

Public commenters included neighbors who urged patience and collaboration, and Concordia and WashU representatives who characterized the request as a pause to rethink the project rather than a final abandonment. The board encouraged continued engagement and said staff would return with implementation recommendations for protections developed during the overlay process.