Lighting ordinance revisions sent to new planning director for review

The Webster Groves Green Space Advisory Commission received staff feedback on a draft update to the city’s exterior lighting ordinance and agreed to pause major revisions pending review by the new city planning director. Commissioners said the staff review surfaced relatively minor critiques that can be addressed before advancing policy changes to the city.

Commission members were told John Wagner, the city’s new planning director who began work the day of the meeting, will review the commission’s recommended lighting edits and may propose tweaks. The commission’s reviewer said staff already prepared suggested follow-up comments and offered to forward them to the director for his input.

Members discussed whether the commission needed to take formal action now; the group concluded no immediate action was required and agreed to wait for the planning director’s feedback, then reconvene to finalize suggested language and next steps. Commissioners who had prepared edits said they can share their redline with staff in advance so the director sees a consolidated packet.

One commissioner noted the draft ordinance has been through staff review and that the changes requiring attention are procedural rather than substantive; other members offered to review the follow-up draft before staff forwards it to planning for further consideration. The commission expects to submit a consolidated comment packet after the planning director’s review rather than pushing language directly to council at this time.