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Board denies Webster Groves petition to subdivide 140 West Swan into an 11,525 sq ft lot
Summary
The Board of Adjustment rejected an application to split 140 West Swan Avenue into a substandard 11,525-square-foot lot, citing insufficient demonstration of a land-based hardship and widespread neighborhood opposition.
The Webster Groves Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Thursday to deny a petition to subdivide 140 West Swan Avenue into a new 11,525-square-foot parcel, a result the applicant called disappointing and opponents said preserves neighborhood character.
Petitioner Steven R. Sias told the board the split would allow his son and family to return to Webster Groves and help care for Sias's ill wife; he said the proposed new lot would meet setback requirements and that several nearby lots are smaller than the 15,000-square-foot requirement for the A2 district. "We'd like for our son and his family to move back to Webster and help take care of my wife," Sias told the board regarding the request.
Board members pressed for a legally cognizable hardship tied to the land itself rather than owners' personal circumstances. Several residents living within blocks of the property testified in opposition, arguing the split would undercut lot-size protections in the area and could set a precedent allowing future developers to further subdivide large lots. Opponents raised concerns about stormwater and sewer capacity in the neighborhood, with one resident citing a Metropolitan Sewer District assessment that infrastructure improvements could take years to complete.
Planning staff described the lot pattern in the area and noted many nearby parcels were created long before current zoning; staff told the board the petition seeks relief from municipal code section 53.053(e) to create an 11,525-square-foot lot where 15,000 square feet is required.
Board members asked whether alternative solutions had been considered, including accessory caregiver quarters or additions; staff and the petitioner noted caregiver quarters are size-limited and the owner preferred a full separate lot. The petitioner acknowledged the lot would be smaller than many nearby parcels but argued it fit the block's existing pattern in places.
After discussion the board took a roll-call vote and denied the variance. Chair Tom Waltz read the poll: Randy Sprague, Jennifer Gates, John Burse, Deb Solberg and Tom Waltz all voted no. The motion to approve failed, leaving the parcel unchanged.
What happens next: Staff told the petitioner they could work with planning staff on other options, including accessory units that do not require a lot split, or consider a formal code change if the City Council wishes to revise lot-size standards.
