Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Acquisition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Open Space Council seeks Wildwood participation in 80-acre Ridge Road acquisition
Summary
The Open Space Council of Greater St. Louis proposed a grant-funded purchase of an 80-acre Ridge Road tract adjacent to Rock Hollow Valley; Saint Louis County would be the grant applicant and the county's purchase would be leased to Wildwood with an estimated city cost of about $180,000 for improvements if the grant is awarded.
The Planning and Parks Committee on Aug. 18 considered an unsolicited opportunity to add approximately 80 acres along Ridge Road into public holdings adjacent to Rock Hollow Valley and gave preliminary approval for staff to participate in the grant application process.
Director Rybetch (department staff) told the committee that the Open Space Council of Greater St. Louis contacted several agencies, including St. Louis County and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), about a tract for sale with a $2.6 million asking price and high-quality forest and a ridgeline with scenic views. Under the proposed approach, St. Louis County would serve as the grant applicant to MDNR and, if the acquisition grant were awarded, a private donor arranged by the Open Space Council would provide the remaining acquisition funds. The county would purchase the property and amend an existing lease so the tract would become part of the Rock Hollow holdings under a long-term lease relationship with Wildwood.
Staff explained the grant would fund 50% of the acquisition and 50% of certain improvements; total improvements were estimated at about $370,000, with the city’s share of improvements estimated at roughly $70,000 in the staff memo, though the department later stated the city's ultimate participation on improvements would be about $180,000 in the discussion. Staff said the grant (if awarded) would not distribute funds until 2027 and any design and construction work would be several years out. The Open Space Council also had a private donor willing to pay the acquisition remainder if the grant were awarded; staff said the acquisition cost to the city would be minimal under that scenario.
Committee members discussed site visits, invasive-species control, maintenance expectations and whether the county charter’s voter-approval provisions would apply. Staff said the county counselor advised that an amendment to an existing lease qualifies under the charter’s lease-exception language and would not require a countywide public vote; instead the county council and Wildwood council would agree to the lease amendment. Committee members gave a preliminary thumbs-up and approved a motion supporting staff participation in the grant application process; the application was due the following day.
No binding commitment of city funds to purchase the land was approved at the meeting. Staff said the city’s estimated outlay for improvements would be required only if the grant were successful and that the timeline for improvements would be in 2027 or later.
