Committee gives favorable recommendation to rezoning along South Grand

The St. Louis City Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of board bill number 2, a rezoning request affecting a property along South Grand that would change its classification from F (neighborhood commercial) to a residential designation to allow consolidation with an adjacent single-family lot.

Alderman Michael Cone introduced the item, saying it was "a request from a property owner in the ward to change the zoning on this property that's along South Grand from f neighbor commercial to a single family." The committee moved and seconded a motion for a favorable recommendation; Chair Clark Hubbard called seven aye votes and the recommendation passed.

The zoning director, Mary Burton, described the background in detail: "This is a simple rezoning for an existing situation where there was a fence and a retaining wall that had always been on the property so both property owners thought it was part of that unit. A survey was done. They decided it was not correct so the property owners have agreed to exchange this parcel of land but they need to rezone it so that it's all the same because you can't consolidate property that is zoned differently." Burton said the change is needed so the parcels can be consolidated under one zoning classification.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about ownership and why the rezoning was needed. Alderman Browning and others confirmed the agreement between the property owners (whether by purchase or gift was not specified in committee) and that the rezoning is a technical step required by the city code to consolidate parcels with different zoning. A committee member noted the application had been submitted before the recent election and that the property owners had been "patiently waiting" for the legislative process to run its course.

The Planning Commission and the city's zoning department had approved the change before the committee hearing, and committee members expressed appreciation for staff work to prepare the legislation. The committee approved the motion for favorable consideration; the motion to pass the recommendation was moved by Vice Chair Sonnier and seconded by Alderman Keyes, and Chair Clark Hubbard announced seven aye votes.

No written testimony or additional resolutions were recorded during the meeting on this item. The committee approved the minutes from its May 27, 2025, meeting earlier in the session.