Council introduces ordinance to vacate unused portion of Newsteader Road (Bill 5364); final vote set for two weeks

The St. Charles County Council introduced Bill 5364, an ordinance vacating an unused portion of Newsteader Road lying south from its intersection with Peru Creek Road to the south line of the northeast quarter of section 10 Township 40 7 North Range 3 East, pursuant to Section 228.110 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. The bill was read for introduction on the record; the council scheduled the item for final vote in two weeks.

Sean Breiner, who identified himself as representing the co-petitioners, told the council the road is a “paper road” platted in 1869 that was never used. Breiner said his clients purchased an adjacent parcel that had formerly been owned in fee by New Star Pipeline Company and that the petitioners provided an easement to resolve the neighbor’s access concern.

Councilman Hammond asked a policy question about the county’s approach to giving away easements and noted that if the county needed a piece of property back in the future the county would typically need to pay for it. Hammond cited a recent example where a bridge closure and road closure had led to granting adjacent property owners easements and said the council should consider a general policy on when the county transfers easements or vacates roads. The council agreed to take the item up for a final vote in two weeks; no final action or roll-call vote occurred at the introduction.

The transcript does not record the full legal description beyond what the clerk read, the ordinance number beyond 5364, any appraisal or compensation amounts, or any conditions that might accompany a final vacation ordinance.