County streetscape work prompts plat corrections and easement talks; parking-lot lighting estimated at $5,000 per pole

City staff updated the Webster Groves Business District Council on Oct. 15 that county-led changes to the streetscape project have prompted corrections to plat maps and additional right-of-way (ROW) work that will require city approval.

The county executed a change order to begin electrical and streetlight design work, and staff said the county’s ROW/acquisition representative is preparing easement documents. City staff said a typographical error in the county agreement required re-signing and that the city has asked the county to correct incorrectly marked property flags. The city refiled the survey with a MILAR copy and expects a corrected plat map within about 30 days.

City staff said the corrected plat will be forwarded to council and that the council will need to approve the easements; the approval process requires two meetings, so staff expects the item on the November council agenda. Jeff Davis was identified as the county project manager working on the related bids and schedule.

Business owners said county markings and temporary-easement requests have, in some cases, reached across private driveways and could damage stamped-concrete parking surfaces. One property owner reported that county staff suggested they might not restore damaged stamped concrete fully and that any repair might be partial; business owners pressed staff to confirm options, suggested alternate heavy-duty asphalt staging areas, and sought clearer cost/repair commitments from the county.

Separately, the council discussed lighting needs for the Alma parking lot. Staff said Ameren could not accommodate the desired mounting and that the city will need to install two light poles (previously one) to achieve the preferred luminaire distribution. Staff estimated roughly $5,000 per pole plus wiring but said formal contractor quotes are pending. The rooftop lighting vendor has not yet provided a final quote; staff will follow up this month.

City staff said they will coordinate a design kickoff meeting with the county and the design consultant as soon as the county completes its current construction bidding. Staff also pledged to circulate corrected plats and any 60-day notices to affected property owners and to share the county’s proposed temporary-easement footprint before council action.

Next steps: staff to forward corrected plat map to business owners when available, coordinate a design kickoff with the county and design consultant, seek formal lighting quotes, and place easement approvals on the November council calendar.