Council approves several ordinances: wastewater rules, transportation grants, airport runway work and wetland park agreement

The St. Charles County Council approved several ordinances at its Nov. 10 meeting. Key outcomes:

- Substitute bill 5431: An ordinance reversing the Board of Zoning Adjustments decision on application VAR25-03A was amended and adopted after a motion from Councilman Hobbs (seconded by a colleague). Roll-call votes recorded affirmative responses from the council and the chair declared the bill passed.

- Bill 5435: An ordinance amending county ordinance section 405.5(b)(0.4) on wastewater disposal regulations and private sewage-disposal systems passed on roll call.

- Bill 5436 (STBG-7302725): An intergovernmental Surface Transportation Block Grant agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for the Towers Road asphalt-overlay project passed. Council questioned federal bike-path requirements and highway staff described options (shared lanes or off-pavement facilities) to meet two-way bike-lane expectations without removing turn lanes.

- Bill 5437 (AIP amendment, CFDA 20.106): Amendment #2 to a Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Airport Improvement Program grant for runway pavement mill-and-overlay work at St. Charles County Smartt Field passed by roll call.

- Bill 5438: An ordinance authorizing a public–private joint cooperation and development agreement to create the Jay and Carolyn Hedges Wetland Park and Education Center passed after council members praised staff negotiations; council identified the park as roughly 785 acres and described it as a major parks asset.

Procedural notes: the consent agenda was approved earlier in the meeting by voice vote. Several other bills were introduced for future consideration (including multiple transportation funding agreements and a library–heritage-museum partnership). No item above was tabled; votes listed on the record were affirmative and the council chair announced each bill as passed.