Board approves rezoning of 8809 E. 350 Highway to allow entertainment complex with conditions

The Raytown Board of Aldermen approved a rezoning request for 8809 East 350 Highway on Oct. 1, 2024, changing the property from HC350 (Highway Commercial/350 Corridor Overlay) to HCP (Highway Commercial Plan Development) to allow an entertainment-oriented adaptive reuse of the long-vacant building.

Shannon, the planning staff presenter, described the building’s history as a former car dealership (constructed in the 1980s and largely vacant since about 2011), its current zoning context and why a plan development application was suggested to allow several entertainment-related uses on site. The applicant, identified in the record as Mr. Good, said he invested substantially in the property and confirmed acceptance of conditions read into the record.

The planning staff recommended approval with 11 conditions, which the planner read aloud: a 10-foot ADA-compliant bicycle/pedestrian path across the property frontage to connect to the Rock Island Trail and downtown sidewalks; completion of the path within 18 months of ordinance signature (time-of-performance clause); MoDOT approval required before using the 350 Highway access (Blue Ridge access permitted in the interim); parking-stall striping and accessible stall signage; required business licenses for any food trucks; compliance with all state, local and federal laws; limits that sales of tobacco/vape products and packaged alcohol must each be less than 50% of gross receipts for a given business license; outdoor events must end by 11:00 p.m.; required Jackson County Health Department permits for food/drink establishments; and exterior signage permitting.

Aldermen questioned outdoor event plans, potential noise impacts, parking sufficiency and public-safety implications. The applicant said the intent was a restaurant-first model with occasional outdoor Sunday concert series (generally 5 p.m.–10 p.m.), auxiliary parking options for larger events, and on-call off-duty security or sheriff presence for larger late-night events.

The board voted first to waive the rules for a second reading (motion by Alderman Emerson), which passed by roll call 7–3. On second reading the ordinance/resolution to rezone to HCP with the stated conditions was then adopted (motion carried; the clerk recorded the second-reading vote and the mayor declared the motion carried). The applicant confirmed he understood and accepted the conditions on the record.

What happens next: The applicant must obtain MoDOT approvals for 350 Highway access before that access may be used for vehicular traffic; building permits, business licenses and county health permits are required before food-service operations begin. The 10-foot path must be completed within 18 months of the ordinance signature as a condition of the rezoning.

Quote selections (from meeting record): "I do feel like 188 parking spaces is sufficient for this site," planner Shannon said when explaining parking calculations. Mr. Good said, "We have to take our constituents into mine and balance it," and outlined a multi-restaurant/entertainment concept for the property.

The rezoning will carry with the property, meaning the land uses allowed by the plan development will remain with the site for future owners so long as the conditions and applicable permitting processes are respected.