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Residents press Dardenne Prairie over Prairie Encore development, detention basin; city says developer will fix issues this week
Summary
Public commenters raised concerns that the Prairie Encore development includes HUD-subsidized units, has visible maintenance problems and an adjacent detention basin that has held water and overgrown weeds for years. City Administrator said the developer will correct pipes and mow weeds this week and that staff will inspect Friday.
Residents used the public-comment period at the Sept. 3 Dardenne Prairie board meeting to press the city about issues at the Prairie Encore development and a detention basin adjacent to homes.
Rich Linderman of Bainbridge said a friend who had planned to apply to Prairie Encore changed her mind after learning the development may include HUD-subsidized units. Linderman said he believed the development had become an 'eyesore' and urged the board to "look into... HUD housing" and the portion he thought was subsidized. "The building's looking uglier as the day progresses, and there's a bigger eyesore than even I thought it would be," he said.
A resident who lives at 7703 Ardmore described two-and-a-half years of standing water and overgrown weeds in the detention basin behind the development, saying: "It's now been 2 and a half years. It's full of trees. It's full of water... The weeds by the fence are over my head." He said the conditions have produced rodents and urged the board to make developers follow through on promised fixes.
City Administrator responded during officers and staff communications that the basin is a detention basin and "is not supposed to hold water." He said the developer performed some repairs but the pipes were installed "too high" and therefore the basin still held water. The administrator said the developer told staff they would fix the pipe elevation and cut the weeds this week and that city staff will conduct an inspection Friday afternoon; if issues remain, the city will pursue additional action.
On the Town Square condos question raised during public comments, the administrator clarified the parking lot is private, not a public roadway, and that the units were approved as condos and may be rented even though they are technically condominium units.
The board did not take formal action on these items at the meeting but the administrator provided expected short-term corrective steps and an inspection timeline.
