Council approves rezoning at 5002 Arc Avenue and conditional-use permit for towing business at 87 Royal Drive

The Forest Park mayor and council voted March 2 to approve two land-use items after staff presentations and brief council discussion.

RZ2026-01: Planning staff told council the property at 5002 Arc Avenue sits on about 0.22 acres in Ward 2 and had functioned as multifamily prior to 2008. The applicant, who purchased the property in 2021, asked to rezone the lot from single-family residential to multifamily residential to formalize the existing triplex/quadplex arrangement. Staff said the city’s future land-use map designates the parcel as medium-density residential and the planning commission recommended approval with conditions designed to avoid displacement and to prohibit additional dwelling units. A council motion to approve the rezoning carried on a voice vote.

KCUP2026-01: Council also approved a conditional-use permit for 87 Royal Drive (a heavy-industrial parcel) to allow a towing, wrecking and impound service. Staff cited section 8-846 of the city ordinance as the regulatory basis for requiring a conditional use in the heavy industrial district and described proposed operational limits: accessory vehicle storage and staging, internal maintenance and minor fleet repair for company vehicles only, and explicit prohibitions on vehicle sales, salvage operations or public-facing repair services. The applicant addressed council and answered questions about site operations; with no opposition present the council closed the public hearing and approved the conditional-use permit by voice vote.

Staff said the approvals include conditions and that normal site and code enforcement functions will apply when the uses begin operations. Council did not add further amendments at the meeting; formal conditions and permit documents will be recorded in the planning department file.