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Council approves street-renaming ordinance after split vote
Summary
St. James City Council approved Ordinance 025 on second reading by a 3-2 vote to rename a street 6th Avenue Court South, following debate over whether the EDA, Planning and Zoning or council should decide street names and concerns raised by residents about consistency and precedent.
The St. James City Council on Nov. 19 approved Ordinance 025 on its second reading by a 3-2 vote, keeping the street name as 6th Avenue Court South.
The ordinance was the focus of extended debate over which body should recommend street names. One council member argued the Economic Development Authority (EDA), which is funding the project, should be allowed to recommend the name; others said Planning and Zoning normally reviews names during platting and that resident concerns and mapping consistency warranted council review.
“I just don’t understand why we’re not willing to take the recommendation from the committee that is funding the project,” said Kathleen, who spoke during the discussion and urged deferring to the EDA’s recommendation. Other council members responded that Planning and Zoning has an established role when platting is required, and that community objections and street-mapping considerations had changed the situation for this parcel.
Council members debated future street-numbering and mapping concerns, with some warning that setting a precedent could complicate future naming if the city expands westward. Opponents of the EDA recommendation said the council has sole authority to name streets and must balance consistency with community input.
After debate the motion to keep the name passed on second reading, 3-2. The council then approved Resolution 1122405 to authorize publication of the ordinance’s title and summary; the public notice says the ordinance renames 6th Avenue West to 6th Avenue Court South effective Nov. 28 and directs readers to the city council office or library for a full copy.
The council did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript; the record shows a 3-2 tally on both the ordinance second reading and the associated publication resolution. No amendments to the ordinance were reported and no further action was scheduled in the transcript.
