Commission Votes to Not Change Trailer Code

The St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission thinks the current trailer laws are just fine.

At Wednesday’s Planning and Zoning meeting, the Commission hosted a public hearing on if the city of St. Peters should update to the Title IV Land Use (Chapter 405) of the St. Peters Municipal Code. The key part of the proposed code change concerned trailer usage for residents.

The current code allows work trailers and dumpsters to occupy driveways for 45 days for residents to work on projects. The proposed change shrinks the number down to 10 days. At a recent Board of Aldermen meeting that discussed the change, Police Chief Tom Bishop said the 10-day limit is easier to enforce.

With little debate—the only public speaker was told he didn’t need to comment since the Commission had received his email—Chairman Keith McNames made his motion. McNames said he had no problem with the current 45-day rule and motioned that the Commission make a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen to not change the code. McNames’s motion was seconded and unanimously agreed upon by the commission. The recommendation to not change the code will be given to the Board at the July 28 meeting.

Cell Tower Vote Delayed

St. Charles Tower, Inc. is going to get permission from the Commission to build a telecommunications tower; it’s just a matter of what kind of tower that’s up in the air.

St. Charles Tower requested permission to build a cell phone tower located on the north side of Cloverleaf Drive South, east of Cave Springs Drive. The Commission had no problems with the plan or the location—the issue raised during Wednesday’s meeting was simply one of aesthetic.

The Commission was given two proposed tower designs. In order to comply with city code, the towers were both of the steal variety. The first option was a flagpole, but St. Charles Tower said flagpole towers aren’t able to hold as many wires as option No.2—the faux tree.

, the tall pole would be adorned with tree branches to give the appearance of a tree. Commission member John Durajczyk said the stealth tree in O’Fallon looks odd. He said that the tree needs more branches and more surrounding trees. Otherwise, he said, it’s not very stealth.

Commission member Bill Rupp was a bit more blunt in his description of the faux tree.

“This looks like an overblown bottlebrush,” he said.

McNames asked city staff if, since the location of the tower would be behind a shopping center, if they could go a different non-stealth route. He said that in 2011, the faux trees draw more attention be looking fake.

St. Charles Tower said it could provide a flush-mounted monopole that doesn’t have fake branches and doesn’t double as a flagpole. The pole would be painted a drab color so as to not stand out.

The Commission decided to see if the non-stealth pole would be allowed, delaying the vote on the issue. St. Charles Tower was asked to come back in August after the Commission and the city further explore options.

Other Notes

• Mayor Len Pagano made a surprise appearance at the meeting. Pagano stopped by to praise the Commission for their professionalism and judgment.
• was given permission to host a motorcycle show on Aug. 21.
• All site plans, home occupations and record plats were approved.