Sunset Hills Folks Clamor to Keep Out Commercial Property at Tornado Site

All but John Littlefield of the Sunset Hills Planning and Zoning Commission rejected a proposal Wednesday that would bring commercial development into the mix at ground zero of the New Year's Eve tornado in the city.

Littlefield, who said he was part owner of property at the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and W. Watson Road, abstained from the voting at City Hall after a resident pointed out one of the panel owned property there.

Board Chairman Rodney Stecher said Littlefield told him he owned property there earlier.

Shortly after the vote, Littlefield asked when the issue of amending the city's master plan in the same way could be revisited, indicating he wasn't giving up. City officials said a public hearing on it could be called at any time, by anyone.

After about an hour of testimony by residents primarily in favor of keeping housing at the tornado site, the commission took a recess to "draw up the papers" Stecher said, for the amendment that moments later died for lack of a second endorsement.

There was applause and apparent relief among many residents in attendance. Many speakers had urged the commission to move swiftly on the decision about potential zoning changes, because they felt their money and lives were on hold for five months—"in limbo" was frequently heard.

Court Drive resident Ann McMunn said she intended to rebuild her home for her family, and couldn't understand why others wouldn't want to also.

However, some families—like Christina Breer, sobbed at the podium and testified she had already bought another home, and was looking to get out from under the mortgage on the uninhabitable home to make ends meet. She has three children.

And still another tornado victim and 30-year resident, John Beaury on Chrisann Lane, looked for a commercial sale to bail him out of an unbuildable lot and what had been the oldest house in town before it was destroyed, he said.

"I'm in deep trouble. I'm unemployed. I don't see a way out of this. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel," Beaury testified. He said his mother died last month.

Others testified that the reason they were stuck with the residential lots (like Beaury) was because the mid-century properties were odd-shaped or sized wrong for current city requirements. Some were built prior to city incorporation and codes.

It would be a costly, problem-filled project of trying to get variances to build houses. Commercial development apparently would be worth the hassle financially, and perhaps has different code requirements to build.

An owner of one of the smaller properties facing Lindbergh Boulevard called for "due diligence" by the Commission before voting, and to hear more from those eager to turn the area commercial. He said the the vacant properties of the tornado site were "the last property on earth I'd want to buy for residential." A roster indicated his name was Larry Gnojewski.

However, Commission member Steve Hessburg called for a motion to deny the contentious amendment, saying he wanted to go on record as resolutely against any such measure that would lend itself to rezoning. The motion passed 7-1, Littlefield abstaining.

Earlier, outside the hearing, Sunset Hills Mayor Bill Nolan said the tornado site property is too pricey to make it a lucrative investment for a developer to build new single family housing. He said allowing the tornado victims to sell that property for commercial use would make them whole, financially sound.

Higher density housing—such as attached houses and senior housing complexes—could make it more attractive for residential developers, city officials said. However, residents on Wednesday also spoke out against that sort of housing.

David Witbrodt, a W. Watson homeowner said he moved to Sunset Hills because it was primarily residential, like his home.

"That's why people live here, and that's why they want to stay," Witbrodt said.

There are 11 members of the city's Planning and Zoning Committee: Chairman Rodney Stecher, Thomas Henkle, Jim Hessburg, John Littlefield, Mark Naes, Robert Robben, Kevin Studer, Stuart Walls, Al Koller, Joseph Niemeyer, Patricia Otto. However, only eight members were present at Wednesday's controversial vote.