Old Orchard Business District Advisory Commission

Old Orchard Special Business District Advisory Commission MEETING MINUTES APPROVED MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 LOCATION: Zoom CALLED TO ORDER 8:05 AM MEETING ADJOURNED: 8:33 AM NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 NAME PRESENT ABSENT Joe Fichter, Chair X Angel Venegoni X Holland Saltsman X Bob Weber X John Barr X Steve Zielinski X Abby Culleton X Ken Creehan X Vacancy Emerson Smith, Council Liaison X Mara Perry, City Liaison X Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the April minutes was made by Abby Culleton, seconded by Ken Creehan and was unanimously approved. New Chair and Vice Chair This is Joe Fichter’s final meeting; he is stepping down from the Commission. Commission Members thanked Joe for his many years as a vital member of the Commission; chairing it for numerous years. Bob Weber was unanimously elected as the new Chair and Holland Saltsman was elected as Vice Chair. Streetscape Update The Public Works Department is waiting on signed contracts and bonds; once received, they will schedule a pre-construction meeting with MoDOT before they can issue the notice to proceed which means it will likely be at least four weeks before construction will start. They will send out notices to the businesses with the schedule and contact information. Construction will possibly start at the Dale end of the project. Gazebo Series The Gazebo Series Organizing Committee has met. They decided to move the Series to late summer/early fall in the hopes COVID-19 restrictions will be relaxed and the Series could take place. An event plan for the Series will need to be submitted to and approved by St. Louis County. Approval of the Webster Groves Special Activities Permit for the Series will hinge on the approval from St Louis County. Dale Ashauer will attempt to book the lineup of bands that was slated to perform at last year’s series. The District had allocated in its budget approximately $3,000 funding for sponsorship and $2,400 for management. The allocation for last summer’s Series was not spent due to the cancellation. All Commission Members are invited to join the Gazebo Series Organizing Committee, along with other Old Orchard business owners. With the retirements of long-time Gazebo Series Organizers Joe Fichter and Claire Winkler, “We need everyone’s input.” Page 1of 2 Graffiti Recently several buildings/areas have been tagged with graffiti, it appears to be similar and may have been done by one individual or group. Graffiti on privately owned buildings/areas is the responsibility of the property owner to remove and graffiti in public areas, is the responsibility of the City to remove. BDC Update John Barr updated Commission Members on the work the BDC and its “working group” sub- committee continue to pursue. The BDC is looking for ways to bring businesses together in multiple ways to improve communication and coordination as well as looking for ways to bring patrons to businesses. First step is to strengthen the cohesiveness and communication within each of the three large “Special Business Districts” making them pillars; create a strong Old Orchard, a strong Old Webster, and a strong Crossroads. Then the next challenge is putting a roof over the pillars and strengthen the communication and coordination between the three Districts and then add on the business areas and neighborhoods not categorized as a “Special Business Districts” such as Yorkshire Plaza and the Zeta Dell Business Neighborhood (Marshall and Summit), etc. Strengthening communication, coordination, and cohesiveness at each of these iterations equates to each business taking advantage of the opportunities such as in Old Orchard during the Gazebo Series, for businesses engage with and add on to the event with their own related offering/activity, such as perhaps live music at their establishment after the performance at Gazebo Park to draw business to themselves as just one example. The BDC would like to ultimately bring all Webster businesses together and bring visibility to them; find ways to communicate the “gems” to the citizens of the community. City Update • Wingstop in Yorkshire Plaza is moving forward. • Zushi, a sushi restaurant, is going in Yorkshire Plaza. • DD Mao in Old Webster is moving forward. • Union Bagels in Crossroads is moving forward. • Lona’s Lil Eats in Old Orchard is on pause. • Amy’s Cake Pop Shop and Boozy Bites in Old Orchard is moving forward. • Total Access Urgent Care at Big Bend and Laclede Station is moving forward. • Hixson Middle School construction continues. • Fire Station #2 construction continues. • The residential code amendments were before the City Council and held open to the next meeting. • Work on code amendments for D and C Commercial to address multi-family as a permitted use with a specific set of regulations has continues. • A rezoning submittal for the North Old Webster Redevelopment project has been submitted by the developer and is available on the City website. Staff has begun its review of the submittal and once that has been done by all City departments a schedule for public hearings before the Plan Commission will be established followed by public hearings before City Council with multiple points of public input along the way. • Rolling Ridge in Old Webster has submitted a CUP to add some additional uses conducted in their existing space, such as small weddings, receptions, or other events. • Code amendments for such things as tree preservation and storm water will come forward in the next six months. • The Planning Department is extremely busy and getting behind on inspections and will be adding another code enforcement/inspector to its staff. Adjournment – Meeting adjourned at 8:33 AM. Page 2of 2