Questions and concerns still circulate among residents as the City of Crestwood proceeds with the Samoa Sidewalk Project, which plans to install a five foot sidewalk in local neighborhoods. The sidewalk will connect Sappington Road to Spellman Park by way of Rayburn Avenue and Samoa and Tahiti drives.
Wilbert and Donna Sprock of Rayburn Avenue rose at the June 24 Crestwood Board of Aldermen meeting to voice their complaints about the project.
“I hate to say it, but it feels like a Communist nation — people telling you what to do with your own property,” Wilbert said about the project.
The Sprocks’ concerns centered around how the sidewalk would affect where they can park in their driveway. Wilbert expressed concern about being able to park multiple vehicles in his driveway as he does now, leaving space to wheel his trash can to the sidewalk; he was told that he’d receive a fine from the city if his vehicles interfered with the new sidewalk.
“I don’t feel that is just for me, for living here for 21 years,” Wilbert said. “I’ve had three vehicles for the whole time I’ve been living here. If the city wants to do something like this to the sidewalks, they need to pay for another pad on the other side of my driveway.”
Crestwood city code states, “No person may stop, stand, or park a vehicle in any place hereof or in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police or traffic control sign or signal: … On a sidewalk.” According to communications manager AJ McNaughton in his conversation with the court administrator, the fine for parking on a sidewalk would not exceed $86.
Wilbert also asked whether he would be fined if his trash bin was placed on the sidewalk. McNaughton says he would not be.
“Regarding trash bins, residents would not be fined for placing their bins on the sidewalk on collection days,” McNaughton said. “The City completed a similar sidewalk project on Westglen, Trelane and Briarton, where the sidewalks were constructed directly adjacent to the roadway. Residents on those streets routinely place their trash bins on the sidewalk for collection and are not cited.”
According to Crestwood’s website, project approvals were sent to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) in June. Next up on the schedule for the Samoa Sidewalk Project is going out to bid for construction this fall. The expected completion date is summer 2027.
This is not the first time the Sprocks have made their case before the Crestwood Board of Aldermen — they also appeared at a board meeting on April 14, where they said they were concerned about clearing the sidewalk when it snows. As a retired household that relies on Social Security checks and pensions, they did not want to have to hire someone to clear their portion of the sidewalk, they said at that time.
At that April meeting, four residents of Samoa Drive also appeared to oppose the project, citing worries like a reduction of green space in their neighborhood or runoff caused by additional concrete that could flood yards.
“I feel like I’m left in the dark. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Wilbert said at the June board meeting. “I don’t feel like I should have to take a ticket just for parking in my own driveway.”
