The Mehlville School District no longer is pursuing property at Lemay Ferry and Ringer roads for use as a bus facility.

Superintendent Eric Knost told the Call the district had the 1.93-acre site at 5310 and 5320 Lemay Ferry Road under contract contingent on its rezoning. The district’s rezoning request, though recommended for approval by the county Department of Planning, was denied by the county’s Planning Commission last month.

The district’s deadline to continue pursuing the property was Monday, April 30, and Knost said paperwork was sent Friday, April 27, to discontinue those efforts.

“I either have to ask for an extension or pull out because the contingency is, of course, zoning,” Knost said. “So I’ve already forwarded the paperwork to pull out (of the contract).”

Board of Education President Venki Palamand told the Call the district does not have plans at this time to search for another site.

But 6th District County Councilman Steve Stenger, D-Affton, has two weeks from April 24 to bring the issue back to the council.

“What’s basically happened is there was a denial by the Planning Commission,” Stenger told the Call. “It would require five votes (from the County Council) to overturn the Planning Commission, given the way it proceeded through the Planning Commission.”

The Planning Commission denied the request at its executive meeting April 2, mainly due to traffic-congestion concerns. The request was presented to the Planning Commission March 19, when two residents approached the commission in opposition to the facility, citing traffic concerns.

Stenger said at least 10 residents have contacted him with concern about a bus facility at the proposed location.

“I have had numerous concerns expressed by residents relating to safety in the area and the traffic,” Stenger said. “So I weigh those heavily in my determination of what to do.”

The councilman said he wants to weigh out the issue because of its importance for the school district and the surrounding community. However, he said a decision — the Planning Commission’s denial — already has been made.

“I would be overriding what (the Planning Commission) did,” he said, “which, if that happens, that’s really like an extraordinary action, and that’s pretty rare that you override the Planning Commission.”

Mehlville’s request sought to rezone the site to a C-8 Planned Commercial District and amended C-8 Planned Commercial District from a C-2 Shopping District and C-8 Planned Commercial District.

The district had proposed a facility that would house administrative offices, 32 buses and be used for light bus maintenance.