To the editor:
As the regional leader of Monte Nido Clementine St. Louis in Oakville, I appreciate that our neighbors care deeply about their community. We do too. In four years of serving families in Oakville, we have operated with minimal impact on the neighborhood. Our proposal to treat 14 adolescents instead of eight would not require building construction or alterations. It would simply allow six more adolescents facing serious eating disorders to receive the treatment they need.
Since opening our doors in 2022, we have worked hard to be a good neighbor. We operate in an existing 14,352 square foot residence on Christopher Drive (this is verified via St. Louis County tax records and was misstated at the public hearing), and the current application proposes no expansion of the building and no physical exterior changes to the property. The residence has the necessary space to treat six additional adolescents according to all required licenses, including the Mehlville Fire Protection District occupancy permit.
At the public hearing, concerns were raised regarding traffic, emergency vehicles, parking and neighborhood disruption. In our four years, we have averaged just four EMS calls per year. Our residents do not bring their own cars – only staff have vehicles on-site – and the original-to-the-house eight-car garage accommodates them. Additionally, our existing parking already meets county requirements for the proposed capacity. Families can only visit on Friday afternoons, and we have secured off-site parking for only our staff at that time. Additional staffing needs are modest, and overnight staffing would remain just as it is today.
According to the Missouri Eating Disorder Council, half a million Missourians, almost 10% of our state’s population, are dealing with an eating disorder, and it remains one of the most underfunded illnesses. It’s a complex illness to treat, and done properly requires a team and family support, all of which we provide at Monte Nido. We strive to ensure every adolescent who needs help can access it at Monte Nido.
Reasonable people can disagree about land use decisions. But after four years of operation, St. Louis County has seen the benefit of addressing a critical need in our broader community. I am confident that the record demonstrates that Monte Nido has operated responsibly, has had minimal impact on the surrounding neighborhood and can continue to do so while helping six more young people begin their recovery journey.
Samantha Petersen
Greater Chicago Area
