The county Planning Commission last week recommended approval of a request from the Mehlville Fire Protection District for a conditional-use permit to construct a new firehouse along South Lindbergh Boulevard.

Commissioners voted 5-1 to recommend approval of the CUP petition, which now will go before the County Council. Commissioner Matthew Lampe was opposed.

The MFPD wants to relocate its existing No. 3 firehouse at 11625 Sappington Barracks Road with a new facility at 4811 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

The fire district’s Board of Directors voted unanimously in July to spend $571,000 to purchase the 1.1-acre property from the Dominic and Margaret E. Intag Trust. The district has deposited $50,000 as a down payment for the property with the remainder of $521,000 due at closing, which is scheduled for Jan. 3. Under the terms of the agreement, the seller may maintain possession of the property until March 1.

The property is across from the Lindbergh High School campus. It is surrounded by St. Catherine Laboure Church and School to the south and west and by a single-family residence to the east. The area is zoned residential.

Some of the proposed firehouse’s neighbors expressed concern at a public hearing last month that the project would begin to commercialize the one stretch of South Lindbergh Boulevard from Sunset Hills to Interstate 255 that’s largely residential.

At the end of the public hearing, 21 people raised their hands in favor of the district’s proposal and 20 people raised their hands who were opposed or had concerns.