The Crestwood Planning and Zoning Commission held a special meeting to correct a staff-initiated error with McDonald’s siding Aug. 30. The McDonald’s, 9915 Watson Road, was the first location in Missouri, built in 1959 along Route 66. It is currently being renovated

The error occurred during review of the McDonald’s major site plan in July 2021. At the time the commission approved the plan with a brick masonry veneer and metal paneling siding on parts of the building. Shortly after, the applicant submitted construction drawings with fiber cement siding instead of masonry. John Cruz, city planner at the time, approved the permit “in error,” allowing McDonald’s to pursue the cement siding. The petitioner started installing the new siding this July, but was issued a partial stop work order in August when city staff noticed the mistake.

“This is a high-stakes situation for me, one that I didn’t really expect to be in. After the initial shock of the stop order, everybody I have been in contact with has been a more than gracious professional,” Franchisee Nolan Ruiz said.

To fix the error, McDonald’s submitted an amended site plan with plans for Nichiha CanyonBrick fiber cement siding, aluminum paneling around parts of the building and new matching brick on the dumpster enclosure. Nichiha is a faux-brick siding.

Jim Klein, representing the petitioner, said the stop order and change in plans will cost at least $126,000 and weeks of construction. The new opening is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Commissioners were fine with the new Nichiha siding, since masonry is impossible at this stage in the project, but wanted to make sure it would see regular upkeep.

“The Nichiha product … is a very durable product. It has a decent look, can fool you in terms of looking like brick, but when you go to touch it it doesn’t feel like brick,” Commissioner Greg Zipfel said. “The appearance of brick is really in the finish and the finish is not a through-body finish. If the surface is scratched or dinged or chipped it will reveal the fiber cement behind it.”

Zipfel suggested a condition to require upkeep of the siding, but Director of Public Services Jim Gillam said that would be redundant to the duties of code enforcement. Gillam said the upkeep would rely on staff looking at the site and deciding when it needs an update.

The commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the change to aldermen.