A petition for a text amendment to amend the text of the Sunset Hills Unified Development Ordinance to create a new multifamily zoning district was brought before the Sunset Hills Board of Aldermen for a second time before ultimately failing at the board’s Nov. 14 meeting.

The applicant, Steve Maurer, currently owns two lots located at 12354 and 12360 Gravois Road. These properties are zoned R-1 Single-Family Residential, though Maurer was seeking to rezone them to PD-TH Planned Development-Townhomes so he could redevelop the two single-family homes presently sitting on the lots into “6 separate buildings on one parcel with a total of 14 individual units.” The properties can not be rezoned, however, without a text amendment to the city’s zoning code as none of the zoning districts currently permit multifamily developments like townhomes.

It was stated by Maurer and his attorney, Rob Golterman, at the board’s Oct. 10 meeting that the neighbors of these lots were “excited about this development.” While that may have been true of Friendship Village, Delta Dental, the commuter lot owned by MoDOT and Chestnut Rehab and Nursing, the residents of Kennerly Manor sang a very different tune. Dozens of homeowners from the adjacent neighborhood voiced their concerns to the board in October, and many did so again this month to sway the aldermen in the direction of denial.

“I believe planning and zoning was led to believe that our neighborhood had very little concern over Steve Maurer’s project. That’s definitely not the case,” Paul Haupt, Kennerly Manor resident, said. “I’m in favor of city property improvements, but it should not be at the expense of the surrounding property … if Steve Maurer wants to build the townhomes, he should build them in an area that will increase the value of the surrounding property. These townhomes will decrease the value of our property and will make living here less desirable.”

“No one should feel sorry for Steve Maurer,” Haupt continued. “It’s not like he inherited the property, and that he needs to build these townhomes so he and his family can survive. Make no mistake, developers buy properties like these so they can make a bundle of money. He bought these fully knowing that they were zoned R-1. It is time for Sunset Hills to stand up against developers and their lawyers when developments are undesirable and unwelcome in their neighborhood.”

When Mayor Pat Fribis asked if there was a motion, the room fell silent. This prompted City Attorney Erin Seele to step in.

“We need some kind of action. Just because you make a motion to approve and a second, doesn’t mean you have to vote in favor. The other option, which is not normally our procedure, would be a vote to deny, but usually, we would make a motion to approve it. Even if you’re not in favor … it just means you’re saying we should have a vote, and then you would have that vote,” she explained.

A motion was then made, and the bill was put to a roll call vote.

Ward 2 Alderman Marie Davis voted in favor, while Ward 1 Aldermen Brian Fernandez and Ann McMunn, Ward 3 Aldermen Cathy Friedmann and Randy Epperson,  and Ward 4 Aldermen Lindsay Hof and Fred Daues were opposed, causing the bill to fail by a vote of 6-1, with one absent.

Ward 2 Alderman Casey Wong did not vote as he was not present at the meeting.