Though not originally on the agenda, the weeds growing in the islands on Lindbergh Boulevard were added as a discussion point during general discussion at the Sunset Hills Aug. 13 Board of Aldermen meeting due to how tall and unruly they have grown.
The Missouri Department of Transportation is currently in charge of maintaining the islands in this area – as well as along Watson and Gravois – though some aldermen feel as though the department has not been diligent in keeping up with the care.
“MoDOT has these schedules that they go around doing the weeds. It’s such an extended schedule. They know that the weeds are going to grow up and become an eyesore before they can come back around, it’s almost like they’re wanting cities to take it over. Because as a practical matter, the weeds are always going to grow up before six to eight weeks or whatever it is,” Ward 2 Alderman Casey Wong said.
Though the solution seems simple, in reality, it is far from it. If Sunset Hills takes over spraying the weeds once or twice until MoDOT has the time to do it, the city may be stuck with the job indefinitely.
“We were warned that once MoDOT sees us take this over, it’s ours. Not now, (but) always, forever,” Ward 4 Alderman Fred Daues said. “In addition to that, there’s a precedent we’re going to be setting here. And I’m not against killing the weeds, I just want to make sure everyone knows what we’re getting into here. If we’re going to kill the weeds along Lindbergh, are we not going to kill some of the weeds along Watson? Are we not going to kill some of the weeds along Gravois? I just want to make sure that once we go down this road, we do it with our eyes wide open.”
Currently, the city takes care of the four grass quadrants at Watson and Lindbergh as they were not mowed regularly by MoDOT and “looked really bad.” This was decided years ago, with Sunset Hills spending approximately $5,000 each year for the grass to be cut once a week and for trash to be picked up when needed.
If Sunset Hills were to take over the maintenance of every right-of-way in the city currently maintained by MoDOT, it would take approximately eight men working half a day, one day a month, for four to six months out of the year.
“That’s not an insignificant budgetary expense with our personnel. They could be doing other things, right? Now, is it worthwhile because we keep looking at these eyesores?” Wong said.
After some further discussion, the board decided that there was no need for immediate action by the city for now.
“While we do believe that they are becoming quite unpleasant, staff will continue to request that MoDOT address the issue as it is their Right of Way,” City Administrator Brittany Gillett said.