The Mexico City Council considered changing the zoning for two areas of land Monday. A request for the changes were sent to the council by property owners and developers. The council received comments during two public hearings before approving the rezoning during the regular meeting.

Developer Jack Creason and property owners in the Oak Acres subdivision requested a rezoning from C-2, general commercial to R-1, single-family residential, of three plats containing parts Redwood and Lynnwood drives, south of Cunningham Road and east of Business 54. The properties are east of Fischer Body Shop and the SSM Health Medical practice on South Clark Street.

“The rezoning would allow a residential neighborhood to remain a residential neighborhood and follow the city’s comprehensive plan, which outlines this area to be residential,” Community Development Director Rita Jackson said.

A meeting was held Jan. 13 with property owners to discuss the rezoning. Owners at the meeting were given signature sheets to sign if they were interested in the rezoning. Notices also were sent to 43 property owners in a 300-foot radius of the rezone request.

Mexico resident Thomas Hugo wanted to know if the property owners were looking at developing a park in that area. Jackson said the plats were developed in 2003 as commercial but need to be rezoned as residential because there are single-family homes on the plats.

“So did somebody drop the ball on this, because we already have all these houses built in a commercial district?” council member Chris Williams asked.

While it was overlooked, city staff are happy to move forward with the rezoning, Jackson said.

“Our zoning is kind of tiered. So, residential can be in those [general commercial] zones. At one point when it was zoned, I’m sure they thought it would be commercial and then it’s developed differently,” City Manager Bruce Slagle said.

Similar zoning situations have happened in the past, and it is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan, he said.

The second hearing focused on rezoning a multiple-family residential district, or R-3A, to C-2, general commercial. The request came from Lou Leonatti, trustee of the Mary Goddard and Frank Edwin Kister trusts.

“[It would] rezone the north portion of the property located at 927 East Liberty, which is basically the American Auto Parts Store,” Jackson said.

The property is split zoned. Part of it is zoned C-2, general commercial, while the other R-3A. The rezoning also will affect the undeveloped north parcel of the property facing Promenade Street.

“The Goddard and Kister trusts have entered into a contract with United Credit Union for the purchase of the real estate and the building,” Jackson said.

The American Auto Parts building will be demolished and United Credit Union will build a new branch at the site. The real estate purchase is contingent on the rezoning.

Notices were sent to 34 property owners within a 300-foot radius of the rezoning. City staff received no public input from the notices.

“This [property] is the most flexible in terms of the needs United Credit Union has for this facility,” architect Eric Westhues said.

The branch will have 25 employees, which will allow for nearly one-to-one member-employee business, he said. It is a second branch in Mexico for the credit union.

“This represents about a 6,000-square foot footprint,” Westhues said. “We know that will accommodate the inside, but then access into the site determines the preliminary layout.”

United Credit Union plans to have parking across the entire front of the building, there will be lanes for accessing the drive-through and ATM and Promenade Street access to the property, Westhues said.

“From a construction standpoint, when you’re developing a 1.5-acre lot, you’re going to spend $500,000 to $600,000 and when you’re developing a 6,000-square-foot building, you’re looking at about $900,000 to $1 million,” he said about how much the development would benefit Mexico.

Following the hearings, the council approved both rezoning requests.

In other business:

• Mexico City Council approved a resolution to conduct a contract of obligation with Missouri Department of Natural Resources regarding post-closure expenses of the city’s landfill. The landfill was closed in 1998 and has to submit
• The council approved the rate adjustment resolution for waste removal with Dayne’s Waste Disposal starting April 1. They city has a 10-year contract with Dayne’s that started in 2014. Rates are adjusted yearly. The base rate will increase to $12.13 per month from $11.79 in 2019, a 2.88% increase. There is a fuel cost adjusted rate cap of $12.92 per month.
• Council approved the purchase of a Jacobson HR6000 wide area rotary mower for the Parks Maintenance Department from TurfWerks of Hazelwood. The 2019-20 budget allows up to $54,000 for the purchase. The bid from TurfWerks was $57,400, but with a $10,000 trade-in dropped the purchase price to $47,400.
• Council approved purchase of a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado, two-door extended cab pickup for the Community Development Department from Peal Motor Company. The 2019-20 budget allows up to $24,000 for the purchase. The bid from Pearl Motor Company was $22,967. It was the only bid received from six bid requests sent to vendors.