Some Ballwin residents concerned about proposed development in residential area

A development that would put a shopping center and assisted living facility in the heart of a Ballwin residential area has gained both the support and opposition of neighbors.

The Ballwin Planning and Zoning Commission on June 1 unanimously approved zoning for the 11-acre plot at the southwest corner of Henry and Clayton Roads. Developers Clayton Henry LLC and WB Properties LLC have proposed four retail buildings, including a new 12,900-square-foot CVS Pharmacy, an assisted living center and a small lake.

David Bonzon, who lives on Chevington Court, lives directly behind the development site where the proposed lake would be installed. Bonzon and other neighbors on Chevington experience regular issues with flooding from water running off the land that currently is empty.

“About 25 percent of rain on that field drains into our back yards,” Bonzon said. “I was concerned that if the grass was replaced by concrete, then it would get worse.”

Bonzon said he was surprised to learn that before he had even been able to voice his concern, the developer already addressed the issue.

“With the (Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District) requirements, they won’t allow us to have that kind of run-off once we touch the ground, so we had to basically come in there and re-do the whole area,” said Bill Biermann, owner of WB Properties. “The water will go into our lake and ultimately discharge in accordance to MSD regulations. I am confident that we will fix that issue.”

Residents who are unhappy with the proposed project said they are concerned about the impact it will have on traffic in the area, particularly with its close proximity to the Parkway School District’s Henry Elementary School. While the speed limit on Henry Road is 25 mph when school is in session, neighbors said they have observed traffic moving much faster in the area.

But Biermann said the traffic impact will be minimal.

“A traffic study was done on Henry and it shows that we will have very little impact on Henry,” Biermann said. “By the time you get down to Henry School, that impact is non-existent.”

Dutch Mill Drive, which serves as a popular cut-through from Henry Road to Hwy. 141, is a concern for the neighboring Woodsmill subdivision.

“Dutch Mill has already started seeing more traffic recently because of another development,” said Jeff Todd, who lives in the Woodsmill subdivision. “I think if we go forward with this development it’s just going to compound the problem.”

Biermann, who has been a lifelong resident of the area, said he understands that the development is going into a residential area and the concerns that carries.

“I’m very excited to do something there that’s first class,” Biermann said. “The architecture for the commercial space will not be typical for retail. It will be done more in a French-country style to fit into the residential look.”

However, some residents believe no matter how it is dressed up, it still will be retail.

“Where they want to put this, on all sides, is residential,” Todd said. “There will be noise, increased traffic, and just everything that goes with a business. It’s just not the best for our community.”

Todd said he is concerned that this development also might be left with empty store space. Biermann said that is not the case.

“We are very confident that we will get it leased and we already have commitments for a large percentage of that space,” Biermann said.

The development also will feature an assisted living facility in the southern half of the property. The current site plan excludes any details of that facility as the developers are still working out details with both neighbors and the future operator. 

“We sensed some apprehension from neighbors about the assisted living facility, so we wanted to come back with a precise plan at a future time,” Biermann said.

Biermann said they could not disclose the name of the operator as they are still in negotiations.

The developers expect to present their plans to the Ballwin Board of Alderman later this month. If approved, Biermann said he anticipates construction on the retail space to begin later this year, with the construction of the assisted living facility starting soon after.