Cottleville mayor hopes for “golf cart community”

The city of Cottleville has approved an ordinance that will allow “motorized alternative vehicles” on neighborhood streets and trails in the city, but don’t expect anything far fetched.

Cottleville Mayor Don Yarber said the ordinance will allow residents to use golf carts to reach their destinations, taking shortcuts along the trails and across the city park’s nearly completed 130-foot bridge. The bridge is installed but still has to be put in alignment with the trails, and there is ramp work to be finished before residents can travel over the structure.

“We’re trying to become a golf cart community,” Yarber said. “Residents in Madison Park can cross the bridge, and when they get the sidewalks in they’ll be able to go all the way to Schnucks.”

The carts would not be allowed on Hwy. N, but on the trails, Yarber said. Many of the new trails in the city are being blacktopped this month. A second iron bridge will be added over the wetlands, and the parking lot will be added to the city’s Legacy Park within the month, Yarber said.

Golf carts may be driven in the city wherever there is a trail available, but they do need the ability to drive through neighborhood streets to reach the trail, said City Administrator/Police Chief Scott Lewis. Those driving carts can cross Hwy. N but not drive along Hwy. N.  Carts are prohibited on any street with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or higher.

“The city of Cottleville has had parks and trails planned for a long time, but was hard to fund and implement,” Yarber said. “For many years, the St. Charles County Road Board wouldn’t fund trails or sidewalks with awarded road projects because they weren’t related to vehicular transportation.”

Cottleville took steps to change this, and with the help of an $81,000 state grant awarded two years ago through the federal Recreational Trails Program, Cottleville got its wish.

In an innovative approach to expanding aesthetics, safety and recreational opportunities for city residents, officials applied for the funding and were chosen among 61 applicants.

 Ultimately, hard-surface trails will snake along Cottleville Parkway and around the lake of the Harmony Ridge development, providing a much needed link between the Weiss Road intersection and the trail along Mid Rivers Mall Drive. It will also connect with the existing trail around Vantage Park as well as St. Charles Community College.

The Dardenne Greenway trail system will run through the center of Cottleville, following Dardenne Creek from west of the Busch wildlife area to east of the planned St. Peters' Lakeside 370 Park.

In cooperation with the Francis Howell School District, the city was awarded a grant for a trail/sidewalk to connect Warren Elementary with Vantage Park. The money for the grant is being provided by MoDOT’s Safe Routes to Schools program. The trail/sidewalk will make it possible for students in a number of subdivisions to walk or ride their bike to school as well as be available for many other recreational users.

“Safety of the students is obviously a tremendous concern, so the Police Department is evaluating provisions for officers on the trail during school use times,” Yarber said.

Park and amphitheatre progressing

The large mound of dirt visible from Hwy. N adjacent to the new City Hall and Police Station is the amphitheater in progress. Yarber said the Rotary Club of Cottleville has stepped up to raise funds to pay for stage construction.

“It will be called the Rotary Amphitheatre, and that amphitheater is going to be fabulous,” Yarber said. “We’ll host bingos, movie nights, and we’re going to have ‘Cottlestock.’ Everything—minus the weed.”

Yarber said the stage won’t be completed this summer because the Rotary Club is just beginning its fundraising efforts. The restrooms and concession stands are expected to be completed sooner, he said.

“The park and amphitheater will be a community gathering place that will hold the town together,” Yarber said.

Although the playground equipment has been installed in the park, and grass has been planted, the park’s parking area won’t be completed until later this month.

“Kids have been using playground equipment, and we’ve been getting a lot of compliments,” Yarber said. “You know Cottleville is 150 years old and we finally have our first swing set. We’ve had parks, but they were places to sit and watch the sun set. This is our first playground equipment in 156 years. We’re a young community and have thousands of young kids who will enjoy that playground equipment.”