UPDATE - the Hanley/Wydown Parking Lot Sale has been moved to the Dec 10 Board of Aldermen Agenda. It will not be discussed at the Nov 12 meeting.

If you plan to sign or forward this petition, please do so quickly. The petition counts and comments will be submitted Dec 9 in advance of the Dec 10 meeting.

To Our Neighbors:

The City of Clayton is considering the sale of the Hanley/ Wydown parking lot to Savoy Properties. Savoy is proposing a 4+ story building with a rooftop deck housing 15 condominium units. We are a group of neighboring residents and local businesses voicing our concerns about the proposal to City Leaders.

We support reasonable development on this property, but we feel that this particular proposal has several design elements that would be problematic for our neighborhood. In summary, we have 4 main concerns:

Rezoning to overbuild on the property: Savoy would seek rezoning to build a building far larger than what the lot can accommodate. Savoy is proposing a 4+ story building with a rooftop deck in an area that is currently zoned for a maximum of three stories. Further, the proposal would remove currently required setbacks between the building and Hanley Rd. Parking that puts local businesses at risk: Parking plans, short term and long term, will destroy our local businesses. Highly desirable restaurants like I Fratellini and Bar Les Freres will lose significant business during 18+ months of construction, and the new parking structure removes the neighborhood charm core to the character of these restaurants. Losing these businesses would devastate what has become an incredibly vibrant area. Increased traffic congestion: Parking access will enter/exit from Hanley Rd, dramatically increasing traffic congestion, disproportionately impacting nearby residents. During the 18+ months of construction, one of five lanes on Hanley will be eliminated. Questionable public benefit: The proposed plan removes all green space and trees from a prominent corner lot and adds very little retail space (<20% of the first floor).

Additionally, we believe there is no pressing need for the City to divest a highly utilized asset (the parking lot) unless the plan attached to the sale is a net benefit for neighborhood. As currently proposed, this plan has the potential to harm both neighboring businesses as well as nearby residential properties. Overall, we see the potential for the proposed Savoy development to significantly detract from our neighborhood with little to no upside for the City or its residents.

What you can do: