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The council is set to vote on initial readings of the legislation on Feb 21.

During a three-hour-plus public hearing Thursday, some of the more than 70 people in attendance told Mayor Tim Griffin and the council that the proposal by developer Savoy Properties could increase traffic congestion near the site of St. Louis Community College-Meramec; require taking down many trees; negatively affect homeowners' property values; and set a precedent to lead to additional high-density housing or commercial development to the west of the site.

The 1.9-acre site is at 11204-11224 Big Bend Boulevard. The apartments would be called Big Bend Townhouses.

Some said they felt the apartments were more appropriate for downtown Kirkwood, though city officials said apartments are located throughout the community. Some also said the project would lead to demolishing five small homes, which are becoming rare in Kirkwood.

City planner Jonathan Raiche told the council that a U-shaped building is proposed on the site, which now includes five homes and which is south of the college campus.

He said a traffic study showed the apartment building is estimated to generate less than 300 vehicle trips a day, compared to Big Bend's 21,500 trips a day, and wouldn't have an operational impact on the traffic.

While the city is mandating at least 112 parking spaces, Savoy is asking to provide no more than 100, with only one driveway entrance, on the west end of the site.

While Kirkwood requires at least 3,000 square feet of lot area per dwelling, the development on this tract would provide only 1,685, Raiche said.

Also, city code calls for no more than four apartments per floor, while the developer wants 16.

Savoy representative John Pennington said that, in response to residents' concerns, a large post oak tree would be preserved on the site in a small pocket park and more shrubs and trees would be added to the site. He said the cost of the project is estimated at $10 million.

Tyler Stephens, an architect representing Savoy, said many apartments and condos in the city don't meet the 3,000-square-foot minimum, although Raiche said city codes in that regard have changed over the years and some buildings predate the current code.

He said Savoy is planning 31 one-bedroom apartments and 17 two-bedroom apartments, to accommodate a total of 65 people.

Stephens said the homes on the site have been vacant for about 10 years.

During public comment, Kirkwood resident Parker Pence said he supported the effort.

“Not many people can afford to buy a two-story colonial home and may want to rent – (those people) aren't bad or scary,� he said, adding “some find the cost of living in Kirkwood prohibitive, and we have the power to change that.�

However, he was one of only two people among the two dozen speakers during public comment who supported the plan.

Jennifer Lorentz said she found the low estimate of additional traffic coming from the apartments “a little hard to believe.� She said her son's Nipher Middle School bus stop is at Big Bend and Geyer roads, and “I don't want to learn there's too much traffic on Big Bend by a child being killed.�

Darlene O’Neal said the vacant homes on the property are due to “speculators who purchase homes and rent them out to bide time to try to change the zoning so they can cash in — we don't need more air pollution, noise and traffic congestion.�

Also that Thursday night, the council gave final unanimous approval to plans to redevelop the former Shop 'n Save grocery store at 10461 Manchester Road.

Plans by developer Nolan Real Estate Interests, LLC for the 8.6-acre site include:

• A two-story, drive-through enclosed EZ Storage self-storage facility with a resident manager's apartment and 7,500 square feet of retail space on the first floor;

• A fenced-in parking lot, in the rear of the property for use by the Audi Kirkwood auto dealership.

• A multi-tenant retail building and a restaurant with drive-thru at the front of the property on Manchester Road.

The Shop 'n Save had closed in November, one of numerous stores closed or sold to Schnucks Markets by property owner Supervalu Holdings Inc. This site is on Kirkwood's border with Warson Woods and Huntleigh.