Thursday, May 9, 2013
The O'Fallon City Council will hear the first reading of a bill that would grant a conditional use permit (CUP) for the construction.
If you've been to the O'Fallon Bread Company at 1300 Highway K around lunchtime, you've probably seen the long lines and crowded parking lot. To eliminate some of the parking issues, property owners have submitted a request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to add a drive-thru to the restaurant. The O'Fallon Planning and Zoning Commission approved a recommendation for the CUP to the O'Fallon City Council, which will give first reading to the bill at Thursday evening's meeting. According to the Planning and Zoning Commission report, city staff has received complaints from residents and businesses regarding the lack of parking within O'Fallon Pointe Centre. The report states that if approved, twelve spaces will be removed for the proposed…
After the Public Works Commission asked for that the time limit for trash cans left on the street be reduced from 36 to 24 hours, city staff instead decided to define "36 hours" more specifically.
A new ordinance under consideration by the O'Fallon City Council tonight will attempt to redefine the conditions under which garbage containers are considered a nuisance—specifically, how long they can be left in the street. The current ordinance defines as a nuisance: Garbage cans which are not securely covered, which are leaking, which are unsanitary or which do not prevent the entry of flies, insects and rodents and garbage cans which have been left or stored along public roads, sidewalks and rights-of-way in the City of O'Fallon for more than thirty-six (36) hours. City staff were concerned that enforcement would be difficult when the city has no way to know when the cans were placed on the street. Instead, they suggested that the 36-…
Monday, April 29, 2013
The $38,000 contract covers the demolition of Civic Hall and a building at O'Day Park.
The O'Fallon City Council has approved a contract for the demolition of Civic Hall. The Civic Park building was declared unusable in 2011, and funds for demolition were approved in the 2013 budget. Also included in the contract was the demolition of an deteriorated residential building in the future O'Day Park property. Cannon Excavation Company was the low bidder at $38,140. The contract includes asbstos abatement, demolition and removal, abandonment of existing utilities, fill, grading and site restoration. READ MORE:
Friday, April 26, 2013
The O'Fallon City Council voted 9-1 to table the reconsidered ordinance and discuss at the next workshop.
A metal detecting ordinance recently approved by O’Fallon City Council is now being reconsidered. The previous ordinance, approved on April 11, called for new regulations regarding the use of recreational metal detectors in the city's parks, including restricted areas and a requirement to turn over their finds to the city. Hobbyist metal detectors expressed disagreement with the new O'Fallon law on O’Fallon Patch and to their council members. Ward 2 Councilman Jim Pepper said he received emails from hobbyists across the country, leading him to take a second look and sponsor a revision bill. “I didn’t realize how wide spread this hobby was until after the meeting,” Pepper said Thursday. Among the revisions, Pepper suggested having the parks…
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Revisions to the bill, if approved, would require the Parks Department to create a permitting process for metal detecting.
O'Fallon City Council member Jim Pepper has asked the council to take another look at a new city ordinance about park regulations. READ MORE: O'Fallon Metal Detector Hobbyists Restricted; Must Turn Over Finds The new bill technically addresses the leash law. But regulations about hobby metal detecting raised the ire of some O'Fallon Patch readers, especially when they heard that the "treasure hunters" would be required to turn over their finds to the city. READ MORE: Patch Readers Slam Metal Detecting Ordinance; Councilman Promises New Bill But it wasn't just the local reaction that caused Pepper to ask for a vote to reconsider the ordinance. Pepper said he got emails from all over the country about the regulations. "How we are perceived …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The new parks ordinance places regulations on recreational metal detector users, who must turn their finds over to the city.
If you're into metal detecting as a hobby, keep in mind that anything you find in an O'Fallon city park belongs to the city. State law requires found objects to be turned over the entity that owns the land where they were found, and O'Fallon city code now reflects that. The O'Fallon City Council passed a new ordinance last week with new regulations about the use of recreational metal detectors in the city's parks. Six areas are listed as restricted, and metal detecting is not permitted: Further, in the places that recreational metal detecting is permitted, the only tool permitted is a probe "not greater than 1/4" in diameter and 12" in length." Any ground that is disturbed must be returned to its original condition. Pet Regulations In the …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
O'Fallon teen Sara VonHarz organized The Adrenaline Explosion Cheerleading BOMB squad when she saw the opportunity to involve special needs children in the exciting, confidence-building sport of cheerleading.
Last week, the O'Fallon City Council read a special proclamation recognizing an O'Fallon teen as a future leader—then they dug into their pockets to help the organization in a more concrete way. Sara VonHarz started Adrenaline Explosive Cheerleading BOMB squad at age 15. "Growing up with a brother who has special needs has given me an understanding of how to deal with a variety of sitations," VonHarz states on her website. "It has always been my dream to combine my love of cheerleading and helping children who have special needs." VonHarz had volunteered with special needs children before, and she worked hard to find a gym and additional volunteers to make her dream a reality. The squad consists of 16 special needs athletes with …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
O'Fallon City Council members Rick Lucas, Jim Pepper, Rick Battelle, Jeff Schwentker and Mike Snowden retained their seats in the April 2013 election.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
O'Fallon City Council members Rick Lucas, Jim Pepper, Rick Battelle, Jeff Schwentker and Mike Snowden retained their seats in the April 2013 election.
O'Fallon City Council is keeping five familiar faces around for another three-year term. Ward 1 Rick Lucas ,who has served on the city council for seven years, was re-elected to Ward 1. Lucas won about 43 percent of the votes, with 595 votes. Challenger Kevin Wattelet received 35 percent of the votes, with 484 votes. Challenger AC Dienoff received 21 percent of the votes, with 294 votes. Ward 2 Jim Pepper, who has served on the city council for three years, was re-elected to Ward 2. Pepper won about 62 percent of the votes, with 721 votes. Challenger Mary Laulo received about 38 percent, with 435 votes. Ward 3 Rick Battelle, who has served on the city council for two years, was re-elected to Ward 3. Battelle won about 57 percent of …
Find out who won the mayoral and city council races.
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Public and Community Advocate "For the People" City Council and Municipal Centre "Watch-Dog" O.W.D.C
11:41 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Miss Lanham, thanks for not reporting all of the facts and testimony at the Public Hearing for the Project before the City Council. You mention not one item that I testified at the public Hearing. Where are your Journalistic Ethics in fairness and reporting both sides of an issue? It is not fair to the public and not fair to the community. Shame on the Patch! more ›