Residents Applaud Morris' Nay Vote for Ridgepointe Changes

Lake Saint Louis Ward 3 Alderman Richard Morris was the single nay vote for a that residents fear will change the atmosphere of what many residents considered to be a senior-lifestyle community.

At Monday night's 5:30 work session, Community Development Director Steve Schertel asked for changes to the bill, which had already .

One of the changes was in the number of lots that would be restricted to single family ranch-style units, and another was in allowing three-car garages to be added to several models.

Schertel said that the city attorney had recommended a change to another provision of the bill that had been requested by the residents. The residents had asked that Mark Teitelbaum not be allowed to serve as the director of the homeowners' association. Schertel asked that Teitelbaum not be mentioned specifically, and the wording changed to refer only to his title at Kemp.

Ward 1 Alderman Ralph Sidebottom, Ward 2 Alderman Kathy Schweikert, Ward 2 Alderman Karen Vennard and Ward 3 Alderman George Rich all voted in favor of the new development plan. Ward 1 Alderman Tony Zito was absent.

After Morris cast his nay vote, Villas residents in the audience applauded.

The bill that was passed did include the provision that Kemp will guarantee the homeowners' association will have a clean balance sheet free of debt, and that new owners will pay a one-time $450 assessment for dam maintenance.

In his comments at the end of the meeting, Sidebottom asked that the residents in the audience not consider the bill's passage a defeat. "It may seem like 'I didn’t get what I wanted.' But if you had not showed up at all, it probably have gone through P&Z like it was originally."

"Don’t consider it a defeat," Sidebottom said. "It’s a victory for what you have done."

Schweikert agreed with Sidebottom. "If we hadn’t gotten your feedback, we couldn’t have worked out an agreement that got you some of the points you asked for."

Morris was the last alderman to speak, and he apologized to the residents.

"This is going to come back to bite us," he said.

READ MORE: