Lindbergh Schools Request Veers Off Topic at Board Meeting

Tuesday night the Crestwood Board of Aldermen approved the first step for the Lindbergh School District to move forward with Long Elementary’s expansion—the consolidation of newly-acquired parcels onto the school’s current property at 9021 Sappington Rd.

Last year the Board of Education approved the purchase of 4.6 acres of land next to Long, on the border of Crestwood and Sunset Hills, to expand the parking lot and add field space to the campus. The consolidation brings the lot to 12 acres, and the proposed land plan would roughly double parking lot space.

Lindbergh will be required to come before the board for additional approvals related to the land expansion, city attorney Rob Golterman said.

The majority of Tuesday's discussion, however, veered toward other aspects of the project—most notably, a new bus exit onto Doercrest Drive that’s caused tension between subdivision residents and the school district. While buses currently exit onto Sappington Road, the district’s new plan has them routing through a gate on the south side of the property, and down the residential street to make an exit onto Eddie & Park Road. (Review the full details of the traffic plan.)

Proposed traffic changes are in an effort to create a better flow for vehicles, and keep pedestrian and vehicle traffic separate, Assistant Superintendent for Finance Charles Triplett previously told Patch. But Doercrest residents have questioned its true impact to both traffic and safety.

Read more: Why Residents Oppose Long School Traffic Plan

The board allowed several Lindbergh parents and neighbors to the property air their concerns, share their experiences of traffic on Eddie & Park Road, and provide suggestions for an alternative bus exit—onto Sappington Road.

Aldermen also participated in questioning on traffic flow, asking if Doercrest could support bus traffic with parked cars or emergency vehicles simultaneously. Alderman Jerry Miguel even admitted he performed his own observation of a bus driver's vantage point, hanging onto fir trees atop a step ladder at Doercrest and Eddie & Park.

Miguel said he was disappointed in how the school district handled its communication with Doercrest residents.

But some residents were less than enthused with the board’s handling of the discussion.

“I think this issue took a wrong turn at planning and zoning,” Martha Duchild said, when the commission approved the lot consolidation with a direction to the school district to reconsider their bus exit. (Because of the contentious tone at that meeting, attorney John King advised school district officials that he attend Tuesday's meeting on their behalf.)

Long PTO secretary Heidi Klosterman told the board she was disappointed they were letting discussion stray from the lot consolidation.

“I also am very concerned that the board seems to be giving so much credence to a handful of people who live on one street as opposed to, really, expressing concern for the safety of over 500 children, their parents, the staff and faculty that go to Long School every day,” she said.

She and Long PTO co-president Susan Dooling said teachers are usually outside during pick-up and drop-off times, and Principal Jana Parker has even been on Sappington directing traffic.

“We have done enough as a school district to keep our children safe, as much as we can,” Klosterman said. “This city was recently voted the best place to raise kids…. I have to say that the city has had a bit of a problematic past and I would say that in my opinion, that vote to be the best place to raise kids is largely, if not exclusively, due to our outstanding school district.”

Doercrest resident Frank Ruzicka, who has been vocal throughout these discussions on behalf of his neighbors, feels that, “Crestwood’s interests are not always lined lock step with Lindbergh.”

The board approved the lot consolidation 4-2, with Darryl Wallach and Jerry Miguel voting against. Daniel Tennessen and John Foote were absent. 

Find out more about the Long school expansion and new traffic plan, and how neighbors have reacted: 

• Planning Board to Lindbergh: Consider Alternatives for Long’s New Traffic Plan
• Long Elementary's New Traffic Plan Irks Neighbors  
• Planning Board to Lindbergh: Consider Alternatives for Long’s New Traffic Plan
• Controversial Lindbergh Traffic Plan Passes Unanimously
• $850K Spent to Buy Land Next to Long Elementary