New Task Force to Grapple With Tornado Corner Aftermath

Sunset Hills Mayor Bill Nolan has charged a 10-member task force with finding a way to restore prosperity to the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard and W. Watson Road, where the New Year's Eve tornado wiped out homes and trees.

Earlier this month, in response to resident protest, the city Planning and Zoning Commission dropped a proposal to convert the corner into a zone that would allow commercial development. 

"If they don't want commercial, then let's find out how to make it residential," said Nolan, about why he formed the task force.

Nolan said shortly after the tornado strike when homes were totally destroyed, he heard from residents who were contacted by commercial developers about a potential sale of their properties.

Nolan said he considered that the sale of the damaged properties would help make the hurting tornado victims whole, financially. 

However, during a public hearing June 1 before the city Planning and Zoning Commission, other tornado victims said they decided to stick it out, and rebuild.

And residents from adjacent areas whose properties weren't damaged by the tornado said they did not want commercial establishments backing up to their homes, or jamming up traffic along W. Watson Road.

So, Nolan named a task force of city residents, including Alderman Scott Haggerty, who is a real estate agent.

Other members of the Residential Recovery Task Force include:

• Nick Dragan
• Robert Baer
• James Sullentrop
• William Bollinger
• Robert Mayer
• David Witbrodt
• Drew Stitz
• James Williams, chairman
• Frank Pellegrini

The group met for the first time at Sunset Country Club with Nolan. OnTuesday, the task force met on their own, at City Hall. They intend to look at all sorts of options that would make the vacant spot financially viable for developers, officials said. 

The area under consideration is bounded by W. Watson Road, Lindbergh, and Court Drive.

For any commercial development at the site, the city's current Master Plan would have to be modified—which is what the Planning and Zoning board failed to move on, June 1.