Petro Mart Plan Receives OK from Sunset Hills Board

The Sunset Hills Board of Aldermen approved a final development plan for a new 24-hour Petro Mart gas station at 1438 S. Kirkwood Rd.

Western Oil Inc. purchased the former Bob Evans restaurant site for $1.7 million. The plan for the 1.53-acre property includes eight pump islands and a 4,080-square-foot convenience store.

Sunset Hills Manor residents who live east of the property have long been opposed to the new business. Last fall residents Carol Morrison and Frank Hardy presented a petition with 174 signatures against the development; this was when Land West 7’s plan still included installing stoplights at Lindbergh and Monica, with a raised median down portions of Lindbergh Boulevard.

Aldermen granted the project preliminary approval in December when those features were removed from the traffic plan. Alderman Thomas Musich, who met with several residential neighbors prior to that vote, said residents felt the project was “trying to put a square peg in a round hole.”

A few residents were still vocal against the project on Tuesday.

Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Attorney Robert Jones addressed a potential conflict of interest by Alderman Richard Gau. Gau recently confirmed to St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his company, John Henry Foster, does business with Western Oil. 

One resident called for Gau to abstain from Tuesday's vote—and even resign for not disclosing the business ties.

Read more: Sunset Hills Alderman Has Business Connection to Petro Mart Developers

Upon a review of the conflict of interest allegations, Jones said he determined that Gau had no personal interest in Land West, Petro Mart, or First Bank and was not required to disclose the relationship.

"... Even if Alderman Gau disclosed the relationship he had as a vendor for one of these proponents, that he would not have been precluded from voting," Jones said.

Aldermen Thomas Musich and Jan Hoffmann voted against the development plan.

Related articles:

• Resident in Favor of Sunset Hills Petro Mart: 'Anything Is Better Than a Vacant Building'
• Resident Petition Opposes Petro Mart on Lindbergh Boulveard
• Sunset Hills Planning Commission Recommends Petro Mart Changes Despite Concerns of Neighboring Businesses