Some University City residents are opposing a proposed townhome development that they say would make flooding worse for their community.
At a University City stormwater commission meeting Tuesday, more than a dozen people spoke out against a proposal that would build more than 100 townhome units on what is now a wooded area of the United Hebrew Cemetery.
The project, called the Enclaves at Canton, would be on Canton Avenue, north of Olive Boulevard and just east of the River Des Peres. The Sterling Co., a civil engineering firm, put together the plans for the site. The developer is William James Capital.
University City’s Plan Commission approved a conditional use permit for the project in July and asked for an initial opinion from the city’s Commission on Storm Water Issues. On Tuesday, the commission listened to more than an hour of public comment and brainstormed questions for the coming approval processes, like whether or not the city could require more green space per lot in the development.
The current site is covered in trees, most of which would be removed to build the development. Plans for the complex show the developers would plant some new trees on lawns and near roads.
The potential loss of green space was widely denounced by the public during the meeting, as multiple commenters said trees are needed to soak up heavy rain before it enters the River Des Peres.
Don Fitz’s home in University Heights, a University City subdivision, was flooded on July 26, 2022, when St. Louis got more rainfall in five hours than it normally gets in July and August combined. Fitz has been advocating for nature-based solutions to University City’s persistent flooding and is especially focused on reducing pavement so plants and the earth can better absorb extra water.
“It's very clear what the right direction is — preserve as many trees as we can and reduce as much impervious surface as we can,” said Fitz, who is chairperson of the University Heights Flood Task Force. “And they're doing more impervious surface and clear-cutting trees.”
The plan includes two stormwater retention areas that would be able to hold more than 700,000 gallons of water. Residents said they don’t trust those plans, including Arthur Wasserman, who lives right by the proposed development and whose street floods during heavy rain.
“They need to consider the amount of green space that we have to absorb the water that's flowing down into this basin, regardless of whether there's a development or not,” Wasserman said.
The commission did not take action to block the project. Stormwater Commissioner Eric Karch said this is the first time the commission has been asked to evaluate a site development, but his understanding is that the commission is not supposed to take a position at this point in the process.
“It's not my job to advocate for any one position,” Karch said. “It’s to review something objectively and come up with objective improvements.”
Some residents were disappointed the meeting ended with the project continuing to move forward.
“This body just decided to abdicate responsibility,” Fitz said. “They're not going to favor it. They're not going to oppose it. So what that means is the city council can then take it up.”
