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<br />form-based code so the zoning was changed for that project, which is called Park Central. <br />She questioned who had made that final decision. Ms. Carr stated it appeared that the <br />University City staff signed off on the final list of stakeholders. She said the initial list of <br />stakeholders included Mr. Mills, but he had no real stake or interest in University City, but <br />some of the people that were left off the list did. Ms. Carr said there were only two <br />councilmembers and the Mayor listed on the initial list and Mr. Joe Edwards was left off. <br />She said then another list was created, which included the entire Council, one <br />representative from Washington University and Mr. Joe Edwards, but no additional property <br />owners. Ms. Carr read a statement from Mr. Raymond Lai’s email chain stating that the list <br />looked good and suggested to add someone from the St. Louis County Department of <br />Highways and Traffic. Ms. Carr stated she understood why staff would look towards <br />bureaucrats, but the real stakeholders should be the people who live in University City or <br />own property in the City. She said she thought they tried to cover that by holding <br />workshops and inviting many people to attend, but when they identified a consensus issue <br />being do not build condominiums, there was a political price to pay for that. Ms. Carr <br />believed that the staff should have taken a step back and reconsidered by talking to the <br />people, but instead they went ahead. She said according to the e-mail the City staff should <br />be responsible for the extra $40,000 because they signed off on it, without any objections. <br />Ms. Carr said she was not okay with the attacks on the business owners and property <br />owners because she remembered Mr. Lai said that the City invited them and they had an <br />option to come. She said it was Mr. Lai’s choice to decide who was on the stakeholder list. <br />Ms. Carr said that they should stop pointing fingers at the business owners and admit that <br />the $40,000 price tag was actually something that the City has to pay because the staff <br />signed off on it. She noted she wanted the City Manager and the Director of Community <br />Development to know that she would not let go of this. Ms. Carr stated that the lack of <br />candor on this issue has caused her to step back from endorsing this plan and to carefully <br />scrutinize what would be brought forward to the Council. She said that the Council has not <br />received complete and unbiased information. Ms. Carr stated that by voting for this, the <br />Council would be endorsing a change in the zoning code and did not think the Council <br />understood what the repercussions would be. She stated that as they move forward with <br />their partners such as Washington University, Parkview Gardens Association, the <br />businesses, property owners and residents, Council must keep in mind that they would be <br />making decisions in the best interest of University City. Ms. Carr said the incident has <br />caused her to question whether the Council should retain their own consultant to evaluate <br />the proposals brought to them by the staff with regard to the Parkview Garden’s Plan and <br />the Olive development. She said council would not be adding money to the budget, but <br />she would request the money be taken from the Community Development Department’s <br />budget. Ms. Carr did not think the Council could vote on something that would change the <br />face of the City without understanding what was being asked to approve. <br /> <br />Mr. Crow stated that the interaction regarding this plan has caused him to be much more <br />circumspect with the next phase of Washington University’s expansion. He said he <br />considered Washington University a valued member and partner to the City, but he felt <br />there may be issues going forward because there will be a lot of development on the <br />nd <br />drawing board over the next several years, primarily in the 2 Ward area. Mr. Crow felt it <br />was incumbent upon all of council to learn from their mistakes and be more astute as they <br />move forward. He stated that he would like to get more information and joined with Ms. <br />Carr with concerns of making sure Council understood the impact it had on the <br />neighborhoods, businesses and the community at large in regard to the area between <br />Delmar and Olive that is being reshaped by Washington University. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br /> <br />