May 2, 2020

Mallory Herrmann
citydesk@lstribune.net

The city council has approved a new Firestone auto service location near Missouri Route 291 South and MO-150 Highway, south of the Walmart.

The seven-bay tire care center totals about 6,200 square feet, and the 1.2-acre lot will also include 29 parking spaces (more than the 24 required by the unified development ordinance). The property is part of a 6.3-acre parent tract; the remaining 5.1 acres in the second lot will remain vacant as part of this project.

The applicant, Bob Gage and FS Lee’s Summit, LLC, requested one modification related to wall signs. The preliminary development plan indicates four wall signs, instead of the allowed three. Josh Johnson, assistant director of plan services for the city, noted that this type of modification is “by far the most common” request by applicants citywide.

The development will be located in the northwest corner of the interchange, just to the north of QuikTrip and Bank of the West. As part of the M-150 Sustainable Development Corridor, a UDO overlay, certain additional sustainability standards are in place. To meet those requirements, the building will have a cool roof (a metal roof painted white in order to absorb heat), xeriscape landscaping to promote water absorption and drip irrigation for landscaping.

Councilmember Rob Binney raised concerns about the entrance to the site across from the shopping center and the potential for traffic problems. Michael Park, city traffic engineer, explained that the city’s code for minimizing conflicts requires aligned driveways.

Binney was also concerned about the number of wall signs, saying that seeing a building covered in signs tends to convey less quality.

There were no public comments, either in support of or in opposition to the proposed development, during the council’s public hearing.

The planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the preliminary development application at their Mar. 12 session.

The city council voted 8–1 to approve the development at their Apr. 28 session. Binney voted against.