Health & Fitness
Chamber Letter Opposing South County Connector EIS
In response to the South County Connector Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released in May, the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce has submitted the following letter opposing the EIS to St. Louis County Department of Highways and Traffic.
June 19, 2013
John Hicks
St. Louis County Department of Highways and Traffic
121 S. Meramec Avenue
Clayton, Missouri 63105
Dear Mr. Hicks,
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I am writing on behalf of the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce to communicate our opposition to the South County Connector Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was recently released. Both build alternatives would devastate the Maplewood business community by obliterating the entire Deer Creek Center shopping area and more than a dozen additional businesses located on Big Bend Industrial Court.
Deer Creek Center has recently undergone major renovations and we expect it to be fully occupied in the next year. Historically, the development has been a crucial part of our business community and the redevelopment has only strengthened Maplewood’s economic profile. Other Maplewood businesses, such as restaurants and banks, depend on the Deer Creek Center employees for business, and the City of Maplewood and Maplewood Richmond Heights School District rely on the tax revenue generated from all businesses for public services and funding.
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Deer Creek businesses and those located on Big Bend Industrial Court include major corporations, government offices, and small businesses. While some have just recently opened their doors, others like Ron Jagels’ Edward Jones office located in Deer Creek Center, has been in Maplewood for 15 years. Just across the street, on Big Bend Industrial Court is another small business, Event Partners, owned by Craig Seitz, who recently celebrated his 10th anniversary in business. In both cases, their location has been a key factor in building their clientele and has been integral to the success of their business.
The Maplewood Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes pursuing the two build alternatives in the South County Connector EIS. Furthermore, we recommend that future communications and materials about the project include detailed information and statistics about the about the 20-plus businesses, eight residences and several acres of park land that will be destroyed via the project. Rendering this data will ensure that our community understands the totality of what is being proposed.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at 314.781.8588 or director@maplewood-chamber.com to discuss our position further.
Sincerely,
Jeannine Beck
Executive Director