Douglass Hill Update

The TIF Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday, October 27. Residents were able to hear a presentation from Development Strategies and deliver comments to the TIF Commission on the project. The public hearing for the TIF Commission is now closed. Their next meeting will take place on November 10.

The public hearing portion of the zoning change for the proposed redevelopment site continues on Tuesday, November 2 at the City Council meeting. The public comment period began at the October 19 City Council Meeting. You can view the comments made at that meeting by clicking here. If you previously spoke at the October 19 meeting, your comments have already been added to the public record and you do not need to speak again.

You can view the questions asked by the City Council and the responses from City of Webster Groves staff and members of the development team here. Additionally, the Metropolitan Sewer District has approved the Shady Creek Flood Study and you can review that document here.

Comments made at the November 2 meeting will go into the official public hearing record. There are four ways to submit public comments:

Written Letter: Written letters can be mailed to City Hall to the attention of City Council, or can be dropped off in person at 4. E. Lockwood Ave. Letters will be included in the City Council packet for the meeting and read by each Council member in advance of the meeting. They will not be read out loud during the meeting.
E-mail: You can e-mail citycouncil@webstergrovesmo.gov and your e-mails will be included in the City Council packet for the meeting and read by each Council member in advance of the meeting. They will not be read out loud at the meeting.
In-person: You can attend the meeting in person and fill out a comment card to speak at the meeting. You will have three minutes for your comments.
Over Zoom: If viewing the meeting via Zoom, you can click the “Raise Hand” icon and you will have three minutes to speak over Zoom. Please click here for the Zoom address.

Please submit written or e-mailed comments prior to 5 p.m. on Monday, November 1. This will allow for them to be included in the packet sent ahead of the meeting to the Council.

Get Involved! Join a Board or Commission

Board & Commission Openings

The Webster Groves City Council is seeking applicants for future appointments to the following:

Board of Adjustment
City Plan Commission
Green Space Advisory Commission
Historic Preservation Commission
Old Orchard Special Business District Advisory Commission (Must own property or operate a business within the District.)
Police Community Engagement Board (Business Owner or Resident)
Traffic Advisory Commission

Applications are available at City Hall on the bulletin board or apply online at www.webstergroves.org/boardapplication. Deadline: November 12, 2021. Questions may be directed to the City Clerk at 314-963-5318 or nakazonok@webstergrovesmo.gov.

Run for Office

Candidate filing for the April 5, 2022, General Municipal Election will begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, and will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. Candidate filing packets and petition forms for Mayor and Council Member are available to pick up at the City Clerk’s office. The following offices are up for election in April 2022:

Mayor – 4 Year Term
(3) Council Members – 4 Year Term

For more information visit www.webstergroves.org/April2022election, or contact the City Clerk at nakazonok@webstergrovesmo.gov or 314-963-5318.

Pumpkin Compost Collection

Is your pumpkin getting soft and gooey? That’s only natural! Did you know that pumpkins left to rot in the trash will release methane, and methane is a stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide? Your pumpkin can be turned back into nutrient-rich soil when composted.
The Webster Groves Sustainability Commission and the Public Works Department are hosting the first Annual Pumpkin Compost Collection. Please keep your pumpkin from the landfill and bring it to the Moss Field parking lot on Saturday, November 6 from 10-1.

Gardening Tip of the Month

By Yvonne Steingruby, Parks Superintendent

There is still plenty to do in the garden as weather permits. Now is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, winterize irrigation systems and spigots, collect seeds, plant bulbs, prepare holiday containers, and one last weeding and removal of fading annuals in the garden. As leaves begin to fall, best practices to manage this valuable resource, including blowing them into the beds to act as a mulch during the winter or for a tidier look, mulch the leaves with a lawnmower or line- trim and blow them into the gardens. In the parks, we strive to mulch the leaves in place as food for microbes, and habitat for pollinators. Some Park locations require a more groomed appearance or tend to be too small for mulching in place, so we vacuum and compost them at the Service Center. Ultimately it is best to “leave the leaves”. Also, try not to be tempted to trim all of your perennials down to the ground, until late winter. If you must trim perennials and ornamental grasses, it helps pollinators overwinter if you leave the hollow stems at least 18-20” tall. Leaving seed heads will attract birds and give winter interest to the garden. Don’t forget to go for a walk or drive in the Parks and soak in the fall color! The sassafras, red maples, sumac, and Virginia creeper are starting the show color in Blackburn Park. Beautyberry is a sight to see in the bird sanctuary and the asters are blooming nicely in Lockwood Park. Pollinators are still working over plants that offer a late bloom such as goldenrod, catmint, and aster. Happy Autumn!

Upcoming Events

Trick-or-Treating at Webster Groves Businesses
Saturday, Oct. 30
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Trick-or-treat at area businesses! Businesses across Webster Groves will have treats for the kids.

Old Webster Holiday Open House
Sunday, November 14
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This holiday tradition features refreshments, strolling carolers, Santa Claus, carriage rides, and Christmas shopping in historic Old Webster.

125th Birthday for Webster Groves
Friday, November 19
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
City Hall
The City of Webster Groves officially became 125 years old this year. We invite the community to celebrate the birthday at a small celebration on Friday, November 19. Stop by City Hall for hot chocolate and cake pops to celebrate 125 years of Webster Groves.

Join the list at webstergroves.org/thefridaypage. The Friday Page is published at the end of each week online at www.webstergroves.org/thefridaypage and is distributed to subscribers via webstergroves.org/notifyme.