The St. Louis area’s sustainability plan is entering a new phase, with a final round of open houses for the public. In September, seven open houses are scheduled throughout the metropolitan area to give residents a chance to review the draft plan and offer input.
OneSTL is the culmination of three-years of information gathering, consensus building and planning that were part of a $4.6 million grant funded in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program is intended to better coordinate federal housing, transportation, and environmental spending, policies, and programs so that local communities could become economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable.
For St. Louis, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments is the lead agency for the planning process, and it has 10 core regional partners. East-West Gateway has led the sustainability planning process, which relies on collaboration and is geared to produce incentives and guidelines, and is not intended to impose restrictions, mandates or limitations from a central authority.
For more information on OneSTL, go to www.OneSTL.org.
The OneSTL Open Houses started in August, and continue through September. They are being held throughout the region so that area residents can review draft plan. Each meeting is from 5 p.m .to 7:30 p.m. except when otherwise noted.
- Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the St. Louis Regional Chamber Breakfast, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at 1 Metropolitan Square, downtown. The contact is Eric Schneider, eschneider@stlregionalchamber.com or 314-444-1148.
- Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5 to 7:30 p.m., the city of Arnold Recreation Center in Jefferson County, 1695 Missouri State Road, Arnold. The contact is Teresa Kohut, tkohut@arnoldmo.org or 636-282-6686.
- Thursday, Sept. 12, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., at the Granite City Port Authority in Madison County, 1201 West First Street, Warehouse 3, Suite B, Granite City. The contact is Frank Miles fmiles@tricityport.com .
- Tuesday, Sept. 17, 5 to 7:30 p.m., at the city of O’Fallon City Hall in St. Charles County, 100 North Main St., O’Fallon, Mo. The contact is Chad Cornwall at ccornwell@ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5486.
- Thursday, Sept. 19, at Four Points by Sheraton, St. Clair County, 319 Fountains Parkway, Fairview Heights, Il. The contacts are Rebecca Overman, roverman@fourpointsfairviewheights.com , 618-622-5041, and Amber Miller, amiller@cofh.org, 618-489-2060.
- Tuesday, Sept. 24, St. Charles City Hall in St. Charles County, 200 N. Second St., St. Charles, Mo. or call 636-949-3269.
- Wednesday, Sept. 25, city of St. Louis Central Library auditorium, 1301 Olive St. The contact is Jim Kalkbrenner, email jkalkbrenner@slpl.org or call 314-241-2288.