Monday night, May 15, the Rolla City Council heard final reading of an ordinance amending a previous rezoning ordinance that started the saga, or at least a mini-saga.
The vote was 10-0 to allow Dickey Bub Farm and Home, newest tenant of the Forum Plaza shopping center to put merchandise outside the store.
When the store moved in last month, products were put outside on the parking lot perimeter along the 10th Street side and the west side next to an empty former convenience store.
That was not allowed in the restrictions the council added a year ago to a rezoning ordinance sought by the owners of Forum Plaza, Super Market Developers. Then, the property was rezoned to C-3, highway commercial district.
“There were visual concerns,” City Administrator John Butz said, reminding the council that the city is in partnership with the Super Market Developers in the Community Improvement District taxing
board, so the city is “concerned about the economic viability” of the shopping center.
That's why the city had restricted outdoor storage to the south side of the building. Also, the city required the outdoor display area be fenced.
Super Market Developers, needing a tenant, went along with restrictions.
According to testimony given a couple of meetings ago by Dickey Bub owners, though, those restrictions weren't adequately communicated to them by Super Market Developers.
“Dickey Bub has been very accommodating,” Butz told the
council Monday night. His written agenda commentary explained further:
“Initially, during the store’s start-up and opening, the materials stored
outside were extensive. Once aware of the restriction, Dickey Bub reorganized
the outdoor merchandise display and shifted much of (it) to the southern and
western boundaries of the parking lot and back indoors.”
Dickey Bub owners told the council in previous meetings that
they wanted permission to add the storage along the southern side of the parking lot
next to the 10th Street.
They noted that what will be outside the fence will be seasonal merchandise,
much of it for the spring and summer growing season.
They got that permission with passage of the ordinance Monday night.
In addition, the displays in front of the store are allowed
The new ordinance that ends the saga states: “The storage, display or sale of merchandise outdoors shall
be limited to the area south of the building and north of Tenth Street, and
immediately adjacent to the west side of the building. In addition, storage of
outdoor merchandise shall also be permitted in an area 60 feet by 15 feet immediately
north of Tenth Street
… but at no time shall the height of merchandise, seasonal or otherwise, exceed
six feet in height.”
Parking spaces must number 160.
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