Democracy on the Front Lines
City Administrator’s Blog
Walter Denton
February 4, 2008
Scott Air Force Base is the largest employer (13,000+) in the Metro East and the fourth largest employer in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The future growth of Scott has long been a priority for the City of O’Fallon as well as for our neighboring communities. The base has survived several rounds of base closings and we want to do what is best to keep its missions viable.
Last Thursday, I participated in a workshop with consultants working on the Scott Air Force Base/Mid-America Airport Joint Land Use Study (JLUS). Despite the clumsy title, the study brings together all of the affected jurisdictions to talk about how development should occur around Scott Air Force Base: O’Fallon, Shiloh, Mascoutah, Lebanon, St. Clair County, and Scott AFB.
It is no secret that Scott Air Force Base is the primary economic engine in the Metro East and it is vitally important that we do not jeopardize the effectiveness of the base. All of the surrounding communities (including O’Fallon) want to promote economic development but we do not to compromise the base’s mission by encroaching on their facilities.
The purpose is to determine what types of land uses are compatible within specific proximities of the base and runway approaches. For example, it is generally not acceptable to have uses with large densities of people right in front of the runways, such schools and shopping malls. It is also unadvisable to develop tall structures right next to the air force base fence lines, where one could have aerial views inside the facility.
Beyond these two extremes, we are having discussions over what is appropriate and what is not. What about retail or office buildings, warehousing or manufacturing? Can any type of residential use be acceptable, even if approaching airplanes make noise as they fly overhead?
This is an important regional planning project because regional planning is rare. It is difficult to get officials from five different jurisdictions together in the same room, much less agree on anything. Economic development is a sensitive issue for communities, because it translates into significant money. Communities are protective over their development opportunities and future revenue potential. Now throw in the military and federal bureaucracy, and the dynamic can be tense to say the least.
What saves the project is the importance of Scott. We all want to do what is best for the base. Bases have closed in the past due to excessive encroachment by local communities, and we want to prevent that from happening here. Therefore, we are willing to put aside our differences for the greater good of the region.
The study should be completed in April or May. In the meantime, there will be several public meetings to collect input from residents. I encourage all who are interested in development around the base to attend these meetings when they are scheduled.
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