St. Louis is set to become more pedestrian-friendly and vibrant as the Planning Commission unanimously approves an extensive update to the city's Strategic Land Use Plan (SLUP), which hasn't seen a comprehensive update in two decades, according to a recent press release on the City of St. Louis website. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones emphasized the shift from prioritizing cars to fostering a city "full of life and growth," recognizing the urgency to counteract urban sprawl and reconnect the city's neighborhoods.
Crafted with heavy public involvement over an 18-month period, the SLUP aims to restore walkability and mixed-use areas, critical traits that once defined St. Louis' urban landscape, for this purpose, the updated SLUP calls for promoting varied development close to bike, pedestrian, and transit avenues and advocating ground-floor active use like restaurants and retail along key passageways to invigorate the street life. Authorities believe such strategies will support residents through transformation and growth while increasing housing supply and diversity, including "missing middle housing" and universally-designed, aging-friendly options, to confront the city's declining population curve, the overarching goal it not simply to increase housing but also supporting existing residents by matching their evolving housing requirements, as per the City of St. Louis.
While the SLUP outlines a broader vision, specifics like zoning code overhauls are the next significant hurdle, as the City's zoning code must reflect the SLUP's community-first orientation, changes that will involve further public dialogue in the months ahead. Don Roe, executive director of the Planning & Urban Design Agency, considers the SLUP a foundational piece for these impending zoning code updates, a sentiment echoed in the claim that the SLUP provides a "north star" as city planners look to the meticulous task of creating a 21st-century zoning code that resonates with the citizens it is meant to serve, as mentioned on the City of St. Louis website.
Furthermore, the SLUP represents only a segment of a much larger mission aiming to reinvigorate St. Louis into a city focused on its residents, with further development in the pipeline that includes an updated Sustainability & Climate Plan and the Transportation & Mobility Plan, complementing strategies to enhance the cityscape. Post-approval, these plans will merge with the SLUP into the City’s Comprehensive Plan, set to be integrated with other policy measures, strategies, and combined public-private ventures to realize these rejuvenating directives.
The final draft of the updated SLUP, a document pivotal in shaping the city's physical evolution and supporting proactive civic change can be accessed online, with its final version set to be published in the upcoming weeks.
