ENA Meeting Notes - May 11, 2026

Meeting Notes – May 11, 2026 

The Ellendale Neighborhood Association held its general meeting at Abbott EMS (2500 Abbott Place).  The meeting announcement and joining/participating information were provided in advance, consistent with the organization’s bylaws (revised July 2015 and adopted November 9, 2015).  Additionally, the meeting was livestreamed & recorded via Facebook Live.   

The full meeting broadcast can be viewed on the Ellendale Neighborhood Association group Facebook page: 

www.facebook.com/groups/EllendaleNA.StL 

Meeting opened at 7:00_PM 

• Welcome & Facebook Live Overview 

• Maria Gray outlined the meeting procedures for the session so that online participants could submit questions via Facebook chat, or by email, or by text. 

• Streaming our meetings via Facebook Live remains quite popular and will be continued indefinitely for future meetings. 

• Maria Gray shared the following courtesy rules for those attending the meeting in-person: 

• Limit questions to one per person until others have a chance to speak; 

• If reporting service requests, please provide the address; 

• If you do not have the address, please discuss with an ENA board member after the meeting so that they can better assist; 

• No side conversations during the meeting, please step outside the room for any such discussions. 

• Approval of Minutes, March 2026 Meeting 

• Hard copies of the March 2026 meeting notes were distributed to those attending the meeting in-person.  Meeting notes are available on the ENA website.  Notices are posted to social media channels & to the ENA email list. 

• Motion to approve March 2026 meeting notes as formal meeting minutes made by John Yarish and seconded by Steve Gibson.  Approved by voice vote. 

• Community Reports 

• Alderman Bret Narayan (4^th Ward) 

• New session for Board of Aldermen 

• City budget is main priority. 

• Discussion underway for how to spend Rams settlement money (Northside tornado recovery; downtown revitalization; public infrastructure improvements; fighting vacancy issues). No board bill yet. 

• Board Bill #9 – Approval of one-time, lump-sum payment of $1000 to City employees 

• State control of SLMPD is being litigated currently.  Likely no matter what the upcoming judgment will be is likely to be appealed to Missouri supreme court. 

• If anyone has any questions relating to any legislation to be considered, please reach out to him at (314) 622-3287 or NaraynB@stlouis-mo.gov 

• Requests for service (such as street lights out, potholes, etc.) can be made directly to Ald. Narayan or to Brian Kolde (NIS, Ellendale). 

• Handouts outlining what to report & the CSB process are brought to every meeting. 

• Captain Tony Aubuchon (2^nd District) 

• Introduction & welcome as new Second District Police captain. 

• Recommends residents call 911, not non-emergency number, to report neighborhood issues. 

• Will research the issues reported on Hermitage.  Need to get search warrants in order to pursue formal investigations, in some of those cases. 

• Officer Jon Amesquita provided an email a link that can be shared with anyone who wants to forward video evidence directly to detective involved: 

• D2VIDEOREQUEST@SLMPD.ORG 

• Service Request: There is a report of a derelict car on Abbott Pl (Ecoff St) with a homeless man living there; frequently blocks the Abbott ambulances trying to leave for a call. 

• Brian Kolde (Citizens Service Bureau) 

• 2777 Hermitage is still condemned for occupancy; most of the other issues at this address will require police intervention. 

• 6818 Magnolia is a burned-down building; previous owner intended to rebuild on existing foundation, but was unable for whatever reasons to proceed; the property recently sold and new owner plans a complete demolition of remaining structure; possible new construction but in any case promised to get a dumpster on site to begin cleanup soon. 

• 6857 Southwest Avenue between fence & alley there is a large amount of open storage. 

• Question: What are the rules for a condemned house to be properly secured and grass cutting? 

• Brian Kolde: Owner is still responsible for remedying exterior code violations regardless of whether home is occupied or not, or condemned or not. 

• 3118 Ellendale recently sold to a new owner; plans rehab of building. 

• Service Request: overgrowth of vegetation along River des Peres and Hermitage alley needs to be cut/sprayed.  Reports of snakes, mice/rats, and other wildlife living there. 

• Brian has been working with Officer Amesquita and with ENA about many of these reported nuisance properties.  Some of the issues take time to resolve, as they may involve Housing Court and/or the City Counselor’s Office.  Brian meets monthly with Problem Properties Division. 

• Contact Brian (koldeb@stlouis-mo.gov) for service requests, such as potholes/tree limbs/street lights out.  Submitting requests by email works best. 

• Guest Speakers(s) 

• Shane Cohn, Acting President of Board of Aldermen; Candidate for Recorder of Deeds 

• New session for Board of Aldermen: City budget; proposal for how to spend Rams settlement money (Northside tornado recovery; downtown revitalization; public infrastructure improvements; fighting vacancy issues) 

• Primary election on August 4^th for Recorder of Deeds (shanecohn.com) 

• Question: Can the City do anything to repair broken water service lines located in the street? 

• Shane Cohn: There has recently been a proposal to increase Water Division rates.  The financial reserves for the department are currently too low for bond issue consideration 

• Question: Is there any pending legislation regarding data centers in City? 

• Shane Cohn: While he is not personally involved in those conversations yet, there are members of the Board of Aldermen working with the Planning Department to formalize rules that would govern those businesses, should they be permitted to operate in the City of St. Louis. 

• Gabe Gore, Circuit Attorney 

• Power-Point presentation regarding the Neighborhood Collaboration Pilot Program 

• Currently in Mount Pleasant; Shaw; Southwest Garden neighborhoods (Ellendale will be the fourth neighborhood participating).  This initiative will involve an assistant circuit attorney assigned to our neighborhood.  Will attend our meetings to provide direct communication for neighborhood concerns, support for victims and witnesses, and court watch programs.  Goal is for this pilot program to be expanded citywide. 

• Tanja Engelhardt is the assistant circuit attorney assigned as liaison to the Ellendale neighborhood.  If residents have public safety concerns or questions about legal proceedings, they can reach out to her directly. 

• Circuitattorney.org/cnc-ellendale 

• Question: Hermitage residents are concerned about ongoing intimidation from those conducting criminal activities on their street. 

• Answer: Circuit Attorney’s Office will work with SLMPD for resolutions.  The hope is that this program will help remedy situations like those. 

• Board & Committees Reports 

• Treasurer’s Report (Matt Sisul, for Joe Nea) 

• Balance as of March 9, 2026: $1,795.00 

• Deposits: $29.00 

• Expenses: $0.00 

• Balance as of May 11, 2026: $1,824.00 

• Annual dues are $6 per person, per household; $3 per person 65+; Business dues are $24.  2024 ENA Membership Application forms are available. 

• Venmo @Joey-Nea; be sure to specify “ENA dues” in transaction notes 

• Housing Committee Report (John Yarish) 

• QuikTrip proposal for new convenience store, standard fueling bays, and car wash.  Location would be the southeast corner of the Arsenal & Jamieson intersection. 

• Parcels are currently zoned A (Single-Family Residential).  New development would require lot consolidation and either zoning change or a zoning variance. 

• QuikTrip has agreed to the following concessions: 

• No single-serve alcohol 

• No outside tables 

• No diesel bays for tractor-trailer fueling 

• Enhanced landscaping 

• Exterior site lighting will be down-cast, shielded, and poles no higher that 19 feet 

• Priority hiring from local neighborhoods 

• Commitment to re-evaluate traffic signal timing in the following increments: 6-months after opening; 1-year after opening; 2-years after opening 

• Commitment to pay for modifications to traffic signals if warranted and approved by City and State departments of transportation 

• A reassessment of the City of St. Louis zoning is currently underway.  There is concern that if the neighborhood & the City do not come to an agreement with QuikTrip over conditions for this proposal that QuikTrip will pursue its initial plans for a truck fueling stop at this site. 

• Zoning Upgrade Plan (ZOUP) 

• www.zoup-stl.com  

• Question: Can the neighborhood oppose this, if this requires a zoning change? 

• John Yarish: The ENA housing committee recommends approving these conditions outlined above.  However, there is certain to be several more public hearings & meetings with City departments and development boards that will offer additional opportunities for formal public comments. 

• Motion to authorize the Ellendale Neighborhood Association to enter into a conditional use agreement with QuikTrip that includes the conditions outlined above made by Torrie Dahmen seconded by Kathleen Rumme. 

• Additional discussion: 

• QuikTrip already owns the parcels included in the development plan.  The demolition of the single-family homes has been completed.  Smiley Ave east of Jamieson will be vacated. 

• Is this a verbal commitment from QuikTrip or will this agreement be in writing? 

• John Yarish/Maria Gray/Matt Sisul: If passed, the motion will allow ENA to enter into written agreements with QuikTrip and the City of St. Louis. 

• What happens if QuikTrip decides not to abide by these conditions? 

• John Yarish/Maria Gray/Matt Sisul: A conditional use agreement with the City of St. Louis would be tied to their business licenses.  QuikTrip would not be allowed to operate if they later decided/chose not to comply with those written conditions. 

• Will the new development properly address storm water runoff? 

• Development plans require review & approval of agencies like the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District in order to obtain permits. 

• There have been several joint community meetings with Ellendale, Clifton Heights, and Lindenwood Park neighborhoods about this proposed QuikTrip development.  Additionally, QuikTrip representatives presented at the January 2026 Ellendale Neighborhood Association to share information about the development concepts and to answer questions.  The ENA housing committee has frequently reported on this topic at neighborhood association meetings over the last several years. 

• UPDATE/EDIT: Board members of the Lindenwood Park Neighborhood Association provided to ENA board members additional information LPNA obtained from City staff of Zoning.  This included the staff opinion that additional conditions could be placed upon a gas station/convenience store/car wash at this location, even after the Zoning Upgrade Plan (ZOUP) is completed.  However, it also included an outline of the appeals process that QuikTrip could use to claim an unreasonable hardship with any such new conditions.  After reviewing the information, it remains the opinion of the ENA executive board that accepting these conditions currently proposed is the best way to prevent QuikTrip from opening a truck fueling stop at this intersection, which has been the community feedback received to-date. 

• After reviewing the information, it remains the opinion of the ENA executive board that accepting those conditions currently proposed is the best way to prevent QuikTrip from opening a truck fueling stop at this intersection, which has been the majority community feedback received to-date. 

• Motion to approve the previous motion by voice vote made by Matt Sisul; seconded by Jim Puleo.  Motion approved by voice vote. 

• The original motion to authorize the Ellendale Neighborhood Association to enter into a conditional use agreement with QuikTrip that includes the conditions outlined above was approved. 

• Beautification Committee Report (Matt Sisul, for Kimberly Hanvy) 

• City Forestry will be conducting another invasive species removal project in Slay Park on Tuesday, May 19^th.  Volunteers welcome to participate.  Estimated time 9am-noon, although may extend longer.  

• Volunteers are needed for help with maintenance for our community gardens: weeding, minor trash pick up, watering, etc.  Please contact Kimberly Hanvy if interested. 

• Maria Gray: A neighbor on Limit Ave has been weeding the Southwest Ave sidewalk and steps. 

• SLACO Report (Neal Gilb) 

• Neal Gilb made a motion to pay ENA annual dues of $100 to SLACO; seconded by John Ward.  Approved by voice vote. 

• New Business 

• Maria Gray 

• Reminder that applications are now open to apply for the Senior Citizens Property Tax Freeze Credit Program 

• www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/assessor/real-estate/senior-tax-freeze/index.cfm 

• Abbott EMS Blood Drive 9am-1pm next Sunday, May 17^th 

• Miscellaneous 

• Special thanks to Brian Gerth, Regional Director of Abbott EMS, in attendance; for allowing the Ellendale Neighborhood Association to hold its community meetings in their classrooms. 

• Check Ellendale website (https://ellendalena.wixsite.com/ellendale) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/EllendaleNA.StL) for communication and neighborhood updates. 

• Please contact Matt Sisul at Matthew.Sisul@gmail.com or (314) 606-3427 to signup for our online email list. 

Motion to adjourn made by John Yarish and seconded by Lynn Hartke.  Approved by voice vote. 

Meeting adjourned at 8:40_PM