FLORISSANT, Mo. – Some Florissant citizens are in an uproar over the city’s plan to trade 30 acres of land at Koch Park for land owned by a housing developer.
The developer wants to build over 100 homes on the park land.
“Florissant is wanting to put houses in a park. It’s been a park for 62 years. We do not feel that they should be able to take park property and develop it into houses. Park property that we all have paid taxes on to enjoy all these years.”
Mayor Tim Lowery and other city officials say that’s just part of the story.
“Well, first of all, the parkland that would be transferred is 30 acres in Koch Park, in the back of Koch Park, which is land that is really un-utilized by the city and by our citizens,” he said. “We feel like this is a great opportunity for the city to add new housing development—some that we have not seen since the early 1970s, and we’ve not had housing.”
As compensation, the city would receive 43 acres near its other park, Sunset Park, near the Missouri River.
“We feel like the benefits definitely outweigh anything of trading this land,” Lowery said. “Like we feel like we’re getting more in return for what we’re getting.”
The measure will go before the council for a vote next Monday.
