Politicians, environmentalists question O'Fallon's annexation plan

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) -- Count a member of the Busch family among those opposed to O'Fallon's plan to annex more than 12 square miles.

The St. Charles County town's plan includes annexation of the Busch wildlife area and the Missouri Research Park. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that some politicians and environmental advocates, including Adolphus Busch IV, are outraged.

City leaders say they have no intention of developing the wildlife area. They say the city is interested in the research park and the growing corridor along Highway 40. Under annexation rules, the city needs to take the wildlife area to get access to the research park.

"I think it's absolutely absurd," said St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazil. "There should be a state law prohibiting municipal governments from taking county or state parks more than 100 acres."

Busch lives in St. Charles County and is the major financial backer of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance environmental group. He said the city could jeopardize hunting activities and other goals of the wildlife area.

"The whole concept of a wildlife area is that it should be under the direction and protection of the state," he said.

Busch's grandmother donated $70,000 to the state in 1947 to purchase the land from the federal government for the nature preserve to honor her husband, August Busch Sr., the son of the founder of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.

Even O'Fallon Mayor Donna Morrow is a critic. She said she had no idea such a plan by other city officials was in the works.

"I'm having a hard enough time fixing streets and keeping my sewer plant running," Morrow said. "Why are we doing this?"

The annexation plan will come before the council sometime this month. A public hearing and final vote is scheduled for July 6.

The annexation would add 12.6 square miles and expand the city's boundaries by about 42 percent.

City Administrator Robert Lowery Jr. said several out-of-state companies -- including one with more than 500 employees -- had approached city staff members about relocating to the area and that the research park would serve as a prime location for these companies. Lowery declined to name the companies.

The research park is managed by the University of Missouri system and is home to offices for 17 businesses such as Nike and public agencies such as local branches of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Weather Service.

State conservation officials said they are still reviewing the request but had deep reservations.

Under county rules governing involuntary annexation, the city council would first have to approve the annexation plan. It would need approval of voters both inside the city and in the area to be annexed, though O'Fallon officials believe there are no residents on the land under proposal.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com