Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in St. Louis public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
New South Riverfront Refuse Transfer Station
Ward 8's Cox Antwi introduced funding legislation for a new refuse transfer station near the South riverfront — a big piece of the city's trash and port infrastructure picture.
Data Center Business License Proposal
A new bill would put a question on the April 2027 ballot requiring data center operators to get a city business license and pay a license fee. It now heads to the Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee.
Airport Luggage Cart Rental Agreement amendment (AL-022)
The city is updating its luggage cart rental agreement at Lambert Airport. It's a contract housekeeping item, but the terms could affect what travelers pay or how cart service operates.
2027 HUD Annual Action Plan and federal grant funds (Board Bill 104)
A new first-reading bill would require the housing agency to report by 2027 on federal housing requirements and funding opportunities under the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
Municipal receivership for vacant nuisance properties (Board Bill 90)
A new bill would let the City ask a circuit court to appoint a receiver to rehabilitate, demolish or sell problem vacant buildings — with repair prioritized over demolition. Aimed at the vacant property blight many neighborhoods deal with.
Opioid settlement funds to Health Department
New legislation would route the city's share of national opioid settlement money to the Department of Health for approved uses.
Expungement access and second chances
The board honored the organizers of the Show Me Expungement Clinic Extravaganza, which has helped more than a thousand people clear criminal records and regain access to jobs and housing.
Reallocating North-South MetroLink Sales Tax Toward Bus Rapid Transit
Voters will decide in April 2027 whether the half-cent sales tax collected for a North-South Metrolink line can also fund bus rapid transit. The proposed BRT line would run 11.5 miles connecting north and south city, costing roughly $360-590 million versus $1.1 billion for rail. Critics, led by Alderwoman Tyus, say the city is breaking a decades-old promise to North St. Louis.
Code Blue Emergency Weather Response Program
A committee-reported bill would create a Code Blue program requiring the city to open warming shelters during dangerous cold, funded by the 3% tax on adult-use marijuana sales. It still needs final passage.
ARPA funds reallocated to Water Division, City Counselor, and Human Services
A first-reading bill would repurpose unspent federal pandemic relief money for the Water Division, the City Counselor's office, and Human Services. It goes to committee for a hearing on November 10.
Airport lease and concession agreements
Two airport concession deals with HG-St. Louis JV companies were finally passed and signed into law. A third bill moving $13.7 million between airport funds was pulled off the consent calendar for more discussion.
Speed Hump Installations
Six 13th Ward speed hump bills cleared committee with do-pass recommendations, and the 8th Ward speed hump ordinance passed its final reading. Residents on those blocks will see traffic calming installations.
Regional public works mutual aid agreement
St. Louis isn't currently part of the region's public works mutual aid network, which lets nearby cities share crews, equipment and materials during disasters. Board Bill 103 would change that, meaning faster backup help when a major emergency hits.
Criminal Justice Center administration
The jail is down to 85 filled CO1 positions against a proposed 113, well under the 150 minimum the commissioner says is needed. Alders pressed on PREA coordination, camera blind spots, medical transport with the sheriff, and recreation time for detainees.
Honorary street name for Bishop Terrence E. Coleman
A stretch of West Florissant Avenue would carry the honorary name 'Bishop Terrence E. Coleman Way,' honoring a pastor known for the Carpenters Kids Camp, free home repairs for seniors, and decades of community service. It's honorary, so actual addresses don't change.
Child Care Funding Ballot Measure
St. Louis Prop B would create a permanent $22 million fund to make child care more affordable for working families. With 20,000 local families in a child care crunch, it’s a big deal if you have kids—or know anyone who does—because the ballot measure could change what care costs and whether it’s available.
5th Ward speed humps
A bill directing the Streets Director to install speed humps on various 8th Ward blocks cleared committee with a Do Pass and is moving toward final passage.
Kingsbury Place Tornado Recovery CID
The $40 million tornado recovery bill couldn't be engrossed because adopted amendments on recovery-office reporting metrics and MWBE reporting requirements weren't fully in the engrossed copy, and the downtown revitalization fund is referred to by two different names.
Lambert Airport FY2027 Budget
The airport presents a balanced budget with revenues growing thanks to international flights, remodeled concessions and new parking services, while preparing financially for a possible terminal consolidation targeted for completion around 2032. Its debt service drops sharply after 2031, opening room to borrow for the new terminal.
Director of Airports compensation modernization
A new pay grade for the airport director cleared committee, aimed at keeping the executive compensation competitive. A related bill on the director's contract term was held.
Civil service and HR system charter overhaul
Board Bill 98 adds an alternate commissioner, requires Board confirmation of appointments, and sets hard deadlines on disciplinary appeals — if the city misses them, the employee wins. It responds to a backlog with appeals dating to 2020.
Tiffany Scattered Sites II affordable housing redevelopment
Redevelopment plans for the Tiffany Scattered Sites II Area and the St. Louis Place/Old North Scattered Sites Area cleared the HUDZ committee with Do Pass recommendations and are advancing.
St. Louis Place and Old North affordable housing redevelopment
A Chapter 99 plan to renovate 15 buildings in St. Louis Place and Old North into 68 affordable units at $18.7 million, also with 15 years of tax abatement.
Lambert Airport capital improvement program
The committee advanced a $78.4 million capital program for St. Louis Lambert International Airport covering improvements and equipment projects. It now heads to the full Board of Aldermen.
Transit Sales Tax Reallocation Election (B.B. #59)
Voters could decide in April 2027 whether to broaden use of the half-cent sales tax currently dedicated to North-South MetroLink, allowing it to fund bus rapid transit, rail, paratransit, and other transit improvements. The bill got a Do Pass committee recommendation.
EEZ tax abatements for Sensient Colors and AAA Cooper
Two companies seek ten-year property tax abatements on new improvements: Sensient Colors ($134 million project, 84 jobs) and AAA Cooper Transportation ($2 million, 125 jobs). Both were referred to the HUDZ Committee.
STL Recovers program update
St. Louis is getting another $954K from the national opioid settlements to fight the overdose crisis. Overdose deaths have been cut roughly in half since 2023, and the money funds outreach, treatment, Narcan and equipment for first responders.
Transition to a Department of Transportation
The city is planning to transform its Street Department — which mostly keeps roads patched and vehicles moving — into a full Department of Transportation that plans and manages the whole network for all users. The plan includes new divisions for planning, traffic operations, sidewalks, bike/ped projects, and major capital projects.
2026 St. Louis Works and 50/50 Sidewalk Programs funding
Paving is already underway — the crew started in Ward 14, is in Ward 7 now, and heads to Ward 9 next week, with additional work planned in southside wards.
Street funding sources review
The materials review how street work gets paid for — St. Louis Works, ward capital, parking revenue, gas tax, and the rideshare tax — and note some changes would require action in Jefferson City.
SLDC Annual Compliance Report
The St. Louis Development Corporation's Annual Compliance Report was set for discussion, covering how the agency is meeting its obligations on housing and development programs. It matters because SLDC administers programs that shape neighborhood investment citywide.
Civil service reform package
Six new bills — including a charter amendment that would go to voters — would overhaul the city's civil service and HR system, creating a new Classified Service chapter, grievance process, and political activity rules.
Office of Sustainability codified
The city's sustainability office is now written into law inside the Planning and Urban Design Agency, with a Sustainability Director authorized. Climate and energy work gets a permanent home.
Baden Market Centre SBD appointments
Five mayoral appointees to the Baden Market Centre Special Business District were confirmed after a failed 5-8 attempt to send them back to committee — a rare public split over a north-side business district board.
Permanent closure of 2800 block of Oregon Avenue
A new bill would permanently close and barricade the 2800 block of Oregon Avenue at Pestalozzi Street. It got its first reading and went to the Public Infrastructure and Utilities Committee.
Regulation of smoke shops under the zoning code
New zoning rules now define and regulate smoke shops citywide, passed with an emergency clause so they take effect right away. Expect licensing and location limits for these businesses.
St. Louis Works Street Improvement Fund Rules (B.B. #78)
Devoti's bill setting rules for spending the St. Louis Works street fund hit the brakes — the Board sent it back to committee unanimously.
Conditions at Homer G. Phillips Senior Apartments
A consent to the senior apartments' lease assignment was debated and held on the Informal Calendar rather than perfected — watch this one, it affects a landmark senior housing property at 2601 Whittier.
Nuisance Property Review Board appointments
A new seven-member board would let residents petition (with signatures within 350 feet) to trigger a public hearing on problem properties. Backers call it transparency; Alderwoman Tyus argued north side enforcement failures lie with City Hall, not the lack of a board.
South Kingshighway/Oakland/Chouteau redevelopment area
Board Bill 70 would approve a Chapter 99 plan for a redevelopment area on South Kingshighway, Oakland and Chouteau, with up to 10-year, 90% tax abatement for market-rate projects and 15 years for LIHTC projects. Eminent domain is not allowed in this area.
Lambert Airport revenue bond issuance and indenture modernization
A bill authorizing airport revenue bonds was held back at this meeting because the Comptroller's office wants amendments; the chair plans another meeting before summer recess.
Speed humps for West Pine, Dryden, 5th and 6th Wards
New bills would add speed humps on West Pine Boulevard (Ward 9), various sixth ward blocks, and Dryden Avenue (Ward 11), plus a Ward 5 bill already advanced from committee.
Citywide Traffic Calming Program (B.B. #75AAOF)
A bill establishing a formal process for residents to request and get traffic calming installed citywide cleared committee with a do-pass recommendation.
Office of Sustainability Codification (B.B. #76)
Research presented shows data centers raise temperatures about four degrees within 10 kilometers — well beyond the bill's setbacks. Heat is the deadliest weather event nationally, and St. Louis has seen 100-degree days double in 30 years.
$500 Million Airport Revenue Bonds
The Board perfected a bill authorizing up to $500 million in airport revenue bonds to refund airport debt — paid from airport revenues, not the city's general fund.
Train Horns in Quiet Zones
Since September 10, trains have been sounding horns at all 187 city crossings because the FRA suspended every quiet zone — safety upgrades were never made and compliance paperwork went unfiled for 18 years. The fix (paint, signs, paperwork) costs about $105,000 and should be physically done within weeks, with quiet zones returning corridor by corridor. The bigger issue: how did this fall through the cracks across four administrations, and could other hidden failures still be lurking?
Censure resolution over 12th Ward alderwoman's remarks
The Board formally condemned violent rhetoric one member directed at another and voted to send the matter to committee for possible censure. It passed 8-3, showing the chamber is split on how far discipline should go.
Gardenside Subdivision Special Business District 2027 budget
The Board approved the small business district's 2027 budget, funded by assessments within the district.
Rewriting ward capital improvements sales tax allocations
A new bill would change how the half-cent capital improvements sales tax is split among the city's wards, using median income, vacant parcels, street miles and acreage to determine each ward's need — and move money from wards with more than $800,000 sitting idle.
Neighborhood Speed Hump Program
Three speed hump bills advanced: the 4300 block of West Pine Boulevard was perfected on consent, and bills covering various sixth ward blocks and the 5000-5200 blocks of Ridge Avenue got do-pass recommendations.