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Politics & Government

Chesterfield To Give Away 44 Acres to Town and Country, Creve Coeur

Chesterfield will lose land, but all of the new section of Hwy 141 will be in Chesterfield.

Along Highway 141, the Chesterfield city limits stop at Conway Road where it meets Town and Country city limits. Much of the new section of Highway 141 from Ladue Road north for three-quarters of mile is in Town and Country.

That means half of the ramps to get on and off Highway 141 would be in Chesterfield and the other half in Town and Country.

So Chesterfield wants to change that and swap property with cities, and lose 44 acres in the process. City officials said the idea has been floated for some 20 years, and was contingent on building the new Highway 141.

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On Highway 141, if the city limits were left alone as you drove north, you would enter Chesterfield, then re-enter Town and Country and then re-enter Chesterfield. Further north, on the shoulder of the highway you would be in Creve Coeur.

Changing the boundaries between the cities would mean that once you enter Chesterfield driving north on Highway 141, you would remain in Chesterfield until crossing Olive Street Road. This would be helpful to motorists calling for help, and to police and fire dispatchers in trying to determine which department should respond to an incident.

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In the same way, if you drive along I-170 in North County, you cross city limits for a number of towns, including Overland, Charlack, St. John, Sycamore Hills, Vinta Park, Bel Ridge and Berkley. You are never quite sure where you are in the event you need help. You are also prey to Charlack cops issuing speeding tickets on a stretch of road that is measured not in miles but in feet.

In the proposed boundary changes here, Chesterfield would lose 44 acres, while Town and Country would gain 19 acres and Creve Coeur would gain 25 acres.

During this recession, Chesterfield has eliminated seven police officer positions and Town and Country laid off two. If things don't change, Town and Country police would have to work more accidents and calls on the new sections of Highway 141. 

But if new city limits are approved and Chesterfield gives up 44 acres but takes over the new Highway 141 configuration, Chesterfield officers would be responding to those crashes and calls. That means more costs for Chesterfield.

For you and me as drivers, the city boundary changes would mean it is easier for emergency responders to find us.

However, it also could reduce revenue generated by Town and Country traffic tickets on that stretch of road, and hand it over to Chesterfield.

Some $1.3 million in potential traffic court fines in Town and Country for 2012, represents 35 percent of the police budget and nearly 10 percent of the city’s general fund budget.

It is not yet clear what the potential loss of fines would mean for Town and Country in dollar amounts.

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