Resident Concerns Not Stopping New School From Moving Forward in Town and Country

 Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary development plan for a new  to be built at 2000 to 2016 Amonte Drive just off Mason Road. The plan will now go before the Town and Country Board of Aldermen at its next meeting on Sept. 10.

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The commission's vote came after a public hearing in July, much discussion among commissioners and public comment Wednesday where some residents living near the proposed school voiced concerns about traffic, safety and a "commercial facility" moving into the residential area community. (Check back to Town and Country - Manchester Patch next week for more details on those concerns and why most commissioners still supported the new school.)

As previously reported by Patch, the  is a private school currently located at 265 Steamboat Lane in Ballwin. However, after six years at that location, they've outgrown their current building and want to build in Town and Country.

The school's owner, Ilya Eydelman, said the new 7,310-square-foot building would be built on what is now vacant lots that were approved to be the Amonte Subdivision. The neighborhood was never built, but was to include seven residential lots.

Eydelman hopes to build a one-story building on the almost 11-acres that could accommodate up to 70 preschool and kindergarten students. He explained Wednesday that the site is ideal for his "green," nature-based school and said the school would give the more green space, plus leave 91 percent of the land undisturbed. 

He also reiterated a recent traffic study conducted by an outside firm, that showed the new school should have "little impact" on traffic in the area, which is near the intersection of Mason and Manchester roads.

Some residents along Mason Road, however, don't support the school building on the lot and believe it will create significant traffic and safety issues. Patch will have more details on this in the upcoming article next week.

Eydelman's goal is to have the new school open in Town and Country for the 2013-2014 school year.

*Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the next board of aldermen meeting as taking place Sept. 10.