Get Involved
Upcoming Events
Executive Committee Meetings: October 2026
The Executive Committee will have review and work sessions to integrate what we heard during Public Meeting #2 and the direction of the final draft plan.
Steering Committee Meeting 3: October 1, 2026
The Steering Committee will review what we heard during Public Meeting #2 and the direction of the final draft plan.
Public Meeting 3: Thursday, October 8, 2026
During this final public meeting for this study, Spanish Lake residents and leaders can review and provide comments the final draft plan.
Public Hearing: November 14, 2026
This formal public hearing provides a last opportunity for community members to comment on the Study before it is adopted by the St. Louis County Council.
Make Your Voice Heard
You can take part in several ways:
Attend the upcoming Open Houses to provide your input on the Study’s direction, participate in interactive activities, and tell us your thoughts.
Share your ideas about your community and the Study (see below!).
Stay informed with updates by checking this website.
Tell Us What You Think
This plan will shape the future of Spanish Lake, and community input is essential every step of the way.
Provide your comment below and sign up to receive email updates.
Past Engagement
Focus Groups
In February 2026, the project team convened 8 focus groups of Spanish Lake youth, adults, community leaders, and business owners to hear their experiences living and working in the community. The purpose of the focus groups was to hear from residents their goals, priorities, and hopes for the future of their community, to help to create the Study’s goals, community vision, and scenarios that can guide future development.
Public Meeting 1
In May 2026, an Open House was held at the Celebrity Banquet Center in Belle Parke Plaza. Spanish Lake residents and stakeholders. The purpose of this Open House was to provide feedback on the community vision and goals. 106 people attended this open house.
Community Surveys
Spanish Lake residents took part in two surveys about their experiences in Spanish Lake. The first survey, the Spanish Lake Small Area Study survey, built on the data collected during the focus groups and asked residents about their experiences living, working, and traveling in Spanish Lake, as well as their priorities for the future of the community. To see a summary of the themes from this survey, click the button below.
The second survey, distributed by East-West Gateway Council of Governments, asked Riverview Drive residents and other users of the road about their experiences living and traveling on it. For more information about that engagement and project, click here.
The results from both surveys will shape the scenarios for improving the community.
Executive Committee Meetings
This Study’s Executive Committee, composed of St. Louis County and Spanish Lake leadership, provides input on the data collected and shapes the direction of the Study. This Committee meets four times throughout this process.
Meeting 1: March 25, 2026
Meeting topics included a project overview and schedule, a review of the community outreach plan and focus group results, and consensus issues and opportunities for the future of Spanish Lake. The Committee discussed Spanish Lake’s major strengths and challenges, priorities for addressing challenges, and key issues like limited funding, need for actionable steps, and enhancing the quality of life for legacy and new residents.
Meeting 2: May 13, 2026
During this meeting, Committee members reviewed the condensed issues and opportunities identified by the project team and workshopped the Community Vision and Goals. Members also prioritized the Study’s goals, compared their priorities to those of the Steering Committee, and discussed the similarities and differences of their priorities.
Meeting 3: June 11, 2026
The focus of this meeting was three scenarios developed by the project team to guide actionable, implementable steps to enhance Spanish Lake and build its resiliency in the future. The Committee members discussed the different resources required to implement each scenario.
Steering Committee Meetings
This Study’s Steering Committee, composed of leaders and involved community members from Spanish Lake and the region, provides input on the Study’s direction and feedback on the data collected. This Committee will meet three times throughout this process.
Meeting 1: May 6, 2026
The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held from 5-7 p.m. at Twillman House with 28 members in attendance. The meeting opened with a presentation about the Study and what the team has learned about Spanish Lake’s history, ecology, and current conditions. Then, members broke into small groups, reviewed the Study’s vision and goals with a facilitator, and provided their feedback. Before concluding, members did a prioritization exercise to sort the proposed goals by importance.
The most important priorities included infrastructure improvements, especially regarding streets and sidewalks, and housing stabilization and neighborhood investment. Public safety was also discussed as a foundational issue that, if addressed, will likely support the attainment of the other important goals. Members discussed the need for partnerships and institutional support to reach the goals, and community buy-in and leadership to co-create their desired future for Spanish Lake.
Meeting 2: August 19, 2026
The second meeting of the Steering Committee was held from 5–7 p.m. at Twillman House with 17 members in attendance. The meeting included an update on community engagement and the Study’s progress, followed by presentations on the Riverview Drive/Columbia Bottom Great Streets project, economic development opportunities and challenges, and the draft plan recommendations and strategies. Throughout the meeting, members asked questions and shared feedback on the proposed ideas and how they could be implemented.
Members responded positively to the draft concepts while recognizing that the plan looks several years into the future. Much of the discussion focused on how improvements could be funded and phased, including identifying near-term opportunities that could begin building momentum. Members also discussed how Spanish Lake can build on increased visitors and investment associated with the WildCare Park while preparing for impacts on traffic and infrastructure. They emphasized the importance of ensuring tourism brings economic benefits to the community, supporting local businesses, and building partnerships with organizations such as the Zoo, universities, businesses, developers and other institutions to help move the plan forward.