October 1, 2019
St. Charles County, Missouri — St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann has announced that the County received notice of a final award from the University of Missouri System to purchase 286 acres of Missouri Bluffs property. The property includes 86 acres to be developed for County park purposes, as well as 200 acres that the County will continue to lease to the Missouri Bluffs Golf Course.
“We are pleased that the University has accepted our proposal,” says County Executive Ehlmann. “This provides us with a unique opportunity to ensure the preservation and conservation of this area for generations to come.”
Ehlmann says the purchase price for the property, located adjacent to Missouri Research Park in Weldon Spring, is $2 million. As part of the agreement, the County Parks Department will receive $100,000 annually for the 73 years remaining under the terms of the current lease of the Missouri Bluffs Golf Course, which is open to the public. Should the golf course relinquish its lease, the County would determine the best use of the property for park purposes. The 86 acres of parkland will be managed and maintained by the St. Charles County Parks & Recreation Department.
The County currently operates 3,343 acres of parkland with an additional 300 acres set aside for future development. All acquisitions, development and operations of County parks are funded from a local use tax on out-of-state purchases which was approved by voters in 1997 for the exclusive use of parks and generates approximately $9.5 million annually.