The regulations and conditions contained in this Appendix A shall be known, referred to and cited hereinafter as the "Zoning Code of the City of St. Clair, Missouri," the "Zoning Code," or as this "appendix."

The zoning regulations set forth herein are enacted to implement the land use portion of the comprehensive plan for the City of St. Clair and to promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the citizens of the city. These regulations are intended to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, panic, and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; and to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, parks and other public requirements. For purposes of RSMo. 89.010, this Code shall be deemed to enact "transect-based zoning," including a zoning classification system that prescriptively arranges uses, elements, and environments according to a geographic cross-section that ranges across a continuum from rural to urban, with the range of environments providing the basis for organizing the components of the constructed world, including buildings, lots, land use, streets, and all other physical elements of the human habitat, with the objective of creating sustainable communities and emphasizing bicycle lanes, street connectivity, and sidewalks, and permitting high-density and mixed use development in urban areas. In the event that any city, town, or village adopts a zoning or subdivision ordinance based on transect-based zoning, regardless of how nominated or described, and such transect-based zoning provisions conflict with the zoning provisions adopted by code or ordinance of another political subdivision with jurisdiction in such city, town, or village, the transect-based zoning provisions governing street configuration requirements, including number and locations of parking spaces, street, drive lane, and cul-de-sac lengths and widths, turning radii, and improvements within the right-of-way, shall prevail over any other conflicting or more restrictive zoning provisions adopted by code or ordinance of the other political subdivision.

The provisions set forth in these regulations have been adopted in accordance with the authority granted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri consistent with RSMo ch. 89. and such other authority and police powers as may be provided by law. The members of the planning and zoning commission, which shall also serve as the zoning commission, shall be appointed and empowered as provide by RSMo ch. 89. The board of aldermen may remove any citizen member for cause stated in writing and after public hearing as provided in RSMo. 89.320, which shall include but not be limited to any commission member being absent for more than three meetings in a calendar year.

The jurisdiction of these regulations shall include and apply to all land and all areas within the corporate limits as may exist now or hereinafter. Annexed property shall retain any existing zoning classification until affirmatively rezoned to a new zoning classification on or after the date of annexation but shall be subject to the police powers and other requirements of this Code prior to such rezoning to the full extent permitted by law. Except as may be required by law, these regulations shall not apply to uses or operations of the City of St. Clair to the extent preempted by applicable law.