Information (A to Z)
SEE PARKVIEW’S HANDBOOK FOR RESIDENTS
agents
Parkview is governed by a Board of Agents that consists of 12 volunteer members who are elected by the lot owners. This election is held on the third Monday of May at the Annual Parkview Meeting. By staggering the terms, only four new agents are elected each year for a term of three years. No person shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. Agents must be lot owners, currently reside in Parkview, and have paid all levied assessments. Agent names, duties and contact info can be found in the RESIDENT LOGIN area. See Parkview’s Handbook for Residents
Alleys
Alley maintenance is the responsibility of homeowners. Each homeowner (on Parkview’s interior streets) owns their alley to the midpoint. Please keep your alley clean, free of leaves, dirt, weeds and debris at all times. Note that our alleys are paved with the original hydraulic pressed bricks, keeping them weed-free will reduce maintenance costs. Replacing them with concrete or asphalt is unacceptable. From time to time lot owners may vote to undertake a repair to their alley; if the majority agree, all lot owners backing up to that alley will be assessed for the repairs.
Bulky trash items (furniture, construction debris) should never be left in the U City alleys; and only placed in the StL City section of alleys on the Sunday prior to a monthly pickup.
Pools should not be drained into our Alleys.
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of Parkview lot owners is usually held on the third Monday of May at 7 pm in the meeting hall of Grace Methodist Church (Skinker & Waterman). All are urged to attend.
assessmENTS
Annual Assessments are mailed by January 1 for the coming calendar year and are considered late if not received by January 31. This assessment is used to pay for important neighborhood services like street paving and maintenance, park upkeep, tree trimming, street lighting, security, etc.
The annual assessment may be changed, or a special assessment levied, by the affirmative vote or other agreement of the owners of a major part of the lots in Parkview. Late Payments: Delinquent assessments are subject to interest and/or late charges of 9% per annum. Past due accounts exceeding $1,500 are subject to a lien, and will be charged a lien release fee (currently $350).
BUILDING PERMITS & agent approval
As a historic neighborhood, Parkview has certain restrictions on new construction relating to setback, materials, etc. Parkview is also governed by historic district ordinances of both St. Louis City and University City. In general any fence, pool or construction project that will be visible from the street or will be situated within 10 feet of a property line will require Agents’ approval (2 signatures on plans showing property lines and easements) and must meet historic district guidelines. University City will not issue a building permit unless submission drawings have been approved by the Agents.
Communications
Residents may access Newsletters, Phone Lists, our Calendar of Events, etc. in the Resident Login area. If you are new to the neighborhood you should receive this and other valuable information in your welcome email. Also, please email Agents@ParkviewNeighborhood.org with your name, address and phone number to be added to the neighborhood blast emails, which notify residents of events, leaf pick-ups, security issues, etc.
Also, Parkview is now using Nextdoor, the social media network for neighborhoods and we have a Parkview Neighborhood facebook group.
Events
Parkview hosts several neighborhood events throughout the year. These events are designed to bring our community together. Each year we have Concerts, Spring Egg hunt, Summer BBQ, Outdoor Movie Night, Chili Cook-Off & Hayrides, and Holiday Social & Carriage Rides.
Fences
Front. No fence, wall, or hedge may be erected in front of the building line. Earth-retaining walls located in front of building lines shall be faced in brick or stone and must not exceed two (2) feet high.
Side. No side fences or walls may be erected in front of the rear edge of the house (Side fences are not permitted between houses) . When prominently visible from the street, fences should be of wood, stone, brick, brick faced concrete, ornamental iron, or dark painted chain link. Side fences shall be limited to six (6) feet high.
Location. Use your lot survey to ensure any new fence is located on your property and does not extend onto an Alley or Walkway delineated on the Parkview Plat. Our Indentures consider these “forever easements” for use by all Parkview residents.
Permits Required.
For all fences, two Parkview Agents must sign off before a permit can be issued. Please include a copy of your lot survey with proposed fence location, and allow at least a week for approval.
St. Louis City: Property located within a City Historic District does not require a permit for basic maintenance, but owners should check guidelines for all street-facing repair materials (e.g. windows, doors, etc.). All major rennovations and fences require a permit, and rennovations involving the front of a home must have approval of the Cultural Resources Office.
University City requires a building permit for the erection of a new fence, a replacement fence or replacement of a section of a fence that is greater than ten feet in length.
Gates, Codes and Clickers
To help with security, illegal parking and reduce traffic, Westgate and Limits Street gates street are semi-permanently locked; pedestrian gates at Westgate and Limits require a code for access to the Loop (see Residents' Login page for codes).
Center Gate is mechanized and Parkview Residents may purchase remote openers (clickers) for $60 each (non-refundable). Also, periodically, Agents and the gate company will hold on-site events to program cars with built-in openers (also $60 per vehicle). ** Please do not attempt to exit the gate when it is closing. Several residents have sustained severe damage to their vehicles when attempting to do so.
Indentures
Parkview is governed by our 1905 Indentures that carry restrictions for altering or using your property. Parkview's founders clearly sought to preserve the special nature of the neighborhood. Please consult the Indentures or ask an agent if you have questions. Download the Indentures:
1905 Parkview Indenture and 1966 Supplement to Indenture.
A few of the most commonly addressed issues are quoted from the Indentures (italics) below:
No house shall be used directly or indirectly for any purpose other than that of an exclusive private residence.
No house may be used as a flat or apartment house, or by more than one family. Note: This prohibits renting rooms in your home and/or renting-out a carriage house behind your home.
No house shall be used directly or indirectly for business (except that a physician or dentist residing therein may have his office and practice his profession in his residence). Note: Today, we include sole-practitioners who practice their profession from a home-office as part of this exception. However, using a home for short-term rentals, using a residence as an investment rental property, or running a business with employees would be interpreted as using the home as a business and violate this clause of the indentures.
Parking and Illegally Parked Cars
No public parking is permitted in Parkview. To ensure that all cars parked on our streets belong to Parkview residents, stickers are provided. These should be placed in the lower right corner of your windshield. Please email the Agents@ParkviewNeighborhood.org if you are in need of a sticker. Click for a printable Notice for Illegally Parked Cars, you can place on the windshield of an illegally parked car. If a car appears abandoned, report to the appropriate police: Saint Louis City Police at 314-231-1212 or University City Police at 314-725-2211. Parkview Agents may have non-resident cars towed. Note, it’s a time-honored Parkview courtesy to only park in front of your own home.
Porch Lights: on from Dusk to Dawn
In Parkview, we have a decades-old tradition of keeping our front porch lights on all night for neighborhood safety. Please do your part in lighting up Parkview. Many of us just leave our front lights on 24/7 to ensure adequate light in the neighborhood at night. Also, if you plan to be away, purchase timers and have your lights turn on and off in various parts of your home.
Renovation Guidelines and Required Approvals
Both University City and the City of St. Louis have guidelines for the renovation of historic property (See Historic Preservation Building Codes). We urge you to check their websites to better understand those requirements. Renovation etiquette means that you are considerate of your neighbors, talk to them before renovation starts to address their concerns, ensure your contractors park only in front of your house, that they properly dispose of trash, etc. As a short summary, the following guidelines may be of some help:
The front face of the house may not be changed without the approval of Parkview Agents and the appropriate city historic review. This includes front porches and windows.
All exterior permits first require the signature of two Parkview Agents. Contact agents on the Building Committee for review.
Unpainted masonry may not be painted. Painted masonry may be repainted using historically appropriate colors (Questions? Be safe, as the Agents.)
Fences usually require a permit, whether it’s a new fence or a replacement. Fences cannot be built in front of the building line (normally the rear wall of the house). Submit your plan with your lot survey to the Parkview Agents for prior approval.
No satellite dishes, solar panels or antennae may be mounted on the front face of the house or roof. Solar panels should not be visible from the street.
Dumpsters should be removed at the earliest possible opportunity during construction. University City maintains a 60-day policy.
If portable bathrooms are provided during construction, they must be placed in the backyard of the property.
There is a two-week limit for PODS and other storage containers that sit in front of a house.
Security
See our Security Pages.
Selling your home
We'll miss you, but if you must leave Parkview please note that your Title Company will require a letter from the Agents (Treasurer@ParkviewNeighborhood.org) attesting to assessment payment. Any past due amounts must be paid before title can pass to new owners. Also, please leave new owners with your clicker for the gates, inform your realtor that open-house signs may be placed only at Parkview entrances, and urge them to publish the link to ParkviewNeighborhood.org/new-residents page (with its summary and link to the Indentures) in the listing.
Skinker DeBaliviere Neighborhood
Parkview is a member of the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council, which was established in 1966 when several area churches came together with Washington University, Rosedale Neighbors and Washington Heights in order to improve the neighborhood. The Council is dedicated to the ongoing improvement of the neighborhood, and works with City of St. Louis, neighbors and the Alderman to identify, assess, and resolve immediate concerns. Parkview has two representatives on the Council. Its board meets the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the council office located at 6008 Kingsbury. All Council meetings are open to the public, and all residents are welcome to attend. Visit their website for more information.
SNOW REMOVAL
As a private subdivision, Parkview is not plowed by University City or St. Louis City. Parkview pays a private contractor to plow our streets (not the alleys) when the snow exceeds 6-8 inches, and we try to avoid salt/chemicals. Generally, we only plow once, after the snowfall has stopped. Residents are responsible for shoveling the sidewalks in front of their homes, and the areas around their cars. So enjoy the beauty of Parkview in the snow. We're also a great place to cross-country ski.
Streets, Sidewalks and Special Closings
As a private subdivision, Parkview maintains its own streets, sidewalks and gates. At least once each year all streets are chained for a 24-hour period. This is to maintain the status of a private street. The schedule for these closings is published in the newsletter and a reminder is sent via email.
Streetlights
The Streetlights in Parkview are owned by the neighborhood and maintained with annual assessments.
Swimming Pools
Please do not drain pools into the alley. This causes problems for your neighbors down-alley and adds strain to the storm drain systems. Please try and use the storm drains on your property.
Surveys
Original 1905 Parkview Survey
2003 Survey of Parkview Western Edge Boundaries
2003 Survey of Parkview Southern Edge Boundary
Trees and Parks
See Trees and Parks pages.
Trash Recycling, Yard Waste Collection
City of St. Louis residents have separate dumpsters for trash, recycling and yard waste (S. Pershing residents have roll-out carts). The city also schedules bulky-item pick-ups. At least once per year, the Agents will arrange leaf pick-up for city residents; watch for emails from Agents@parkviewneighborhood.org.
University City provides a calendar to residents that includes info on trash and dumpsters, bulky-item pick-up, recycling, yard debris and scheduled leaf pick-ups. See their website: www.UCityMo.org,
Please observe rules posted on dumpsters, and observe dumpster etiquette -- do not overfill or dump hazardous materials. If dumpster is full, do NOT place refuse adjacent to dumpster. Also note that it is a violation of both U City and St. Louis City ordinances for contractors to use alley dumpsters. Homeowners having work done can rent a dumpster from their city or from a local hauling firm.
University City Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
The HPC is an advisory body, providing recommendations on historic preservation issues to the Department of Community Development whose staff is responsible for enforcing the ordinances relating to historic landmarks and districts. Parkview is one of several Historic Districts. The Commission consists of nine members, appointed by the University City Council. It usually meets on the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm in City Hall. More information about the commission’s activities and responsibilities can be found at UCityMo.org/197/Historic-Preservation.