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Meet The ZOUP Team
and Collaborators!

The ZOUP Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee was selected from a pool of applicants by a lottery process. From an initial list of over 300 applicants who live in the City of St. Louis, this group of 12 was selected to include people with different experiences with zoning, including experience interacting with the code, being part of businesses, and involvement in their neighborhood, as well as individuals who participated in the SLUP steering committee. While not designed to be 100% representative of the entire population, the lottery draw was designed to ensure this group represents diverse geographies, racial backgrounds, and time in St. Louis, as well as ensuring that there are younger people on the committee who will hopefully be here for the future of St. Louis and observe the impacts of the new Zoning Code over time.

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Twanya Banks

Penrose

Twanya Banks is a lifelong St. Louis resident, real estate investor, and fair housing advocate based in Penrose. She previously served on the SLUP Committee and now brings her commitment to equitable housing to the ZOUP Advisory Committee.

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Robert Sforza

The Hill

Robert Sforza is a lifelong St. Louisan and finance transformation consultant. A former SLUP Advisory Committee member, he is active in land-use advocacy through the Congress for New Urbanism and brings a passion for thoughtful city planning to his work.

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Tabatha Kittrell

Dutchtown

Tabatha Kittrell is a Dutchtown resident dedicated to place-based community building. She works with local organizations, providing operational leadership and capacity-building to strengthen neighborhood initiatives.

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Tylia Gayfield

Gate District

Tylia Gayfield is a technology professional with 15+ years of experience across healthcare, mobile tech, higher education, and finance. A Southside native and Gate District homeowner, she is passionate about equitable urban development and eager to learn and serve through zoning and planning efforts.

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Benjamin Anderson

Fountain Park

Benjamin Anderson is the CEO of AION Biosciences, a company focused on advancing biomedical approaches to aging. A Fountain Park resident for seven years, he has also partnered with his family on neighborhood-scale development projects.

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Ian VanDam

Benton Park West

Ian VanDam is a small business owner and founder of Field Theory and co-founder of Truly Floral Spirits and Civil Alchemy. A Benton Park West resident, he enjoys home renovation projects and organizing creative events that celebrate local culture and talent.

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Eva Marie Keys

Blumeyer

Eva Marie Keys is a dedicated community member focused on reconnecting children with nature through gardening and environmental stewardship. A lifelong supporter of the Blumeyer neighborhood—where she grew up—she is passionate about strengthening her community through education and care for the Earth.

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Valery Ulysse

Downtown

Valery Ulysse is a cybersecurity engineer and real estate investor who has called St. Louis home for the past eight years. Originally from New York City, he brings a fresh perspective to the ZOUP project.

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Tyler Ruckman

Boulevard Heights

Tyler Ruckman is an architect with nearly a decade of experience across commercial, educational, hospitality, and residential projects. A city resident for over three years, he brings professional insight into St. Louis’ zoning code and is committed to shaping a more equitable system.

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Darron M. Collins-Bey

Mark Twain

Darron Collins-Bey is a lifelong St. Louisan and the President/CEO of Ujamaa Community Development Corporation and Black Family Land Trust. With extensive leadership training, social service experience, and a deep commitment to uplifting his community, he brings decades of service and advocacy to his neighborhood and the city.

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Cornelius Payne

Dutchtown

Cornelius Payne Jr. is a growing real estate investor and youth basketball coach dedicated to community improvement through housing and mentorship. He owns Real Hustle Holdings LLC and volunteers with the St. Louis RoughRiders Basketball program.

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Laura Leister

Soulard

Laura Leister is an attorney and small business owner who has helped launch Pieces Board Game Bar & Restaurant, Protagonist Cafe, and Antagonist Cafe. With a background in municipal law and planning, she is active in multiple Soulard organizations and passionate about community-driven development.

ZOUP Working Group 

The ZOUP Users Working Group is a technical and practitioner-focused body convened to ensure that the Zoning Upgrade is clear, usable, consistent, and implementable for those who will rely on it daily. Members serve as expert reviewers, providing practical insights rooted in real-world application.

While this group will provide valuable technical expertise and input, the overall policy intent of the code will be rooted in the Strategic Land Use Plan, neighborhood planning efforts, and broad community engagement.

The Working Group will:
 

  • Review the Diagnostic to understand existing zoning challenges, barriers, and opportunities.
     

  • Provide feedback on the Conceptual Districts to assess whether the proposed districts reflect St. Louis’ desired land-use outcomes, as well as development and policy goals.
     

  • Analyze and provide feedback on the Code Modules with particular attention to clarity, consistency, usability, and implementation.
     

  • Identify conflicts, gaps, and unintended consequences within proposed updates.
     

  • Test the draft code in real-world development scenarios to evaluate functionality, workflows, and alignment with technical practice.
     

  • Assess technical implications related to land use, urban design, infrastructure, legal issues, permitting, and development feasibility.
     

  • Expand understanding and buy-in among stakeholders who will regularly use, interpret, and implement the zoning code.

ZOUP Working Group Members

  • Anna Carlsson, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

  • Brent Crittenden, Bush Construction

  • Charlie Hinderliter, St. Louis REALTORS

  • Chris Peoples, Brickline North CDC

  • Duane Thompson, HT Design

  • Gina Hillberry, AIA, Cohen Hilberry Architects, Universal Design Group

  • Grace Kyung, Missouri Foundation for Health

  • Irene Compadre, Arbolope Studio

  • Jess Henry, Rise Community Development

  • John Langa, Bi-state Development

  • Kenneth Brandl, HOK

  • Kevin Wilson, St. Louis Business Empowerment Center

  • Laura Hughes, Fluer De Lis

  • Maeve Elder, U.S. Green Building Council St. Louis Gateway Chapter

  • Mark Vogl, Great Rivers Greenway

  • Matt Naglich, STL Urbanists

  • Max Bemberg, Bemberg Architecture

  • Nate Lindsey, Dutchtown Main Streets

  • Rebecca Rook, AIA, Jacobs Architect

  • Rob Soete, Cortex

  • Sarah Arnosky, Greater St. Louis, Inc.

  • Sean Spencer, Tower Grove Community Development Corporation

  • Stephanie Herbers, St. Louis City Agency on Aging

  • Stephen Begany, U.S. Bank - Construction Risk Management & Tax Credit Finance

  • Todd Antoine, Great Rivers Greenway

City of
St. Louis Staff

Don Roe

Executive Director, Planning and Urban Design Agency

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Miriam Keller

City Planning Executive, Planning and Urban Design Agency

James Fister

Senior Planner, Planning and Urban Design Agency

Dylan Sabisch

Urban Designer, Planning and Urban Design Agency

 

Dylan Mosier

Deputy Building Commissioner, Building Division

Mary Hart Burton

Zoning Administrator, Zoning Section

Drea Gutierrez

Lead Zoning Specialist, Zoning Section

ZOUP Project Team

  • City of St. Louis, Planning & Urban Design Agency

  • City of St. Louis, Zoning Section

  • Code Studio, Project Lead

  • Key Strategic Group, Community Engagement Lead

  • Public Design Bureau, Community Engagement Support

  • Interboro Partners, Planning & Design

  • WBAE, Resiliency

  • RKG Associates, Economic

  • White & Smith, Legal

Groups we have met with so far

Throughout the ZOUP process we are engaging a broad variety of stakeholders, entities, and offices to ensure we get feedback from a variety of perspectives. If a group you are part of would like to receive a presentation about the ZOUP, please reach out to info@zoup-stl.com.

  • Affordable Housing Commission

  • American Institute of Architects – St. Louis Chapter

  • Baden & North Pointe Neighborhood Planning Business Breakfast Pop-up

  • Board of Adjustment

  • Board of Aldermen, including the Housing, Urban Development, and Zoning (HUDZ) Committee

  • Board of Public Service

  • Building Division

  • Community Builders Network

  • Community Development Administration

  • Cultural Resources Office

  • Form-Based Districts

  • Internal Cross-departmental Working Group

  • Invest STL

  • Land Reutilization Authority

  • Mayor’s Office

  • Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD)

  • Neighborhood Improvement Specialists

  • Office on the Disabled

  • Plan Area 1 Neighborhood Planning Committee

  • President of the Board of Aldermen

  • SLUP Steering Committee

  • Special Use Districts

  • St. Louis Urbanists

  • Universal Design Group

  • Universities & Anchor Institutions

  • Urban Land Institute

  • Vacancy Collaborative

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The Zoning Section + Planning & Urban Design Agency of the City of St. Louis
1520 Market Street
Suite 2000
St. Louis, MO 63103

Contact Us:
Email: info@zoup-stl.com
Phone: (314) 717-1434
Instagram: @ZOUP_stl (formerly the @SLUP_stl)

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