De Soto Approves Street Closure for Madd Heifer’s End of Summer Celebration

DE SOTO, Missouri. The De Soto City Council approved a special event street closure during its July 20 meeting for the Madd Heifer’s upcoming End of Summer Celebration in downtown De Soto.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 205 E. Main Street, #B. Organizers plan to bring together craft vendors, food vendors, live music, a small petting zoo, and food trucks for a family friendly celebration before students return to school.

End of Summer Celebration

Studio 13 and MAM & Co. will also help host the event.

Before approving the request, city officials and the event organizer discussed how to provide enough space for the celebration without blocking Commercial Crossing. The final plan calls for the closure to extend from the stop sign near Commercial Crossing to Rankin Street.

Officials said the narrower closure would also preserve access near the Arlington, which is expected to hold an event inside and use its side parking area.

The city will coordinate with the organizer before Aug. 8 and provide barricades either the afternoon before the celebration or the morning of the event. Council members approved the closure without opposition.

The organizer indicated that the End of Summer Celebration will likely not be the business’s final downtown event. City officials encouraged continued coordination with neighboring businesses when future street closures are requested.

Property Donation and Proposed Subdivision

In other business, the council accepted the donation of property at 421 Eno Street from Chris and Katherine Meyer. City officials said the structure is beyond repair and would require a complete renovation, including compliance with current floodplain elevation requirements, to pass an occupancy inspection.

Because those improvements were not considered financially practical, the family offered the property to the city. The city plans to file the quitclaim deed and demolish the structure at a later date, preventing another structure from being built on the property.

The council also approved the initial phase of a proposed major subdivision at 801 Vineland School Road. The development could eventually include approximately 90 homes across three phases, with the first phase expected to contain about 28 lots.

Nearby property owners raised concerns about protecting the agricultural land south of the development. Requests included a 30-foot buffer and a privacy fence. City officials said those concerns would likely be addressed when later phases return for consideration.

Board Appointment and Fire Truck Reception

Dominic Lawson was unanimously appointed to the Board of Adjustment. Officials noted Lawson’s experience in the construction industry and his interest in serving the city.

Council members also discussed the positive reception received by a fire department truck recently brought out for public display. Officials said residents and city staff were pleased to see it, noting that it had not appeared in a parade for several years. City leaders expressed interest in displaying it more regularly.