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ST. LOUIS — A new district meant to add national security restrictions around the under-construction western headquarters of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency finally advanced last week with an endorsement from an aldermanic committee.

The bill creating a 958-acre “special use district� around the NGA campus would subject development proposals to review from NGA security officials and restrict some uses such as gas stations and manufacturers using certain processes and chemicals deemed potential threats to the NGA’s operation.

“Those uses are based on what would pose a risk to us maintaining our 24/7 operations as a national security agency for this nation,â€� Sue Pollmann, the NGA official leading planning and construction for the new facility, said during a Thursday hearing at the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Board of Alderman’s Housing, Urban Development and Zoning committee.

The restrictive district has been under consideration since 2018 and was contemplated as part of NGA’s agreement with the city when it agreed to build in north ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½. It would extend 2,500 feet from the property’s perimeter, covering portions of neighborhoods such as Jeff-Vander-Lou, Carr Square, Old North ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½, Downtown West and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Place.

But representatives from NorthSide Regeneration, the Paul McKee-led development entity that over a decade ago bought up hundreds of acres of north ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ and helped lure NGA to the area, warned the proposed rules could stifle development and hand over too much control to unaccountable federal officials.

“There are a lot of challenges to development in north ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ already,â€� said Darryl Piggee, an attorney with Stone Leyton and Gershman who represents NorthSide. “And how smart is it to add another layer of expense to part of town that quite frankly developers aren’t really looking to come to?â€�

Alderman Brandon Bosley, who represents the area and has worked to broker a compromise between the parties, said he has no ill will toward NorthSide, which has drawn opposition from some city officials who canceled a development agreement with the company in 2018.

“We’re definitely not trying to stop anyone from developing,� Bosley said. “We need the development.�

When initially proposed in 2018, the district also would have required extra approvals for uses such as liquor stores, bars and blood-donation facilities, something city officials said would help guide redevelopment in the area. Those restrictions have since been dropped so the district only restricts uses the NGA says pose security risks.

Among other things, it would restrict development by entities owned “by foreign governments which pose a threat to national security.â€� Alderman Jack Coatar asked how city officials would ever be able ascertain the ownership of a limited liability company, for example, applying for building permits. ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Planning Director Don Roe suggested that other people — ostensibly federal officials — could investigate ownership structures of development applicants and advise city zoning officials reviewing the application.

The district would also limit building heights to limit the line of sight into the NGA campus. In one change to the bill’s wording, an 85-foot height restriction was changed to 600 feet above sea level, which city development officials said was an effort to be more accommodating to development on land with shifting topography, such as the Pruitt-Igoe site across Cass Avenue from the NGA.

But Bill Laskowsky, chief development officer with McKee’s M Property Services, called the bill “stifling� and said very few of the changes his team had proposed were incorporated into the bill. He said it is stalling recent plans to build a hotel, office buildings and a commercial structure on the Pruitt-Igoe site, owned by a NorthSide affiliate.

“Instead of encouraging development here, these projects sit unheard for many months,� Laskowsky said. “They’re awaiting workable revisions that really never came. Instead, the same bill that doesn’t work is in front of you today.�

Roe, the planning official, said that the Pruitt-Igoe site’s zoning actually contains an even lower height restriction than the NGA district is proposing. And the NorthSide team is seeking a variance to that height restriction.

Pollmann, the NGA official, pointed out that the district will include a process to request a variance to its restrictions. It would just give NGA officials a chance to review the plans.

“Any of these types of variances that are being brought up, we would bring our security team in to take a look,� she said.

Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, a supporter of NorthSide, said the city has an obligation to establish the district as part of its promises to the agency. A U.S. Army veteran, Boyd said the national security requirements make sense to him, and the extra restrictions are similar to other areas in the city that have their own special use districts.

“I’m going to push back a little bit on the fact that we’re creating extra layers,� Boyd said. “There are (special use districts) around the city. This ain’t the first time the city has used an SUD.�

The committee voted unanimously to send the measure to the full board.