Clayton Plan Commission — January 20: A Missouri Athletic Club private club at 7701 Forsyth clears its first vote

What happened

Clayton's Plan Commission met on Tuesday, January 20 and voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council grant a conditional use permit for a private club at 7701 Forsyth Boulevard. The applicant brought the request on behalf of the Missouri Athletic Club, which would operate a private club with dining space, a lounge, a bar, meeting rooms, and a cigar lounge. City staff recommended approval, and the commission agreed; because a conditional use permit is the City Council's to grant, the commission's vote is a recommendation that now goes to the council.

What the commission decided

• On the meeting's main item, the Plan Commission took up the applicant's request, on behalf of tenant the Missouri Athletic Club, for a conditional use permit at 7701 Forsyth Boulevard. Ryan Helle presented the staff report recommending the commission recommend approval to the City Council. Helen DiFate moved to recommend approval as submitted and Susan Buse seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
• Under old business, the commission also approved the site plan for a new single-family house at 8145 University Drive — a request by the applicant for owner MRM Manlin Development Group, on Ryan Helle's recommendation to approve with conditions. The conditions center on stormwater management — a geotechnical engineer's report on the proposed flo-well and sump-pump system before a building permit issues, and a recorded deed restriction covering the location and maintenance of the well systems.
• The commission opened the meeting by approving the minutes of its January 5 meeting on a motion by Helen DiFate, seconded by Susan Buse.

Who was there

Chair Steve Lichtenfeld led the meeting, with members Helen DiFate, Susan Buse — the board's Aldermanic Representative — and Jim Arsenault. Members Chris Brennan and Darren Vant 'Hof were absent. Director of Planning and Development Anna Krane and planner Ryan Helle staffed the meeting.

What they considered

The minutes record that on the Forsyth Boulevard permit the commission discussed the application with the project representatives who appeared on behalf of the Missouri Athletic Club, before voting. The minutes summarize the items rather than transcribe the exchange, and there is no posted video transcript for this meeting, so the back-and-forth is not part of the record beyond staff's recommendation to approve and the commission's unanimous agreement.

Also at the meeting

Because the Plan Commission and Architectural Review Board meet jointly, the same members also acted as the ARB on the design of the 8145 University Drive house. Sitting as the review board, they approved the design and materials for the new single-family home as submitted, again on Ryan Helle's recommendation. The members closed the evening with a discussion of the boards' annual report of the applications they reviewed in 2025.

Public comments

The minutes record that no members of the audience elected to participate in the open forum. On the agenda items themselves, the only non-staff speakers were the applicants' representatives, who answered the commission's questions before each vote.

Sources

1. January 20, 2026 — Meeting Minutes
2. January 20, 2026 — Agenda