For years, residents of a Chesterfield subdivision have coexisted unhappily with a historic farmhouse functioning as a restaurant. The Old House in Hog Hollow operates out of a building dating to 1859, but now sits on Olive Boulevard and its five lanes of suburban traffic.
But the farmhouse isn’t what makes the situation messy. It’s what surrounds it: The Mansions at Spyglass Summit, an enclave of homes built in the late 1980s.
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Owners Scott and Shelley Ririe are seeking permission to extend restaurant hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and allow outdoor dining, expanding on the current offerings of light bites, wine, and small private events. But what might seem on the surface like a modest change has reignited frustrations among nearby homeowners about the way the landmark property should operate.
Spyglass residents argue that the Old House’s long-standing restrictions were part of the understanding that allowed a commercial use to coexist with a residential neighborhood. In letters to city officials, several residents raised concerns about noise, safety, and even light pollution from the headlights of cars visiting the property.
“We feel strongly that these major easing of restrictions to hours and outdoor food and drink service and live entertainment would be very detrimental,” resident Sue Hempstead wrote to the city. “It may make them more money, but would severely hurt our property values.”
But the Riries argue that the current operating hours—which force them to miss out on dinner service—are not financially sustainable. The dispute now appears headed back to the Chesterfield City Council after a proposed compromise on hours of operation failed during last week’s Planning and Public Works Committee meeting.
Newly elected City Councilmember A.J. Moll says the issue of the Old House is one of three things that inspired his run for council. His proposed compromise would have allowed indoor restaurant service until 7 p.m., while prohibiting outdoor dining. It failed in the Planning and Public Works Committee.
“Chesterfield can support both quality of life for nearby residents and the success of local small businesses,” Moll says. “I remain committed to finding practical solutions that bring people together rather than forcing an all-or-nothing outcome.”
Councilmember Lane Koch, who supported keeping the current restrictions, tells SLM that she believes homeowners in Spyglass Summit purchased their properties with the expectation that the long-standing restrictions at Old House would remain in place.
“This decision isn’t about whether the business is good or bad for the community,” Koch says. “That is beyond the scope of this decision. It’s about honoring the rules that were in place when both homeowners and the business owner made their purchases. The owners have every right to want to change their model, but we have an obligation to protect what residents expected when they bought their homes.”
The issue could come before the full Chesterfield City Council as soon as next Monday.
