City to Resident: You Can Tear Your House Down But You Can't Build a New One

The curious case of Cynthia Dunne in Ladue, Missouri, who was permitted by the city to tear down her house, and then subsequently informed that a lack of water pressure prohibited building a new one.

1 minute read

October 28, 2019, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Missori

sevenMaps7 / Shutterstock

Robert Patrick reports from Ladue, Missouri: "Officials here allowed Cynthia Dunne to buy a 4,400-square-foot home for $1 million and knock it down, but they won’t allow her to replace it because of an aging water line that feeds her community, a federal lawsuit filed this month says."

Dunne's plans for a new, 7,700-square-foot home that would accommodate her physical disabilities "were approved by Ladue’s architectural review board before she applied for and received a permit to demolish the old house in 2018," according to Patrick. Dunne’s building permit was blocked after she demolished the old house, and after Ladue officials said that fire hydrant water pressure was insufficient for any structure, the suit says.

According to a spokesperson for Missouri American Water, the cost of addressing inadequate water lines usually falls to developers. In this case, either the neighborhood would have to chip in to help pay for a new water line, or Dunne will have to pay the cost entirely on her own.

Dunne filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the city of Ladue and Building Commissioner Roger Stewart, seeking unspecified damages.

Thursday, October 24, 2019 in St. Louis Post-Dispatch

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square