Springfield City Council last night considered a rezoning bill to usher in expansion plans for O'Reilly Automotive Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ORLY) corporate headquarters.
The Springfield-based national auto parts retailer requested council shift the heavy manufacturing zoning on 2.6 acres in the 500 block of South Barnes Avenue to allow for general offices. Existing zoning only allows for commercial parking on the property. The zoning request was submitted by O’Reilly Automotive Stores Inc.
“This is so O’Reilly can expand their existing office building,” Springfield Planning and Development Director Mary Lilly Smith told council members during the public hearing. “They’re still going to be primarily oriented toward Patterson, but it’s going to come over onto this lot a little bit. They need this rezoning to permit expansion of the corporate offices, which is a great thing from an economic development perspective.”
O’Reilly officials did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
Springfield’s Planning and Zoning Commission on April 14 unanimously recommended approval of O’Reilly’s rezoning request.
The land is part of some 45 adjacent acres O’Reilly owns for offices and warehouses. The total taxable appraised value of company-owned property in the area is $20.65 million, according to Greene County assessor records.
O’Reilly built its 117,000-square-foot headquarters in 2010, designed to consolidate 600 employees scattered throughout several Springfield office buildings, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.
Councilman Craig Fishel noted previous flooding issues on the corner of Barnes and Cherry.
An
attachment in the bill addresses stormwater issues, saying the property is located in the Jordan Creek South Branch drainage basin. City staff is aware of flooding problems, and water detention would be required if the land is developed, the bill said.
There were no other speakers during the public hearing.
O’Reilly officials held a neighborhood meeting March 7, during which they agreed to limit the land use to general offices.
The current traffic volume on Barnes Avenue is 4,900 vehicles per day and Cherry Street is 8,200 vehicles per day, according to Public Works’ Traffic Division.
A second reading and vote is expected at the May 16 council meeting.
