YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Council puts development moratorium on Rountree

Posted online
Springfield City Council last night approved a resolution to delay the acceptance and processing of applications for rezoning and lot combinations in the Rountree neighborhood for 270 days.

The nine-month development moratorium will allow city staff to gather input from Rountree residents and report to council proposed changes to the Rountree Area Neighborhood Plan and Rountree Urban Conservation District. Some residents feel developments have occurred in Rountree without respect to the aesthetics of the historic neighborhood, said Planning and Development Director Mary Lilly Smith.

Dozens of Rountree residents were present at the meeting and 13 speakers voiced their opinions, most in favor of the resolution. But Kelly Byrne, developer and co-owner of real estate company Say U Can, asked council to table the resolution instead.

“I only found out Thursday with any certainty that this was actually coming to a vote here on Monday,” Byrne said.

Say U Can is working on creating Pickwick District, a proposed mixed-use project next to the old Spanish Mission building at the intersection of Cherry Street and Pickwick Avenue.

“We have been working for six to nine months on this development,” said Byrne, who also once lived in Rountree. “We’ve had four meetings with the neighborhood’s board.”

Byrne said he and his team worked through a planned development process with the board to create a mixed-use property, which came out of conversations about developments it wants.

The project would mean rezoning the area, which is currently zoned as residential high-density. A rezoning application for the project was pending at the time of the meeting.

“Its current zoning would only allow me to do apartments, which was expressed to me that would not be wanted by the neighborhood,” Byrne added.

Addressing Byrne's concerns, Laurel Bryant, chairwoman of the Rountree Neighborhood Association board, said residents had been “exceedingly open and fair” during meetings with developers.

Mike Brothers, secretary of the board, spoke in favor of the resolution.

“This is about process and not projects,” he said.

The moratorium resolution passed 5-1, with Councilman Craig Fishel in opposition. Members Phyllis Ferguson and Jan Fisk were absent.

[[In-content Ad]]

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment
Editors' Pick
From the Ground Up: Republic Intermediate School

The Republic School District is on track to open its Intermediate School for fifth- and sixth-grade students for the 2025-26 academic year.

Most Read
Update cookies preferences