Council tables south-side zoning push

Last edited 12:31 p.m., Sept. 23, 2014

Developer Curtis Jared of Jared Enterprises last night told Springfield City Council he intends to develop roughly 93 acres west and south of the Library Center on South Campbell Avenue.

In order to make the south-side property attractive to potential tenants, he needs to change the zoning from single-family residential to a 40-acre office district to the north and a more than 52-acre general retail district to the south. While neighbors from two adjacent subdivisions seem largely nonplussed by the potential zoning changes and the developments that could follow, they are unified in their opposition to those commercial properties connecting to their neighborhoods.

At last night’s council meeting, the public hearing on the zoning plans drew 19 speakers. Four supported the zoning changes as proposed: one was Jared and another was Jay Wynn of CJW Transportation Consultants LLC, who represented the developer.

Two factions of opponents emerged at the meeting: one group from the Wellington Hills neighborhood, which is west of the proposed retail district, and folks living in the Quail Creek subdivision, west of the would-be office district.

Tom Cedarblom, who represented homeowners of the Wellington Hills subdivision just north of Weaver Road, said there is no good reason for the plans to involve a street connection to the neighborhood. Plans show possible connections from the north to South Wellington Drive and South Buckingham Lane.

“Wellington Hills does not need connectivity for the sake of safety – fire, police, ambulance. We have plenty with our three entrances,” Cedarblom said. “This new development doesn’t need our streets either. They have Campbell to connect to as a major artery. To connect one of our streets to this development, or to Quail Creek traffic, is unfair and would not enhance our safety, but would threaten both our safety and well-being."

Quail Creek resident David Inman said if El Camino Alto Drive were to extend into his neighborhood via West Buena Vista Street, the increased traffic it could cause would be hazardous to residents and would drive property values down. He said traffic routinely backs up at El Camino Alto and Campbell and shoppers at Sam’s Club or Academy Sports would seek shortcut routes through the neighborhood if given the opportunity.

“If there was even the slightest ability to cut through Quail Creek to go over to Republic Road … that’s exactly what would happen,” Inman said.

Stephanie Stenger Montgomery, an attorney and president and CEO of Springfield Land LP, said she had no economic interest in the development, but felt the connectivity via Buena Vista and the overall zoning proposal was consistent with the city’s well-established long-range plans for growth in the area.

“It is consistent with the adopted use plans and with city planning policies. It is compatible with the zoning and use of nearby properties and the character of the existing area. The public facilities and services are adequate to be developed under the proposed rezoning,” Montgomery said. “The existing zoning does not allow uses that are appropriate."

After hearing neighbor after neighbor say connections shouldn’t be necessary for the development – and after hearing Jared wasn’t bent on connecting to the neighborhoods – Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky moved to table the bill at the end of the public hearing. Rushefsky wants to see an alternative draft that would allow council to consider plans without roads reaching into the subdivision. The vote to table was unanimous.

The alternative proposal is slated to be presented and receive its public hearing at the next council meeting on Oct. 13.[[In-content Ad]]