Battlefield Road convenience store plans draw criticism

Last edited at 7:39 p.m. on Aug. 15.

West Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go LC wants to build a new convenience store at 777 E. Battlefield Road, but neighbors near the office park would rather Springfield City Council nix those plans.

At last night's council meeting, Springfield Planning and Development Director Ralph Rognstad said the Planning & Zoning Commission approved the proposal to convert the current office zoning at the location to general retail with a 6-2 vote after several neighbors to the north voiced their concerns about water runoff and increased traffic resulting from the proposed store.

One neighbor, William Cheek, who previously served a six-year stint as a Planning & Zoning commissioner, attended last night's public hearing and spoke in opposition to the zoning change.

"The property in question is adjacent to the residential [zoning] to the east and north, and it is across the street from an existing park on the left. This will, in one sense, be an isolated retail location," Cheek said of the office property at the northeast corner of Kimbrough Avenue and Battlefield Road. "The existing office classification is more appropriate adjacent to single-family residential than the proposed retail zoning."

He said he believed the store would increase traffic on Kimbrough and could create more congestion around Cowden Elementary. He also said rainwater runs to the north toward South Creek when it storms, and he criticized the zoning commissioners for not requiring the rainwater to be diverted toward Battlefield Road.

Kum & Go representative Josh House said the plans are part of the chain's efforts to invest $24 million in renovations among its 46 stores in Greene County through 2015. He said the company had been looking at upgrades at the nearby store at 3030 S. Jefferson Ave., when the more visible location at 777 E. Battlefield became available.

"We thought this a great opportunity to provide frontage on Battlefield," House said.

He said the company would look at diverting rainwater to the south, and it planned to build a 6-foot privacy fence and plant 42 trees in the buffer zone along the northside of the property to reduce neighbors' safety and lighting concerns.

Rognstad said a traffic study was not required for this zoning change because the switch from office to general retail is thought to create little additional traffic. House said Kum & Go isn't a destination retailer like Lowe's or other big-box stores, but would mostly pull in traffic from the Battlefield corridor.

Council is expected to vote on the measure at its Aug. 12 meeting.[[In-content Ad]]