City alcohol sales debate dries up

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The debate is over for now. By the narrowest of margins, 5-4, City Council March 25 voted against giving Dickerson Park Zoo permission to serve alcohol at its after-hours events and fundraisers.|ret||ret||tab|

The bill was amended at the previous council meeting, narrowing the proposal for sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages from select Springfield-Greene County Park Board public events to only those functions of the zoo and their participants. |ret||ret||tab|

The amended bill stated the alcohol would be limited to certain areas, clearly identified and restricted to adults, but council voted against it.|ret||ret||tab|

Possibly influencing the decision were the only two members of the public who addressed the issue at the March 25 meeting: area pastors Bruce McNeely and Allen Kemper, both in opposition.|ret||ret||tab|

Council members Bob Chancellor, Mary Collette, Denny Whayne, John Wylie and Shelia Wright denied the bill.|ret||ret||tab|

Voting in favor was Mayor Tom Carl-son, Gary Gibson, Teri Hacker and Ralph Manley, who at the preceding meeting said the bill "stinks" and that he strongly opposed it.|ret||ret||tab|

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Rosewood Estates|ret||ret||tab|

Much discussion surrounded the first reading bill to approve the preliminary plat of Rosewood Estates, located on the south side of Sunset Street between Jefferson Avenue and a point west of National Avenue. Ten nearby residents spoke in opposition, fearing what they termed a "rental community" in their neighborhood.|ret||ret||tab|

Rosewood Estates is a Zimmerman Properties LLC development, similar to the Cedarwood Terraces townhouse community under construction at Kear-ney and Pickwick. |ret||ret||tab|

It would offer lower rates through special financing via Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Code. Residents that rented for 15 years would have an option to buy. |ret||ret||tab|

If approved, the development would comprise 40 lots with 3.5 homes, including garages, per acre.|ret||ret||tab|

In Manley's opinion the development would "add value to the area."|ret||ret||tab|

The plan was reviewed by two outside engineers: Great River Engineering's King Coltrin and Heideman & Asso-ciates' Gary Butcher. |ret||ret||tab|

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial and staff recommended approval because the plan meets all subdivision requirements, according to Fred May. A vote will be taken in two weeks.|ret||ret||tab|

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First readings|ret||ret||tab|

Council heard a first reading bill that would rezone 2.5 acres of land at 3006 W. Battlefield Road from a general manufacturing district to a general retail district. |ret||ret||tab|

The bill is at the request of Schell Development Company LLC.|ret||ret||tab|

Another first reading bill would amend the city code to change the illegal blood alcohol content from .10 percent to .08 percent.|ret||ret||tab|

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Resolutions|ret||ret||tab|

Council approved the adoption of the Boonville Corridor Blight Report and Redevelopment Plan for the 500 and 600 blocks of North Boonville Avenue, as well as the Capital Improvements Pro-gram for 2002 through 2007. |ret||ret||tab|

Both resolutions were supported by the Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff.|ret||ret||tab|

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Yard parking|ret||ret||tab|

The bill to more strictly prohibit front-yard parking passed, permitting the Police Department to issue on-the-spot parking tickets for motor vehicles illegally parked in front yards in residential areas.|ret||ret||tab|

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Consent agendas|ret||ret||tab|

All consent agendas passed unanimously. In that, City Manager Tom Finnie was authorized to accept a $450,000 COPS Technical Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Jus-tice, Community Oriented Policing Ser-vices, to equip patrol vehicles with audio and video recording devices and providing security equipment for the South District Police Station.|ret||ret||tab|

Another consent agenda item was the approval of an agreement between Finnie and the Missouri Highway and Trans-portation Commission for the purpose of cost sharing the installation fees of a traffic signal at Kearney Street and Neergard Avenue.|ret||ret||tab|

Finnie also accepted a $1.5 million block grant from the Missouri Depart-ment of Transportation for funding the first phase of the general aviation airport to be constructed in Ozark by the De-partment of Aviation.|ret||ret||tab|

Another consent agenda item authorized Finnie to accept a grant from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for the purpose of constructing a parking deck in Jordan Valley Park. This grant is in the amount of $1.5 million.|ret||ret||tab|

Finally, the city will provide half the funds to purchase 80 police body armor vests, or $12,560. |ret||ret||tab|

The remaining ex-pense will be covered by a Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program grant through the U.S. Depart-ment of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.[[In-content Ad]]