City Beat: Council annexes land, tables transportation issue

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|bold_on|Council hears tower bill|ret||ret||tab|

In the Feb. 5 City Council meeting, a public hearing bill for a communications tower of a different sort was heard. Unlike the towers proposed for wireless phone services, which are now under scrutiny by city staff, this tower would be used for FM radio transmission. |ret||ret||tab|

If approved, the 315-foot tower would be erected on the north side of West Bennett Street between Scenic and West avenues. Councilman Tom Carlson asked city staff and council if the tower should be subject to the same requirements that will be determined in the city staff's report on the telecommunications towers. |ret||ret||tab|

Tom Bush of Carnahan Evans Cantwell & Brown PC represented the owners of the radio station, KOSP, and spoke to council in favor of erecting the tower.|ret||ret||tab|

Another public hearing bill heard would rezone two acres on the west side of North Glenstone Avenue north of McClernon Street from a medium density multifamily residential district to a general retail district. Both bills are recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and staff.|ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|Two rights of way annexed|bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

Included in the second reading bills were two annexations and a rezoning bill. A total of 4.26 acres of Greene County public right-of-way and cemetery property in the area of the Partnership Industrial Center, and 24.9 acres of U.S. Highway 65 right-of-way were annexed by a vote of 9-0. |ret||ret||tab|

Council also unanimously approved amending the Springfield Land Development Code to rezone one-tenth of an acre on the east side of North National Avenue, north of Tampa Street, from a general manufacturing district to a highway commercial district.|ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|James River improvements tabled|ret||ret||tab|

Tabled for the second time was the special ordinance to map planned transportation improvements for the James River Freeway-and-Glenstone interchange area. Councilwoman Terri Hacker motioned to table the ordinance, citing legal matters.|ret||ret||tab|

Also heard as a second reading was the approval of the Springer's Subdivision preliminary plat on the east side of South Oak Grove Avenue between Bennett and Verona streets. This bill was amended following a motion from Councilman Bob Chancellor. |ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|CVB budget amendment proposed|ret||ret||tab|

The lone first reading bill heard by council was to amend the budget and contract of the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the fiscal year 2000-2001 in the amount of $118,053, to accommodate additional revenues and expenses for a cooperative project with the Missouri Division of Tourism and to adjust revenues and expenses as a result of monthly collections of the room tax beginning in April 2001.|ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|City accepts four grants|bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

All consent agendas were approved unanimously in one action. City Manager Tom Finnie was authorized to accept four different grants ranging from $5,000 to $200,000. The first, a $47,884 grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, will fund a Youth-to-Youth Help Line through June 30, 2001.|ret||ret||tab|

A $200,000 state grant will fund activities within the Missouri Career Center through June 30, 2001.|ret||ret||tab|

These two bills also authorized the addition of three full-time employees in the city's Department of Workforce Development and amended its budget.|ret||ret||tab|

A third grant, from the State Emergency Management Agency, is for establishing an anti-terrorist program that would allow Springfield Police and Fire departments use of anti-terrorism equipment in biological or chemical emergencies.|ret||ret||tab|

The final grant accepted by the city, $5,000 from the Missouri Department of Health, will fund the development of a community-based suicide survivor support group, and amends the budget for the city's Health Department for the fiscal year 2000-2001.[[In-content Ad]]