City Beat: Council sends 136-acre annexation proposal to Aug. 3 ballot

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

Springfield is making a run for the roses, taking the lead in the three-way race to annex Greene County land southwest of the city. City Council voted May 24 to place an annexation proposal on the city's Aug. 3 ballot.

Brookline, Republic and Springfield were vying for 136.22 acres of highway frontage concentrated at the interchange of the James River Freeway extension and Sunshine Street. The land is primed for commercial development, and all three communities were drawn to the sales and property taxes it would generate.

But after Springfield officials called a May 17 special annexation public hearing, only Brookline remains a contender.

Republic officials had previously spoken against Springfield's annexing the land, but they did not attend the hearing and say they are no longer interested in the land.

Republic Administrator Dean Thompson said the interchange is not part of its urban service growth plan. But that's not to say Republic officials are blind to Springfield's expansion patterns.

"If the annexation is used as a platform to annex further property west, we would be concerned about that," Thompson said. "But everything that they've filed so far has not infringed on what we see as our growth area."

One mile separates Republic city limits and James River Freeway. Nearly 24 percent of the land is contiguous to Springfield.

Brookline officials are still interested in the land, but they're feeling strong-armed by the big-city forces of Springfield. Ken Sawyer, a Brookline Board of Trustees member, told council the village needs tax revenues as it is in the infancy of commercial growth. For example, Brookline has the 65-acre James River Business Center at the freeway extension's second interchange at Highway MM. Almost 200 acres of additional commercial property are on the cusp of development there.

But council's move puts the question to Springfield voters only. According to state law, registered voters in the city initiating annexation and those voters in the area to be annexed have voting powers. However, this land has no residents and therefore no voters unless the property owners are registered in Springfield. There are five commercial property owners, plus Springfield City Utilities. They are: Beverly Ball; A&A West Mini Storage LLC; Cornelius H. Datema, et. al; CHI Homes Inc.; and Amer Properties LLC, according to Springfield's Department of Planning and Development.

Davis Ridge Estates OK'd

Springfield City Council gave real estate manager and developer Warren Davis permission to begin work on his private residential subdivision and small office complex at South Lone Pine and Battlefield Road.

The northwest corner, which councilwoman Mary Collette called a "contentious piece of property over the years," is slated for six homes on two-acre tracts and up to two office buildings on 2.4 acres.

Davis Estates LLC owns 17 acres there, acquired in a 2003 deal with Springfield hotelier John Q. Hammons. Before selling, Hammons proposed up to 40 homes, but was quickly turned down by Springfield's Planning and Zoning Commission.

Davis Properties intends to move a division of the company, most likely Davis Property Management, to the development, said Kimberly Harrington, owner/member of that division. Company officials are negotiating with an architectural firm and bank for the additional office space.

Davis also plans to move his personal residence from Bolivar to three acres in Davis Ridge Estates.

In two separate actions, council rezoned 2.4 acres from residential to office use by an 8-1 vote (councilman Bob Jones voted against it) and unanimously approved Davis Ridge Estates' preliminary plat. Council amended the preliminary plat with a restrictive covenant preventing further commercial development on the property.

The move was to appease neighbors who have fought development along South Lone Pine's greenways. Most recently, Southeast Springfield Neighborhood Association led resistance to Greenlawn Funeral Home's plans northeast of Davis Estates.

SESNA officer Dan Chiles has said the group plans to welcome Davis Ridge Estates to the neighborhood, partly because it is expected to raise property values. Davis Ridge Estates' two-acre residential lots are priced at $500,000. Homes are expected to be valued at more than $1 million, said Harrington.

"It's going to be an exclusive, gated, private subdivision," said Ron Shepherd, property manager for Davis Properties.

Community Development Corp.

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce officials have taken notice of a city financing mechanism that is fueling downtown redevelopment. Duplicate it on a regional level and watch southwest Missouri grow, chamber officials said last July when they launched Ozarks Regional Community Development Corporation.

Using the city's Springfield Finance and Development Corporation as a blueprint, Ozarks Regional CDC has proved mildly successful its first loan, $30,000 for a Branson bicycle retailer, was expected to close last week; two other loan applications have been denied.

Chamber officials say the program needs one more ingredient for success: Springfield Community Loan Officer Ann Peck.

Chamber officials have proposed a partnership in which the city, specifically Peck, would provide loan-processing services for Ozarks Regional CDC. The chamber would reimburse the city at $20 per hour for her work, according to a bill before council.

"We appreciate your vision," Springfield Chamber Regional Development Manager Allen Kunkel told council. Kunkel heads the chamber's Ozarks Regional Economic Partnership, a network of business and civic leaders from 10 regional counties pulling together for economic development. Ozarks Regional CDC is the partnership's financial arm, though it functions as a separate entity with its own board.

"It's a way that we can invest money into small businesses throughout the 10-county region, similar to what you've done in downtown Springfield," Kunkel added in his address to council.

Responses during the May 24 council meeting were favorable.

"We are very supportive of this," said City Manager Tom Finnie. "I think it's helpful to the chamber and to the region to have the expertise that Ann has developed. And I think it's helpful for us to get a better perspective of what's going on in the region through Ann's contribution."

Peck handles small business, faade and residential loan programs offered by the city. Finnie said the city would hire a part-time employee to help with Peck's city duties.

Council will vote on the plan June 7.