City Beat: Council wraps up sewer debate, covers rezoning issues

City Council votes to proceed with east side sewers

In its June 26 meeting, City Council unanimously passed a substitute bill to accept the $1 million bid of TT&T Contracting Inc. for the construction of sanitary sewers for about 200 homes in the neighborhoods of Hickory Hills Country Club District, Hickory Village, White Oak and White Oak, First Addition. The neighborhoods have traditionally used septic tanks, but one of the city's long-term goals is for all neighborhoods in the city to be connected to the city sewer system. Residents are concerned the costs for the sewers will far exceed the $5,800 cost cap the city has estimated for the project, and they see no need to stop using their septic tanks.

With the vote to approve TT&T's bid, council found invalid a remonstrance filed by the residents who are opposed to the sewer work.

Attorney Bill Stoner spoke for the residents and argued the legality of the decision. Stoner cited a similar situation a few years ago, in which residents of the Eastwood Hills neighborhood avoided being connected to the city sewer system and continued to use their septic tanks.

Councilman Tom Carlson addressed the situation in Eastwood Hills by saying that when council makes exceptions for certain groups, those exceptions can sometimes come back to haunt council, as the Eastwood Hills decision has. Carlson said while he, Councilwoman Teri Hacker and Mayor Lee Gannaway are lawyers, it is the city law department's obligation to advise council on legal issues, such the criteria used to find the residents' remonstrance petition invalid, and that he trusts the law department's judgment on the issue. Other members of council have acknowledged that the Eastwood Hills decision was probably not the correct one at the time.

After the vote, residents of the east side neighborhoods spoke of legal action against the city as they filed out of council chambers and gathered at the end of the third-floor hallway of City Hall.

Public hearing bill supports historic preservation

Council bills for public hearing included a bill to adopt the Historic Preservation Plan as an element of the Springfield comprehensive plan, which was passed unanimously. Historic Properties of Springfield Inc. President Richard Burton and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People representative Rosemary Stewart Stafford both urged council to pass the bill. Stafford cited the importance of preserving African-American heritage in Springfield by preserving or commemorating black-owned properties in the city, such as Washington Avenue Baptist Church, the 115-year-old church at 729 N. Washington that was acquired by Drury University and will be torn down to make way for a science building. The HPSI and church representatives want to secure funding to move the church to a location in Jordan Valley Park so it can be used as a community resource center.

Another public hearing bill, which was passed unanimously, was a bill to adopt the Community Facilities Plan as an element of the Springfield Comprehensive Plan. A bill to adopt the city's Major Thoroughfare Plan as an element of the city's comprehensive plan was also passed unanimously.

First reading bills involve City Code, new subdivision

First reading bills included a bill to adopt and enact a new City Code, a bill to authorize the city manager to enter into an agreement for the city with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission concerning construction improvements along West Bypass, between Division and Nichols, which is an 1/8-cent transportation tax project, and an ordinance vacating a public street located on the east side of U.S. 65 between Cherokee and Berkeley Streets. A first reading bill to approve the preliminary plat of Southern Heights Place, located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Southern Hills Boulevard and Lone Pine was removed from the consent agenda and tabled to be heard in conjunction with a second reading bill to rezone 5 1/4 acres of land at the southeast corner of Lone Pine and Southern Hills Boulevard from a single family residential zoning to a planned development district zoning. Another first reading bill to approve the preliminary plat of Hamra-Morris Subdivision, located near the intersection of Schoolcraft Freeway and East Sunshine, was removed from the consent agenda and heard.

Council approves rezoning for third Wal-Mart Supercenter

Second reading bills primarily focused on rezoning and subdivision development. A bill to rezone about 22 acres of land at the southwest corner of West Sunshine and West Bypass from a Greene County commercial district and a Greene County single family district to a general retail district for a Wal-Mart Supercenter was approved unanimously. A bill to rezone about eight acres of land at the southwest corner of West Sunshine and Moore Road from a Greene County commercial district to a general retail district was approved 8-1. A bill to rezone about 5 acres of land on the south side of West Walnut Lawn between Kansas Expressway and Kansas Avenue from a single-family residential district to a low-density multi-family residential district was approved 7-2.

The preliminary plat of Countryland subdivision at the southwest corner of West Gate and West Chestnut Expressway was approved unanimously. A bill to amend the official map of the city by changing the names of certain streets was also approved unanimously.

Other rezoning bills approved unanimously included land in the vicinities of: Phelps west of Boonville; the west side of West Gate between Chestnut Expressway and La Casa; the west side of West Gate between Chestnut Expressway and La Siesta; the southeast corner of West Battlefield and Cox Road; the northwest corner of North Kansas Expressway and West Florida; the north side of Norton Road, between Campbell and Summit; and the north side East Atlantic, west of North Glenstone.