City Beat: Midtown apartment plan splits neighborhood

Springfield City Council is facing a first test of sorts, and no matter which side it favors regarding plans for 84 microefficiency apartments in the Midtown Neighborhood, some neighbors are sure to say the body failed.

At the Feb. 24 council meeting, Timmons Temple Church of God in Christ, 934 E. Webster St., introduced its proposal for a planned development on its 1.6-acre property that is effectively dividing a Springfield neighborhood already struggling with crime and traffic issues. The plans, which are being spurred by a land purchase offer from area builder Larry Snyder and a group of investors, also serve as City Council’s first challenge to the recently reduced parking requirements for student housing.

Representatives of the church spoke in support of plans to sell the property, contingent on a rezoning to the planned development district, that would allow the congregation to move and expand its ministry. However, Midtown Neighborhood Association members said the apartments north of Ozarks Technical Community College would push cars into neighboring streets and exacerbate crime threats in the area.

Timmons Pastor T.J. Appleby said those opposed to the plans could end up doing more harm to the neighborhood than good. He said the church is leaving the space whether the property sells or not, and two vacant buildings on the lot could be magnets for the homeless and drug dealers.

“I don’t think any of the property owners in the area would like to have two vacant structures right against their properties when we already have issues with vagrancy and loitering,” Appleby said.

On Jan. 13, council passed an ordinance that reduced off-street parking requirements for developers of microefficiency apartments – dwellings with apartment units of 400 square feet or less – to one space per unit from 1.5 spaces for multifamily developments.

Springfield Planning and Development Director Ralph Rognstad said developers working on student-housing projects had complained the previous parking requirements were too restrictive for the smaller units typically within walking distance to college campuses. Despite some concerns by council members, the reduced parking plan passed in January with assurances council would be kept abreast of impacts on neighborhoods during the next two years. With the ordinance in effect, several Midtown residents are grumbling.

The Midtown development proposal by Greenway Studios LLC is designed with 28 bicycle racks, reducing the off-site parking requirements by an additional 10 percent, which would allow the 84-unit complex to construct only 76 parking spaces.

Peter Radecki, a board member of the Midtown Neighborhood Association, said the nature of the planned development calls into question if the proposed land use is appropriate for the neighborhood. He said nothing restricts the developers from signing multiple tenants per unit, which could mean, potentially, many cars routinely parking on nearby streets.

“We are asked to take a leap of faith that somehow a large percentage of residents and students will not have cars,” Radecki said.

Other opponents cited crime statistics with the nearby Park Place Apartments – averaging 17 police calls per month – as well as potential stormwater drainage issues as reasons to deny the plans.

Proponents said regular church services already push parking into the neighborhood and the apartments wouldn’t be any worse.

Of the 11 speakers who addressed council regarding the zoning change, six were in favor.

Greg Whitlock of Whitlock Engineering, who represented development group Greenway Studios, said after the meeting it’ll be hard to gauge council’s perception of the issue before a vote March 10.

“The development fits in with the master plan for the area, but I never know how a commission or council will act,” Whitlock said, adding his firm is acting as civil engineering consultant for the group of local investors comprising Greenway Studios.

According to Missouri secretary of state records, Snyder of Ozark-based general contractor Larry Snyder & Co. organized the development company in May.

On Feb. 6, the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-2 in favor of the planned development. City staff also recommended approval, Rognstad said.

Downtown spirits
Prompted by years of complaints, city licensing staff members called on council to adopt new liquor licensing rules in the Downtown Community Improvement District.

However, Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky cast doubt on the proposed changes.

After peppering Springfield Licensing Supervisor Buffee Smith with questions related to the initiative that would ease rules on where alcohol could be sold, Rushefsky continued to challenge proponents on the need for implementing C-Street practices – which have been in effect since 2007 – downtown.

Currently, businesses seeking a liquor license are restricted from operating within 200 feet of other businesses that sell spirits or within 200 feet of churches or schools, with some exceptions. Exceptions include general merchandise stores whose original package alcohol sales constitute less than 30 percent of gross annual sales and restaurants with $50,000 in annual food sales and less than half generated from on-premise alcohol purchases.

Under the proposal, distance criteria would be replaced by value-based criteria. For example, those with previously revoked licenses could be denied.

Smith said licensing staff felt the rules were antiquated downtown as 31 of 52 downtown licensees have had to receive provisional licenses to overcome current restrictions. She said the proposal would allow venues such as the History Museum on the Square to receive a license to sell alcohol at special events.

Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, said proposed rules could prevent undesirable businesses from selling alcohol downtown.

“The criteria in this bill have a lot more qualitative indicators of their operations than just the mere distance of 200 feet,” Worley said.

With the new rules in place on Commercial Street, he said businesses such as Cafe Cusco, That Lebanese Place and Alchemy Salon have been able to obtain licenses since changes were implemented seven years ago.

Rushefsky called for tabling the bill until a sister ordinance could be drafted that makes exceptions for businesses or nonprofits that would derive 20 percent or less of sales from alcohol. The motion failed 3-4.

The liquor license changes are scheduled for a vote March 10.[[In-content Ad]]