Council approves petition for new CID downtown

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Springfield City Council Oct. 15 approved the petition to create the Convention and Entertainment Com-munity Improvement District, in which the city and developer John Q. Hammons and his wife Juanita are the only property owners. |ret||ret||tab|

In the same action it approved a budget amendment for fiscal 2001-2002 in the amount of $54,000 representing the city's payments in lieu of taxes for the CID.|ret||ret||tab|

Meanwhile, council decided that boarded-up buildings and major changes to the Land Development Code require further study.|ret||ret||tab|

The proposed ordinance to address the long-standing problem of boarded up buildings in the city was sent to council's plans and policies committee by motion of Mayor Tom Carlson.|ret||ret||tab|

The bill proposing significant changes to the Land Development Code was tabled indefinitely after a motion by Councilman John Wylie. He asked that a study session be scheduled.|ret||ret||tab|

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Boarded-up buildings|ret||ret||tab|

Boarded-up buildings have been a frustrating concern to city residents and neighborhood associations for years. Several neighborhood association members addressed the issue before council.|ret||ret||tab|

In December, council had a chance to see the problem firsthand during a tour of several neighborhoods, which prompted the request to beef up the Dangerous Building Code and the administration and enforcement of codes. |ret||ret||tab|

After council directed city staff to prepare an ordinance, several cities were contacted for information about how they handle the situation.|ret||ret||tab|

The bill before council proposes that building owners must apply for a $200 renewable permit and must allow a city inspection before boarding up buildings, according to Nick Heatherly, director of Building Development Services for the city.|ret||ret||tab|

The permit would be valid for 180 days, at which time it might be renewed for an additional $200, accompanied by a new inspection to make sure the building is safe and secure.|ret||ret||tab|

If an owner fails to follow the law, the building could be declared a dangerous structure, and the city could use eminent domain to deal with the building. |ret||ret||tab|

Existing boarded-up buildings will have to comply with the regulations and are grandfathered in only until 180 days after the ordinance goes into effect.|ret||ret||tab|

Carlson suggested that a $200 permit wasn't high enough. Another suggestion was that a time limit be set for how long a building can be boarded-up.|ret||ret||tab|

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Rezoning|ret||ret||tab|

A bill to rezone about 3.3 acres at 2136 E. Kearney from a general manufacturing district to a highway commercial district was approved for the John L. Morris Trust.|ret||ret||tab|

Another bill, to rezone about 14.6 acres on the west side of the 3800 block of South Mentor Avenue from a single family residential district to a planning development district, failed. The request was proposed by Sequiota Investment Inc. The Planning and Zoning Commis-sion had recommended that the zoning change be denied.|ret||ret||tab|

About 2.74 acres on the east side of the 2800-2900 block of South National Avenue was changed from an office and single-family residential district to a planned development district. The re-quest was by SNI Properties, LLC. |ret||ret||tab|

One acre of land at 1310 S. Glenstone Ave. was rezoned from a general retail district to a highway commercial district at the request of Dale W. Thompson Sr.|ret||ret||tab|

Dearborn Development Inc. and Mod-ern Tractor and Supply Company re-ceived approval for an amendment to a planned development district for about 9.26 acres on the west side of the 3800 block of South Kansas Expressway. |ret||ret||tab|

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Additional first readings|ret||ret||tab|

Voluntary annexation of 170.2 acres of private property and 19.25 acres of public right of way in the northeast quadrant of I-44 and U.S. 65 was read as a bill which starts the procedure to develop the Legacy of Flight project.|ret||ret||tab|

Another bill concerned parking on Central Street from National to Campbell. The bill authorizes the city's share of an $18,400 parking study by Butler, Rosenbury & Partners. Other contributors to the study will be Drury University and the Springfield R-XII School District. |ret||ret||tab|

City Utilities, the Springfield-Greene County Library and the Greene County Commission all indicated that their parking needs are adequate, so they wouldn't contribute to the cost of the study. |ret||ret||tab|

Another first-reading bill would allow City Manager Tom Finnie to apply for and accept an Environmental Protection Agency grant from the Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Fund.[[In-content Ad]]