Springfield City Council members are considering the ways products – and traffic – are moving.
Council held a public hearing Feb. 22 on a bill would allow more flexibility of retail, wholesale and distribution sales in industrial districts.
Officials said the bill is intended to bring city ordinances in line with current business practices.
“We’re just trying to respond to a changing world,” said Mike MacPherson, the city’s principal planner.
“In years past, you would see people manufacturing things, and then they would ship them off to other places for wholesale or retail trade. More and more, you’re seeing in those districts, a combination of those kinds of efforts,” he added.
MacPherson pointed to Feller’s Fixtures Inc., 2140 W. Grand St., and Shamrock Bolt and Screw Co. Inc., 1414 N. Nias Ave., as examples of companies that sell both wholesale and retail out of the same location.
Currently, only highway commercial districts allow for wholesale and distribution sales. Retail sales are permitted in industrial zones in up to 25 percent of a company’s total square footage.
If council approves the bill on March 8, retail space could equal 10,000 square feet or 25 percent of total square footage, whichever is smaller. Also, wholesale and distribution uses would be allowed in restricted industrial, light industrial, general manufacturing, heavy manufacturing and industrial commercial districts.
“This bill would also bring a number of places into conformance,” MacPherson added.
No members of the public spoke in opposition.
A wider Campbell Avenue Another bill under consideration would expand Campbell Avenue in south Springfield to six lanes.
If approved March 8, Springfield would enter into a joint project with the Missouri Department of Transportation and Greene County. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission would take the lead on the project, which would widen Campbell from South Avenue to just north of the Plainview Road intersection.
The city’s portion of the $6.07 million widening would total $1 million, $200,000 of which would come from the city’s 1/8-cent transportation sales tax, said Marc Thornsberry, director of Public Works.
The remaining $800,000 would be funded through the federal Surface Transportation Program and would be allocated by the Ozarks Transportation Organization. Greene County would contribute $1 million of federal Surface Transportation Program funds, also allocated by OTO.
The roadwork is expected to occur at the same time as improvements to the Weaver Road and Campbell Avenue intersection.[[In-content Ad]]
April 7 was the official opening day for Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant Show Me Chuy after a soft launch that started March 31; marketing agency AdZen debuted; and the Almighty Sando Shop opened a brick-and-mortar space.
