Green developer forwards Farmers Park project

Before a $24 million mixed-use development known as Farmers Park can begin to sprout, developer Matt O’Reilly needs several things to happen.

One of the early hurdles was cleared with ease at the April 9 Springfield City Council meeting, when council members unanimously passed a resolution acknowledging the city received a request for proposal on 5 acres in south Springfield.

O’Reilly, a sustainability advocate and owner of outdoor gear retailer Dynamic Earth, presented plans to council at the meeting to purchase the city-owned property adjacent to the Shoppes at James River, where South Glenstone Avenue meets East Republic Road. O’Reilly is offering to buy the land from the city as part of his plans for the roughly 12-acre Farmers Park development of apartments, retail, office space and an outdoor plaza built around a farmers market.

Through O’Reilly’s work with the Ozarks Green Building Coalition, and with the natural environmental committee for the city’s strategic planning group, he recognized the benefits of bringing like-minded people together through a mixed-use community.

More than a year ago, he approached Tom Rankin, developer of the Shoppes at James River, about drawing up the plans. As O’Reilly was helping folks associated with Farmers Market of the Ozarks Inc. secure a federal grant, he got the idea to center his project around a year-round home for the farmers market.

“I thought, ‘Why don’t I put the two together?’” O’Reilly said.

The resolution that passed allows the city to sell the property to O’Reilly for $430,000, according to Economic Development Director Mary Lilly Smith. On Jan. 17, the city issued a request for proposal seeking an action plan for the property, which includes a storm-water basin that takes up about 2 acres. O’Reilly said most of the land he would purchase from the city would be green space and separate the development from the neighborhood to the south.

Key to the development is the 7 acres he would buy between Hilton Garden Inn and Houlihan’s restaurant, anchor tenants of the Shoppes at James River. The sale of that property is contingent upon O’Reilly being able to secure the city-owned land and council approving rezoning changes.

Rankin said he and O’Reilly have tentatively agreed on a deal, though he declined to disclose the price. Rankin said he is working with O’Reilly and city planners to combine and rezone his land and forward the Farmers Park project.

O’Reilly, who is currently leasing the land for the farmers market, said April 7 was the first time the market had been held at the Shoppes at James River site. The Saturday market drew 6,000 people, he said.

During last week’s meeting, council members including Mayor Jim O’Neal and Jeff Seifried responded favorably to the development plans.

“I hope you can pull this off,” Councilman Scott Bailes added. “This is one of the most interesting projects I’ve seen since Bass Pro Shops.”

Ollis & Co. CEO Richard Ollis, the only public speaker to comment on the project, also supported O’Reilly’s project.

“This is a rising tide that floats all boats,” Ollis said, adding that the development would create jobs and increase the tax base.

As part of the resolution, there were several contingencies placed on the close of the sale of the city’s property. The stipulations include: rezoning the tract from single family to general retail with a conditional overlay district; improving the storm-water basin – which O’Reilly said he would cover if the city reimburses the costs; and amending the existing Community Improvement District to allow additional reimbursable expenses.

At the April 23 meeting, city staff is expected to introduce a bill that approves the land sale to O’Reilly.

Smoking cessation
Five bills that would have amended the current smoking ban in most enclosed public places were tabled following roughly 45 minutes of debate.

The move to amend the smoking ordinance followed an initiative petition process that called for a repeal of the ban that 53 percent of voters approved in the April 5, 2011, election. At the March 26 council meeting, council members voted to send the repeal measure to the June 5 ballot.

Mayor Jim O’Neal said March 26 that he felt reasonable exceptions to the smoking ordinance could be put in place and called for a council workshop to reach agreement on possible changes to the ordinance ahead of the June election. As a result of the workshop, City Attorney Dan Wichmer drafted five amendments to the smoking ban – all of which would require a unanimous vote of council to be enacted under city charter rules.

The bills would have deleted e-cigarettes from the definition of smoking; removed tobacco stores from the ban; not regulated smoking as part of theatrical productions; included cigar bars in the list of exceptions to the ban; and allowed smoking in private clubs.

Terri Stafford, a representative of the One Air Alliance smoking education organization, asked council members to consider exposure to second-hand smoke for employees and volunteers when making any changes to the ordinance.

“Every worker should have the right to breath clean indoor air. Employees shouldn’t have to choose between providing for their families and their health,” Stafford said.