Millwood Park residents turned out in force at Springfield City Council last night to oppose a planned development that would allow a 106-room Hampton Inn between U.S. Highway 65 and Farmer’s Branch Road, just south of Evans Road.
Eleven neighbors of the proposed hotel and one attorney representing the developer of the Millwood Park residential neighborhood - which is separate from Millwood Golf & Racquet Club - asked council members to reject a proposed zoning change for the planned hotel.
“I’m not opposed to economic development. I represent developers every day. But what we need is responsible development,” said Mike Nichols of Husch Blackwell, adding that the Hampton Inn would not serve the neighbors' best interests.
Nichols said Millwood Park developer David Harper invested millions of dollars assuming the zoning – Planned Development 201, which allows for commercial development such as a retail strip center or a hotel – was in place to prevent a structure from towering over the neighborhood.
The proposal would change the zoning to Planned Development 320, increasing the floor area ratio and decreasing the buffer zone from the structure to the road by 15 feet, and allow developer Earl Steinert to move forward with his $6 million hotel.
Norbert Laengrich, president of the Millwood Park homeowners’ association, said commercial development along Highway 65 is no surprise, but a five-floor hotel would not be a welcome neighbor.
“Anything would be better than a 70-foot wall of strangers,” Laengrich said.
Stanley Dyer was among several Millwood Park residents who said the hotel would intrude on the privacy of nearby homeowners and could have a negative impact on property values.
“Would you purchase your property with a structure such as this in your backyard?” Dyer asked council members.
Several members of the business community, however, spoke in favor of the plans, including 40-year construction veteran Howard Bailey of general contractor Bailey Co.
“It’s not bad to have a hotel as a neighbor,” Bailey said, adding that his company built the Sleep Inn off James River Freeway but is not involved with Steinert’s Hampton Inn.
The Millwood Park subdivision sits adjacent to Millwood Golf & Racquet Club. Kristy Horton, CEO of the private golf course, also said it supports the hotel plans and the economic development it brings.
Council members could vote on Steinert’s planned development Aug. 13.
Steinert, who told council the current zoning would only allow for a 60-room hotel, has fought with neighbors to forward a hotel project before. Last fall,
council rejected Steinert’s plan for a five-story Hampton Inn on East Republic Road, citing neighbor concerns about privacy.
“It’s not feasible under the current (floor area ratio),” Steinert told council last night of his newest hotel venture.
The developer said the hotel would serve those visiting the $116 million Mercy Orthopedic Hospital currently under construction across the highway, as well as three golf courses in the area. On July 16, O’Reilly Hospitality Management LLC announced its plans to build a 103-room Fairfield Inn west of Highway 65, adjacent to the hospital. Those plans could go before council later this year.
