Mercy tied to rezoning bills on City Council docket tonight

Last edited at 12:35 p.m., Jan. 11

At the first Springfield City Council meeting of the year, several rezoning measures are scheduled to be introduced tonight, including four that appear to be connected to Mercy Springfield Communities.

Among the bills on the agenda is a 12-acre rezoning at 5904 S. Southwood Ave., next to Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital, to a governmental and institutional use district from a Greene County office district. The applicant is listed as the city of Springfield for Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital.

A bill that would rezone 3.28 acres of property, generally located at 1329 E. Lark St., to a general retail district from a planned development, also is scheduled to be introduced tonight. St. John’s Regional Health Center, the former name for Mercy Hospital Springfield, is listed as the applicant. The property is west of South Fremont Avenue, east of South National Avenue and south of Republic Road on East Lark.

Applicants Westport Management LLC and St. John’s Regional Health Center have requested a rezoning of 10.63 acres of property, generally located at 3410 S. Campbell Ave. and 202 E. Walnut Lawn St., to a highway commercial district from a pair of planned development districts.

Also on the agenda, Mercy Springfield Communities seeks to rezone 0.88 acres of property at 216 E. Walnut Lawn to an office district from a residential townhouse district.  

Mercy Springfield Communities spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann said the intent of the 12-acre rezoning at Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital was to update the zoning at the hospital, which was developed in the county and officially annexed by the city in July. With the other three bills, she said Mercy is looking to sell the properties and potential buyers have requested the new zoning designations. None of the bills point to specific development plans. 

Among other notable rezoning plans in the works is one connected to a proposed annexation of 1.88 acres of private property and a quarter-acre of Greene County right-of-way into the city of Springfield, generally located at 2716-2736 W. Republic Road and 4229 S. Scenic Ave. According to the bill, the property owner – listed with the Greene County Assessor’s site as Springfield-based Tom’s Lawn Maintenance LLC – has requested the annexation as part of efforts to rezone the subject properties to a general retail district from a suburban residence district. The formal rezoning request would go before council at a later date, according to the bill.

Also on the agenda, John and Rosa Lee Haik are requesting to rezone 4.05 acres of property, generally located at 1300-1332 E. Republic St. to a highway commercial district from a planned development. John Haik is the nearby owner of the Gallery Eleven shopping center and outdoor retail store Outdoor Adventures.

In September, Springfield Business Journal reported Gallery Eleven was 100 percent occupied with the signed lease of Hurts Donut Co.

In addition, there is a proposed rezoning by BGH South Development Holding LLC of 5.52 acres at 1209 E. Holiday St., to a general retail district from an office district.