Proposed 60/65 development draws debate

A development proclaimed to be the largest in Springfield's history was on the table at Springfield City Council's meeting Monday night, but the size of the project was matched by the size of the disagreement about how it should proceed.

The issue concerns about 500 acres of property at the interchange of U.S. highways 60 and 65 in southeast Springfield, owned by a group of investors led by Larry Childress. The massive project would comprise 1.5 million square feet of retail, office and residential use, as well as a new interchange on Highway 65 connecting the two parts of the development.

Council is being asked to approve a preliminary planned development, which spells out general information about usage of the property but doesn't include specifics about issues such as road placement or building regulations.

Geoffrey Butler, principal of architecture firm Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc., said that despite the size of the project, development plans call for less density than would be found in existing projects of similar type in Springfield, in part because the Missouri Department of Transportation has guidelines related to traffic counts to allow a new 65 interchange for the development. Butler, Rosenbury & Partners was hired to do the project's site design.

"The density we're proposing complies with what MoDOT wants, so that the extra traffic doesn't ripple through to other interchanges," Butler told council. "It's really much less dense than other developments in this community."

Butler also noted that the development would use low-impact environmental features, such as storm-water mitigation.

Neighbors of the proposed development, however, are concerned that the plan is vague on details, which could leave too much leeway for the developer who eventually signs on for the project.

"This is not going to be a situation where we have a local developer living in this community with Springfield's sympathies in mind," said attorney Patrick Platter, representing the neighboring Forest Ridge Property Owners Association. "It's going to be someone looking at what they can get for an investment of $300 million to $500 million. And we don't think there's enough specificity in this plan to protect the homeowners."

Council could vote on the bill at its July 27 meeting.See SBJ's July 6 issue for more City Council news.