P&Z gives preliminary nod to PIC West subdivision

The Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved a proposed subdivision of 55 acres at Partnership Industrial Center West last night.

The subdivision, Phase 14 of PIC West, was approved by P&Z at the request of applicant Waldbach Holdings LLC to facilitate development of the site, with City Council consideration set for Jan. 26. The subdivision would create three new industrial lots on the site.

Possible tenants were not identified in the application. Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Inc. is the consulting engineering firm for the project.

In other business, a rezoning to make way for the expansion for Rick’s Automotive Inc. was approved by P&Z.

Rick’s Automotive is in growth mode, according to Dave Bodeen of Pinnacle Design Consultants Inc., representing the company. He added that the expanding business will require, first, more parking and, at a later date, a building addition.

The acre of property in the zoning application submitted by the Hughlett Trust is located in the 500 block of West Whiteside Street and at 2120 S. Wedgewood Ave.

Rick Hughlett, the Rick who established the automotive repair business in 1980, spoke to the commission to say that his company repairs all ambulances in a six-county area, and the expansion will allow him to move emergency vehicles through more efficiently.

No objections were expressed to the rezoning, either last night or at the neighborhood meeting Nov. 28. Bodeen said it was the first time in his career that no neighbors had raised objections at a neighborhood meeting, with some showing up instead to voice their support.

In a moment of levity, Commissioner Christopher Lebeck spoke up to ask Bodeen, “I don’t think Springfield has enough car washes; is he going to be putting a car wash back there?”

Bodeen jokingly replied that it would either be a car wash or mini-storage – “One of the two,” he said.

The measure is slated for Springfield City Council consideration on Jan. 26.

The following measures are also slated to be taken up by Springfield City Council on Jan. 26.

• The commission unanimously approved a request from property owner FFace Inc. for the rezoning of a 2.4-acre property to industrial commercial from heavy manufacturing at 3101 S. Scenic Ave., allowing it to expand to offer retail sales. The change would allow tenant Jessica De La Rosa to operate on-site a photography studio, which she described to P&Z as a quiet, appointment-only production space.

• By a 5-4 vote, the commission approved the rezoning of slightly over half an acre at 3409 S. Parkhill Ave and 918 W. Walnut Lawn St. to residential townhouse with conditional overlay from single-family residential. Objecting were commissioners Betty Ridge, Eric Pauly, Bruce Colony and Lebeck. The developer’s representative, engineer Teresa Davison of Heithaus Engineering & Associates Inc., characterized the duplexes to be built as higher-end units, and owner Angie Davis of Angies Co. LLC was present to answer questions. Two neighbors of the property appeared to voice objections to opening up the single-family neighborhood to multifamily housing, and commissioners asked questions about a sinkhole on the property.

• An acre of property at 3446 S. Main Ave., currently vacant, was approved for rezoning to residential townhouse from highway commercial. The applicant was Westport Management LLC. No objections were presented, and the commission’s vote was unanimous.

• A conditional use permit requesting a day care as an adaptive use of a nonresidential structure was given a unanimous nod for 1518 E. Dale St., which has been operating as One Door, a community outreach center for people experiencing homelessness. The request was made by Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc., which would run the center from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily to meet need, the application states. Many One Door services have been moved to New Day, a center for adults experiencing homelessness, as One Door transitions to provide mainly services to families.

Also during the meeting, city Planning Manager Bob Hosmer brought forth a request to initiate amendments to the city’s land development code from the Planning and Development Department. The measure passed 8-1 with Colony objecting.

The commission also approved its meeting schedule for 2026, with two meetings per month except for November and December with only one.

Commission change

It was the last meeting for members Colony, Lebeck and Ridge, whose terms expire Jan. 1, 2026. Their successors, unanimously selected at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting, are David Jacquez, Jennifer McClure and Christopher Souliere.

In the council meeting, Councilmember Brandon Jenson brought up a concern about the process for choosing P&Z members, suggesting that council needs more information about candidates to make a selection.

It was feedback he said he had also offered to council’s Public Involvement Committee.

“It’s not really a secret that there’s been some controversy with Planning & Zoning over the last several years with decisions not aligning with decisions that council has made,” Jenson said. “We’ve also with our zoning code revisions significantly expanded this non-elected body’s power.”

Some of P&Z’s decisions are very impactful, he said.

At the most recent Public Involvement Committee, Jenson said he recommended tabling a decision to recommend three new commission members to allow for finalization and distribution of a questionnaire to learn more about the candidates.

“It was made clear from my fellow committee members that there was not interest in taking the time to do that and that they felt comfortable with the three applicants that were recommended,” he said.

Jenson said he supported the opinions of his colleagues and would support the proposed appointees, “despite not having a clear understanding or clear record of how these individuals – all of whom may be very well qualified and prepared – will perform in their role,” he said.

The first P&Z meeting of 2026, which will include the new members, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at the city’s Police & Fire Training Center at 2620 W. Battlefield Road.