Southern Hills issues dominate council meeting

In its Aug. 16 meeting, City Council held first readings on two issues and voted on one concerning the Southern Hills neighborhood in southeast Springfield.

The first issue concerning Southern Hills was the first reading of a bill allowing developer Guy Pepe to acquire the stormwater drainage easements for construction of a stormwater system improvement in Southern Hills.

Relating to the first issue, a first reading was also held on a bill approving the preliminary plat of Southern Hills Village, generally located on Eastmoor Drive between Eureka and Plaza Avenues. Southern Hills neighbors packed council chambers to voice their opposition to the development proposed by Pepe, citing the neighborhood's problems with stormwater flooding and erosion, and the Planning and Zoning Department's recommendations not to approve the development.

City engineers and Don Busch, attorney for Pepe, said Southern Hills Village will not add to the flooding in Southern Hills because Pepe has plans for a stormwater system improvement before the development is built. Busch said the developer will accomplish the same results with his stormwater improvement system as the city would if the development is not approved.

Pepe said he has been in contact with the Southern Hills residents, wants to reach a compromise on the issue, and has even offered to sell the property to the residents at no profit.

Several Southern Hills residents who spoke at the meeting said Pepe had never initiated communication with them to discuss the development and they have no confidence in the engineering of Southern Hills Village. Resident Bob Smith urged council not only to reject the bill but to accept responsibility for the existing problem of flooding and erosion in the neighborhood.

The third issue concerning Southern Hills was a bill to rezone about 3 1/2 acres of land at the southeast corner of Lone Pine and Southern Hills Boulevard from a single-family residential to a planned development district. The bill failed with seven council members voting against it and Mayor Lee Gannaway and Councilman Bob Chancellor abstaining.

Had it passed, the planned development rezoning would have allowed construction of a retirement home on the land owned by Lee McLean.

In other business, council held a first reading on a bill to authorize a three-year lease agreement with the Commercial Street Market Corporation to lease the Jefferson Avenue footbridge parking lot for the purpose of operating a farmers' market.

Several Commercial Street property owners spoke against operating a farmers' market in the footbridge lot, citing concerns about the loss of the lot by Commercial Street customers and residents, and the need for the lot when improvements are made to the footbridge.

Stan Davis, Commercial Street Market Corporation president, quoted a year-old letter from former assistant director of Public Works Harold Bastin that said only 11 percent of the footbridge lot is used during the week and 2 percent of the lot is used on Saturdays.

Councilman Bob Vanaman and other Commercial Street property owners had additional concerns about the length of the lease and how the Market Corporation will raise the funds to pay for it.

Council also held first readings on bills to establish procedures to acquire land for Civic Park, provided there is a donation, and to authorize a Department of Natural Resources grant, through the Local Landmark Parks Program, to provide funds for park land acquisition, development and renovation.

The total project cost will be $221,538, with $144,000 to be paid with grant funds and $77,538 to be funded from the city's quarter-cent sales tax devoted to annual park improvements.

Council also held a first reading on a bill authorizing a grant from the DNR to provide funds for the purchase of a loader and one-ton dump truck, with the total cost of $137,500 to be funded by $100,000 in grant funds and $37,500 in city money. The sale of a city backhoe will provide $16,900 of the city money to be put toward the purchase.

Addressing the resolutions and emergency bills, council unanimously agreed to remove the proposed Community Improvement District bill from the table and set a date for a public hearing on the issue. Council also unanimously approved a bill establishing time limits on modifying or withdrawing applications for zoning cases.

A special ordinance was unanimously approved authorizing the city manager to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $220,239 to buy mobile 800 Mhz police communications equipment, with an additional amount of $24,471 to be provided by the city.

Council also unanimously rezoned less than 2 acres of land on the north side of West Battlefield west of Golden from a single-family residential to a general retail district, less than 1 1/2 acres of land on the east side of North Fort, north of Kearney, from a single-family residential district to a highway commercial district, and less than eight acres of land on the east side of North Eastgate, between Nora and Evergreen, from a highway commercial to a general manufacturing district.