Tag Archives: Zoning

HWSNA Advocacy to Protect and Preserve Our Neighborhood: Updates & Zoning

W. Lawrence and South MacArthur Boulevard Renovation

The City of Springfield is in the process of finalizing plans to widen the intersection and expects implementation to begin next year 2025.

1301 W. Washington: et seq. West Washington Apartments

There has been no productive change in the condition of this property. Owners are facing several violations related to the lack of maintenance and the lack of progress on redevelopment.

4th Residence Above Garage withdrawn after HWSNA and Neighborhood opposition.

The HWSNA provided also provided testimony in June 2024 in relation to a zoning petition @ 203 N. Glenwood.

This petition requested variances to enable the continued illegal use of the lower level of a garage as the 4th residence on the property. A prior variance had been granted in 1996 to allow a residence on the upper level only, but it was since developed for the additional residence on the lower level without any formal authorization. The HWSNA joined with other neighbors in opposition to this petition, and this caused the petition to be withdrawn. An additional residence was considered a too intensive use of the property, especially considering the need for additional parking and property maintenance.

1149 West Edwards: Zoning Classification Change

In January 2022, the HWSNA testified before the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission in OPPOSITION to a petition requesting a change in the zoning classification, as well as variances for parking, for the property located at 1149 West Edwards, to enable the property to be leased for the purpose of the establishment and operation of a specialty (Italian) food store.

The HWSNA expressed concern that a general and permanent reclassification was too broad and could enable more intensive land uses in the future beyond the specialty food store.

The Commission approved the petition as submitted.

The HWSNA took no formal position when the petition was considered by the Springfield City Council in February, which subsequently approved the petition.

NOTE: As of October 8, 2024, there has been no apparent alteration or development of the property with respect to the establishment of the food store. Alternatively, a Massage Therapy service is now operating on the site.

HWSNA Advocacy to Protect and Preserve Our Neighborhood: City Council Denies Parking Lot on South MacArthur, Zoning Commission Denies Privacy Fence, Zoning Requires Privacy Fence Setback

In 2022, The HWSNA has reviewed and provided testimony before the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission in OPPOSITION to two petitions seeking to erect large non-forming privacy fences on side yards of properties located on street corners. The decisions of the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission in these 2 cases was FINAL without review by the Springfield City Council.

  1. In January 2022, the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission denied a petition for a 0%-open privacy fence for 957 Williams Boulevard that was temporarily too close to the property line. The City Code requires any such fence to be 50%-open. The Commission adopted a motion that requires additional setback. The petitioner has since complied with the standard by making the existing fence 50%-open.
  2. In March 2022, the Planning & Zoning Commission allowed a 0-% open fence for 1001 Williams Boulevard, but required that it be setback 8 feet from the property line. The petitioner in this case appears to be installing a total privacy fence within the required setback

The HWSNA also provided testimony for a Zoning Petition for a proposed parking lot.

On March of 2022 the HWSNA testified in OPPOSITION to a petition considered by the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission to convert vacant property located at 800 South MacArthur Boulevard to a paved parking lot, together with variances to not provide landscaping or lighting.

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