The City of Springfield invites the public to an open house event on December 4 to review working drafts of the Community Development Code Update Initiative. The event will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Double Tree Hotel Glendalough Convention Center, located at 2431 N. Glenstone Ave. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss these drafts with City Planning & Development staff and consultants from Multistudio.
For those interested in reviewing the proposed updates and Frequently Asked Questions, materials are available online at ForwardSGF.com/initiative3 under Working Draft Articles.
Director Steve Childers noted that "following the Dec. 4 open house will be a working session with the Planning & Zoning Commission and the City Council the second week of December to get their direction on specific legislative topics we are still finalizing."
This initiative follows the November 2022 adoption of Forward SGF, Springfield's Comprehensive Plan, aiming to update city codes that regulate public and private development improvements. This phase is scheduled for implementation in spring 2025.
The code updates specifically target Chapter 36 Land Development Code, which includes zoning code and subdivision regulations. Updates involve Article II: Subdivision Regulations, Article III: Zoning Regulations, and coordination with Article V: Building Code. There will also be a review of other city codes related to street design, stormwater management, and infrastructure to ensure consistency across new developments.
Springfield's last comprehensive development code update was in 1995, though amendments have been made over time. This current effort seeks to implement key concepts from established plans within Forward SGF, potentially exploring various regulatory strategies or focusing on specific issues.
Key focus areas include enhancing quality of place by creating more attractive environments; developing complete neighborhoods with diverse housing near amenities; addressing modern parking demands; accommodating emerging consumer trends like outdoor dining and food trucks; promoting environmentally conscious development; improving streetscapes; integrating flexibility in land use through design standards; and streamlining zoning procedures.
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