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City Beat: Council hears proposals for transportation tax renewals

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Both of Springfield’s transportation sales taxes are slated to fall off the books unless voters approve renewals next year.

City Council on Nov. 23 considered a pair of bills to put the quarter-cent and eighth-cent transportation sales taxes up for a vote during the April 5 municipal election.

Springfield voters first approved the quarter-cent sales tax, up for a three-year renewal, in 1989. It has been renewed eight times, said Springfield Public Works Director Dan Smith.

The eighth-cent sales tax was first passed in 1996, and the four-year transportation tax has been renewed four times.

Smith said the quarter-cent sales tax generates roughly $10 million per year for public improvements, and the eighth-cent tax pulls in about $5 million annually. If renewed, the taxes are estimated to generate $50 million for infrastructure upgrades in the next four years.

Revenue from the larger tax would fund high-priority projects, said Smith, such as major street resurfacing and rehabilitation, school sidewalks, and stormwater and neighborhood initiatives.

“It is able to be used for more than just transportation, but a lot of it does go back into the transportation system,” he said.

The eighth-cent tax is designed for such capital projects as intersection improvements and street and bridge widening.

In each of the past three voting cycles, the taxes have been approved by over 70 percent of voters.

Jerry Harmison of law firm Harmison & Pearman PC spoke in favor of the bills.

“State and federal transportation funding is in constant jeopardy. And frankly, I think the only way we can ensure that Springfield continues to grow is to take care of our own transportation infrastructure,” Harmison told council. “One of the things that you see with communities that are thriving … is a commitment to infrastructure.”

Noting renewals wouldn’t increase the current tax rate, he said visitors to the Queen City making purchases would help pick up the tab for transportation upgrades.

“I think that’s the right thing to do because they are enjoying the benefits of our capital improvements and roads while they’re here,” he said.  

No one spoke against the taxes.    

Projects identified in the quarter-cent tax proposal include intersection improvements at Battlefield Road and Fremont Avenue and on Fremont between Battlefield and Sunset Street. Those upgrades are estimated to cost $5 million. Major street resurfacing would cost $4.6 million, and continued improvements to Primrose Street, another $2.6 million, also is in the plan.

New projects in the eighth-cent tax proposal include improvements to West Grand Street between Kansas Expressway and Park Avenue and upgrades to East Cherry Street between Barnes and Oak Grove avenues – together totaling $5.5 million. A continuation of improvements to Republic Road, an estimated $4.5 million, also is on the project list.    

Council is slated Dec. 14 to decide whether the city should place the proposals on the spring ballot.

Zoning tabled
A proposal to rezone vacant land along the northeast side of Sunshine Street and National Avenue received a frosty reception from council members and neighbors alike.

Before the public hearing was over, a representative of property owner and applicant Sunshine and National Real Estate LLC had called on council to table the measure. Six residents spoke in opposition, and council unanimously agreed to table the rezoning proposal.

The bill sought to rezone 3.65 acres at 1764 and 1770 S. National Ave. and 1251, 1309, 1315 and 1319 E. Sunshine St. to a general retail district with conditional overlay from a single-family residential district and general retail district with conditions.

A key point of contention was removing prohibitions against uses including drive-thru restaurants and taverns. The applicant – an entity organized last year by Rob Murray of R.B. Murray Co., according to Missouri secretary of state records – intends to sell the land for development, and representatives say the current zoning has hindered sales potential.

The land fronts Sunshine and stretches between National and a Mexican Villa restaurant. Councilman Craig Hosmer was among four council members to express concern with allowing a tavern to go up across from Mercy Hospital Springfield.

“We’re right at one of the busiest corners of the city of Springfield at National and Sunshine, right in front of Mercy hospital where ambulances go every day, and to have people pulling out of a cocktail lounge or tavern on that corner I think is irresponsible,” he said. “If we have that restriction now, it makes good sense to continue that restriction.”

Three council members shared Hosmer’s concerns.

“I think the point made about being right across from Mercy is a valid one,” Ken McClure said.

Jared Rasmussen, who represented the applicant at the meeting, said a zoning change doesn’t necessarily mean the new owners would open a bar.

“Making a bold statement that we’re not going to have taverns and cocktail lounges at major arterials in town, I think that might be a little short-sighted,” said Rasmussen of engineering firm Olsson Associates Inc. “A bar and grill or tavern is classified as anything that has liquor sales over 50 percent of its revenue. That could be a Big Whiskey’s. That could be a Buffalo Wild Wings. That could be a Coyote’s Adobe Cafe. It’s not necessarily a straight-up bar.”

Concerns raised by neighbors included increased traffic, resident safety and stormwater runoff.

Hosmer said there could be one benefit to having a tavern next to a hospital: “It’d be a close drive for ambulances to take people from that location to the (emergency room).”

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