BK&M postpones neighborhood meeting

BK&M LLC has postponed a neighborhood meeting for its planned University Heights development that had been scheduled for this evening.

The city of Springfield announced in a news release yesterday that the postponement of the neighborhood meeting also would delay the project's consideration from the April 11 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting agenda.

BK&M is awaiting a verdict after a trial was held in January. Greene County Circuit Court Judge Derek Ankrom presided over the trial, in which University Heights neighborhood residents have sued to block BK&M's proposed development over the original deed restrictions implemented when the neighborhood was created 100 years ago, according to past reporting.

A public neighborhood meeting involving BK&M and its development had been scheduled for 4 p.m. today at the Springfield Art Museum.

"Our reasoning is that the judge has not yet made a ruling on the enforceability of the deed restrictions. I don’t see the logic in proceeding at this time with any proposed development until we have legal clarity,” BK&M partner Ralph Duda said in the city release.

A separate city news release in January indicated BK&M had withdrawn its rezoning request for the corner of Sunshine Street and National Avenue and signaled plans to apply for a rezoning to a planned development in the future.

"A planned development differs from rezoning to a conventional zoning district because a site plan, and accompanying set of development standards, are used to direct development of the property," city officials said at the time.

BK&M's most recent iteration of its development plan calls for a food hall with indoor and outdoor pickleball courts.