Springfield Business Journal_2019-03-18

Because it’s not just about money. It’s about having an advocate. GreatSouthernBank.com/ VIP Kristy Paddock Senior VIP Banking Relationship Manager 417.888.4477 NMLS# 640371 You need one person to call who will handle the details and make sure it’s all taken care of. You need Kristy. 8 · SBJ.NET MARCH 18-24, 2019 NEWS by Kyle Boaz · kboaz@sbj.net City Council on March 11 heard a rezon- ing proposal for multiple properties owned by Ozarks Technical Community College for a proposed cam- pus expansion. The rezoning would change the properties to a governmental and institutional use district from lim- ited business and residential town- house districts and consolidate the properties into one zoning district. The properties, 1116 and 1120 E. Py- thian St., 922-933 N. Florence Ave. and 941 N. National Ave., are planned for surface parking. The parking is related to OTC’s planned Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Technology, a $20 million project funded Council hears OTC rezoning C I T Y B E AT from the March 11 City Council Meeting For minutes and schedule visit: Springfieldmo.gov/ CityCouncil by Kyle Boaz · kboaz@sbj.net Positronic Industries Inc. on March 11 presented a rezoning plan to Springfield City Council for a possible future expansion to its north- west Springfield plant. The manufacturer of elec- tronic connectors and cable assemblies is seeking a zon- ing change to general manu- facturing from a planned development. The plan would give the company more flex- ibility for future planning and development at its plant near Springfield-Branson National Airport, officials say. “Planned developments were very popular in the 1990s,” Posi- tronic CEO John Gentry said. “The city is moving away from them. They’re restric- tive and difficult to manage. They were a good idea at the time.” Springfield Principal Planner Bob Hos- mer said conventional overlay districts have taken the place of planned develop- ments in Springfield. “We still allow people to do planned de- velopments, but we have gotten away from them with conventional overlay districts,” he said. “They kind of act as a planned de- velopment. You can limit uses.” The reasoning behind moving away from planned developments, Hosmer said, is that staff had issues interpreting devel- oper’s plans due to poor wording or an omittance of details. While conventional overlay districts are recommended for new projects, there are still hundreds of active planned de- velopments in Springfield. “We still have quite a few,” Hosmer said. “We have elimi- nated some, but between 300 and 350 are still active.” From 1981 to 1999, the city had 91 planned developments and the number increased to 323 by 2007, Hosmer said. The oldest active planned develop- ment is from 1981. The most recent planned develop- ment was approved by council on March 11 for a mixed-use devel- opment at Pickwick Avenue and Cherry Street by Pickwick and Cherry LLC. The city began utilizing conventional overlay districts in 2007, Hosmer said, and now there are nearly 160 on the books. Comparatively, planned developments also have extra steps after zonings are ap- proved, including a final plan submission for review by the Administrative Review Committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission or council members to con- firm the development will meet approved standards. “We found it’s an added expense and slows down development,” Hosmer said. A planned development allows for a maximum of 150,000 square feet, which Gentry said may not be enough space for Positronic in the future. The existing building at 1325 N. Eldon Ave. already is 75,000 square feet. “We don’t want to be locked into 75,000 square feet,” he said. Plans are still being developed, Gentry said, and the company is doing prepara- tory work amid work- force consolidation plans. The company be- gan consolidating portions of operations at its Puerto Rico and Mount Vernon plants in March 2018, though Gentry said both facilities are still functioning. The Mount Vernon plant continues to Positronic seeks to remove planned development status See CITY on page 48 See POSITRONIC on page 48 John Gentry: City’s planned developments are restrictive and difficult to manage. 300-350 Range of active planned developments in Springfield