James Krohe Jr.
Illinois Times
June 28, 2012
A few days ago the Springfield city council voted 8-2 to replace Griffin Woods, the 20-acre patch of forest at Bruns Lane and Washington, with a parking lot with a building on it. The building will house yet another Schnucks supermarket. Neighbors, presumably, are delighted at the prospect of being fully serviced with convenience, freshness and quality.
The decision to rezone is notable less for its substance that for what it revealed about land use regulation in 21st century Springfield, which is, basically, that it is still done according to mid-20th century methods and assumptions. Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, for example, said he wished Schnucks had held a neighborhood meeting beforehand to address the concerns of people who live nearby. Such meetings are part of the planning process in virtually every well-administered city. Why isn’t a neighborhood informational meeting – not a hearing in city hall, mind you, but a proper after-supper-but-before-the-kids-go-to-bed meeting in the neighborhood – required for every major rezoning in Springfield? McMenamin also said he was worried about increased traffic in the area. That’s an appropriate concern; was a traffic study done? Why not?
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 