Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register
For nearly 30 years, Paul LeJuene has sold used cars along Clear Lake Avenue. The first location of his business, Patriot Auto Sales, drew significant attention for the 1955 two-door Bel Air hardtop perched atop a three-story pole out front, which has been nicknamed by locals “Chevy-on-a-stick.”
Despite the cool sign fronting his lot, LeJuene was happy to move across the street 12 years ago to his current location, 2601 Clear Lake Ave. — and, as a result, out of Springfield city limits.
Since then, LeJeune has operated his business on a property located in unincorporated Sangamon County, but completely surrounded by Springfield city limits — an arrangement that has allowed him to reap the benefits from a heavily-trafficked, urban location without having to follow stricter city codes and ordinances.
But this “old, easy life” is likely to soon change for LeJuene and several other property owners as the Springfield City Council considers annexing about 51 acres of unincorporated territory on the city’s East Side in an effort to fill “holes in the doughnut.”
Property owners and officials in Springfield and Woodside townships do not have a say in the matter, as a state law allows municipalities to annex unincorporated areas that are 60 acres or less if they are bounded entirely by that municipality, by passing an ordinance. When city council members consider the ordinance Tuesday, they will be deciding the fate of those who are not yet their constituents.
Proponents of Springfield annexing these “holes in the doughnut” have argued that having pockets of unincorporated land within the city’s outer boundaries creates confusion for police and fire services, as well as public works when it comes to road work and snow plowing.
Most of the properties up for annexation are along an industrial stretch of South Grand Avenue between Taylor Avenue and Eastside Drive, though others are scattered along Cook Street and Clear Lake Avenue.
It is not the first time the city has tried to absorb some of these parcels. In October 2015, Langfelder pushed for their annexation, but aldermen voted it down 4-6. At the time, there were accusations by some of partisan politics being at play, as five of the six who voted “no” were Republicans.
“The Republican township officials leaned heavily on the GOP aldermen and that’s just a fact,” said Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, who voted in favor of the ordinance in 2015. “They might deny it, (but) some of them told me themselves at the time. But this time, three aldermen that voted against annexation are gone.”
Langfelder said this turnover on the council in part influenced his decision to bring the ordinance back.
“That’s why we brought it back, because the dynamics of the council have changed and I think people’s feelings towards the hole in the doughnuts, they see the importance of (closing them),” Langfelder said.
In one form or another, annexation has been a major priority for Langfelder: The council voted to annex more than 230 parcels of city-owned land surrounding Lake Springfield in 2016 and Langfelder has repeatedly floated the idea of annexing the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
While perhaps promoting uniformity, these annexations can throw a wrench in the plans of those on the land that is currently outside the city. Take LeJeune, who has an open zoning case with Sangamon County as he seeks to convert his used car lot to a video gaming parlor.
The county board was set to vote on the matter next month. But by that point, LeJuene will probably be a Springfield resident and thus be subject to an ordinance that requires establishments with video gaming to make 60 percent or more of their revenue from food or alcohol. Not to mention a council that is wary to issue liquor licenses for those looking to bring more gaming.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 