Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register
It took a bit of pestering from neighbors, but it appears that plans for a new ORKIN location in an existing office building at 6351 S. Sixth Street Frontage Road have hit the rocks.
A petition filed on behalf of the pest control company requesting either a use variance or a zoning change from S-2, community shopping and office district, to B-2, general business service district, failed to receive enough support at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
It failed on a 6-5 roll, with Mayor Jim Langfelder joining Alds. Andrew Proctor, Kristin DiCenso, Joe McMenamin and Erin Conley in voting “no.” Seven votes were needed since the approval would have went against the recommendation of the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission.
The zoning commission followed the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission’s recommendation of denial. The latter wrote that the proposal would be “inappropriate spotting zoning … inconsistent with the residential area to the north and the offices uses in the area.”
Staff also expressed concerns about the storage of chemicals at the site, which is close to a residential area.
STEVE GEPHARDT, property manager for Kensington Place Apartments, which are located just north of the proposed site, said neighbors were concerned about the possibility of increased traffic and the storage of chemicals on-site.
DAVID PLAKE, representing Orkin, said the company has been looking for a new Springfield location for more than a year. The pest company has been at its existing west side location, 3417 Baer Blvd., for 20 years. Its lease at that location is up in December.
The company likes Springfield because of its central location and it was interested in the specific site because of its interstate access, Plake said.
The proposed site would have been used for office space, warehouse space and for chemical storage.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 