Correction: an earlier version of this report miss stated the Council vote tally, but not the outcome of the vote.
Should a land developer sit on a city board in charge of making decisions about land development?
With a 5-to-4 vote Monday night, City Council said no.
General Seat A Councilwoman Heather Hardinger, Zone 1 Councilwoman Monica Horton, General Seat C Councilman Craig Hosmer, Zone 2 Councilman Abe McGull, and Zone 3 Councilman Mike Schilling voted against the confirmation.
General Seat C Councilman Andrew Lear, General Seat D Councilman Richard Ollis, Zone 4 Councilman Matt Simpson and Springfield Mayor Ken McClure voted for the confirmation.
The nominee was Andrew Doolittle. Along with two other developers, he’s planning to build the Loose Goose drive-through coffee shop on Grant Avenue. Doolittle was nominated for a Planning & Zoning Commission appointment running through January 1, 2024.
He got the nod shortly after the Loose Goose team received a zoning variance from City Council allowing their project to go forward.
But Doolittle’s nomination prompted opposition. Some members of the community say it would present an ethical conflict of interest for a land developer to sit on the Planning & Zoning Commission.
