At their meeting Thursday night, Springfield’s Planning & Zoning Commission voted eight-to-zero to allow city staff to start writing updated zoning code. The idea is to regulate the location and placement of electric vehicle charging stations.
Commission members said they expect more EVs on Springfield streets in the near future. They said new charging stations should be regulated for design standards and to ensure the most widely compatible technology is available for different types of vehicles and charging plug-ins.
Commissioner Bruce Colony said, "In another community that I frequent to the north, these things are already everywhere, and you can go into the gas station and off over to the side, there are places at the gas station. You go to the supermarket, there are paid, pay lots out in Walmart or the Shop n Save or the Hy-Vee parking lot.”))
City staff said they’re already seeing more charging stations being built in the community, in a variety of settings that might require new rules. Going forward, staff will draft new zoning code about EV chargers for consideration by Planning & Zoning and — potentially — approval by Springfield City Council.
