The City of Springfield this week, took the first public step in a project to develop neighborhood plans for 24 of the city's 26 registered neighborhoods.
They held a public open house Monday, inviting input on the project. The city is working with firm Freese and Nichols. The plans are meant to build on and align with the city's Forward SGF comprehensive plan. Dawn Thomas, Project Manager with Freese and Nichols presented the project to Springfield City Council during a workshop Monday.
"We'll be looking at existing conditions where the neighborhoods are today, where they want to be in the next several years, and then kind of putting those pieces together," Thomas explained.
Thomas said they are planning for a 15 to 18 months long process that should be completed in late 2027 or early 2028. After Monday's open house she said they plan for three more public events. They also hope to build neighborhood advisory teams in each neighborhood to provide feedback throughout the process. Thomas described the process as getting everyone's expectations on paper to help developers and city leaders understand the city's different neighborhoods and what those neighborhoods want for their future.
"The core components of the neighborhood plans will focus on land use, transportation, infrastructure, identity and place making, as well as organization and implementation capacity," Thomas said, adding that "land use and development is generally the cornerstone of any long-range plan."
Development is key to the value the city sees in the planning process. Councilmember Monica Horton described the effort as vision casting for developers, helping them understand what types of development are wanted and needed where.
Springfield's Director of Planning & Zoning Steve Childers said the plans may not generate immediate change but will serve to guide the city as opportunities become available.
"We want to hear from you as a neighborhood. We want to know what you would like to see. That doesn't mean tomorrow these are all going to be things that are implemented," Childers said, explaining that the city doesn't have the "capital resources to be able to do that. But through things like neighborhood works Plus and things, through other opportunities we have and housing plans and implementation, we can get there."
Follow the planning process and find a survey, interactive map and other ways to contribute at springfieldmo.gov.