City of Springfield

The Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony, which kicks off Springfield’s Festival of Lights every year will still be held during the pandemic, but it will look a lot different.

At a press conference Wednesday, city spokeswoman, Cora Scott, said the city will team up with the newly formed Ozarks Performing Arts League this year to put on the event November 21 at 7 p.m.  Instead of inviting the public downtown to see the lighting ceremony, the city will broadcast the event on KY-3.

Springfield’s face covering requirement is now in place through January 9th.  Springfield City Council voted to extend the mandate for anyone over age 11 at its meeting Monday night.  There are some exemptions to the rule.  City Council initially approved a mask ordinance in July.

The City of Springfield is planning to redo a stretch of the Galloway Creek Greenway, and you have until Monday, September 14, to comment on the plans.

The section that will be reconstructed is along Lone Pine, between Barton St. and Republic Rd.

Joe Hamp is the project manager for the city.

"The trail in that area is in the top three of the highest used trail here in the city," he said.  "The asphalt on that trail was placed about 15 years ago, so it's in need of some repairs."

A community-wide virtual kickoff and visioning workshop for the $26-million-dollar Grant Avenue Parkway Project in Springfield will be held Thursday night, September 3, from 6 to 7. 

The street improvement project "includes placemaking components such as roundabouts, elevated intersections, pedestrian-friendly crosswalks, enhanced landscaping and a wider trail that connects Wonders of Wildlife to downtown," said Tim Rosenbury, director of Quality of Place Initiatives for the City of Springfield.

The City of Springfield is planning intersection and traffic calming improvements in the Cherry and Pickwick area.  And it’s asking for public feedback.

The planned improvements will be along Cherry Street from Fremont on the west to the railroad crossing on the east.  The project design includes what are called “bulb-outs”—extensions of the curbline into the roadway.  They are intended to narrow the street, which will force traffic to slow down, according to the city.  But they’ll also reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians and provide more greenspace.

A second public meeting Tuesday night, June 9, from 6 to 7 will focus on the Fassnight Creek Stormwater Improvement Project near the Springfield Art Museum.

The City of Springfield says it will be a combined in-person and virtual event with limited capacity at the Springfield Art Museum auditorium.

You can view the session and submit questions via Facebook live on the city’s page or at springfieldmo.gov/SAMstormwater.  That's also where you can view details about the project.

Costco Wholesale Corporation is considering a membership warehouse retail store in east Springfield, according to Springfield mayor, Ken McClure. 

A statement from the City of Springfield said Costco expects to hire at least 125 people for its Springfield store. 

Tuesday night, May 19, the public will get the chance to view detailed plans for the Fassnight Creek Stormwater Improvement Project near the Springfield Art Museum.

A virtual information session will be held Tuesday night from 5:30 to 6:30 via Facebook Live or via livestream on the City of Springfield’s website.  Those who join in will be able to learn more about the project and ask questions. 

Springfield City Council is expected to vote soon on a document that outlines what the next few weeks will look like as restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 remain in place and start to ease up.

It could get easier to develop future tiny home communities, such as Eden Village, in Springfield.  City Council’s Plans and Policies Committee is working on developing standards that address the placement of tiny homes.

And, according to a news release, Eden Village and the City of Springfield have resolved the claims filed by the nonprofit organization last year related to development of property on W. Division.

Plans are in the works to open up or “daylight” Jordan Creek between Boonville and Main in downtown Springfield.  It’s currently underground in a box culvert.  The project to move the creek underground was done in the late 1920s and was funded with a bond issue that was approved by city voters in 1927. 

The city of Springfield’s principal stormwater engineer, Chris Dunnaway, told City Council Tuesday about preliminary plans for the area and gave a history of flooding along Jordan Creek since development in the Jordan Valley began in the mid 19th Century.