Rountree UCD
Changes to Rountree Urban Conservation District
After six years of engagement and input, City Council voted on updating the Rountree Urban Conservation District document June 26, 2023. The UCD has been in place since 1985 and was last amended around the turn of the century. In 2015 the RNA began requesting dialog with the city on updating the UCD again, and that process began in 2017, first with the creation of the Rountree Neighborhood Plan, a visioning document. The UCD is the mechanism by which the Neighborhood Plan is brought to life and is the culmination of several years’ worth of engagement within the neighborhood, working with city staff.
Specific to the UCD, a steering committee and two subcommittees formed, one focused on the interior residential portion of the area and one focused on the commercial areas at the edges. Those groups met 15 times from 2019 to 2022. There were many different disciplines who worked in these groups: architects, engineers, realtors, business owners, developers, property owners and residents. One final open house in December 2022 presented the proposed changes to the public for comments and more input.
City Planning staff hosted an open house 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022 at Rountree Elementary School cafeteria to provide an opportunity for stakeholder committees and Rountree neighbors to review, discuss and provide feedback to the recommended amendments to the Rountree Urban Conservation District.
View proposed Rountree UCD map
Background
In the spring of 2015, the Rountree Neighborhood Association board asked Springfield City Council to initiate a review and consider amending the Rountree Neighborhood Plan and the Rountree Urban Conservation District (UCD). In January 2017, City Council directed staff to move forward with an update to the Rountree Neighborhood Plan and bring forward recommendations for amendments to the Rountree Urban Conservation District.
In the spring of 2018, H3 Studio Inc. was hired to assist the City with an independent study of the National Avenue and Cherry Street corridors and provide an outside perspective on how the corridors should be optimally be developed and improved in the coming years. The amended Rountree Plan, including H3's recommendations, was adopted by City Council in November 2018. Following adoption of the plan, two committees of neighborhood stakeholders were formed to consider amendments to the Rountree UCD.