With the turn of the new year, Springfield City Council appointed three new members to its Planning & Zoning Commission, although the commissioners replaced were eligible for re-appointment. With all three new appointees connected to the local development industry, neighborhoods are raising concerns about the makeup of the zoning commission.
The three new commissioners that started in their roles in January were: Jennifer McClure, owner of JM Consulting Services; Christopher Souliere, owner of Soul Properties; and David Jacquez, a real estate agent with Murney Associates. They were appointed to serve in the place of local attorney Chris Lebeck, retired journalist Betty Ridge, and construction consultant Bruce Colony.
P&Z Commissioners are appointed by council to serve for a four-year term with a maximum of two terms. P&Z is tasked with reviewing applications and cases related to rezoning, platting and street vacations and making a recommendation to council. Before going to the full council, appointees are selected from a list of applicants by the Public Involvement Committee. The committee is made up of councilmen Abe McGull, Brandon Jenson, Bruce Adib-Yazdi and Derek Lee, who chairs the committee…