The City is currently evaluating the 5-acre lot located at 3303 W. Division St. for the construction of a new animal shelter. The current animal shelter is located at 4002 N. Farmer Road, a site that experiences regular flooding and no longer serves the needs of the community.
Public comment is being collected through Aug. 28 and can be submitted at springfieldmo.gov/animalsheltersite.
Funded and approved through the 2017 renewal of Springfield’s Level Property Tax, the goal of a new animal shelter facility is to provide more functional space for housing animals and for Springfield-Greene County Health Department services.
The project is in the preliminary planning phase and the specific design and programming of the facility has not yet been developed. Following the approval of the usage of this property, the City will solicit for engineering design services to proceed with the design phase.
Site Considerations
Zoning
Prior to purchasing the property, the City of Springfield completed a phase I and phase II environmental study to ensure there are no environmental issues with the use of this site for this purpose. The property is currently zoned Light Industrial (LI) as is the adjacent property to the north. An animal shelter is a permitted use in this zoning classification as long as no outdoor animal runs are located within 300 feet of any property zoned or used for residential purposes. The properties to the east and south are zoned Heavy Manufacturing (HH) while the properties to the west are Residential – Town House (R-TH). The project is scheduled to be reviewed at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Aug. 13.
Site Analysis
The City completed a Site Analysis of the property to verify that this site would meet the needs of a new animal shelter facility and to identify any potential challenges in the planning, design and construction phases. The site analysis included a preliminary building sketch to assess the location’s feasibility, however, the specific programming and design of this facility has not yet been developed.
Stormwater
The City is aware of stormwater drainage concerns in the area and plan to further evaluate the stormwater needs of the site during the design phase of this project.