Community Involvement Committee

THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING November 19, 2025 12:00 p.m. Councilman Denny Whayne Conference Room (Bush Building, 4th floor) 840 Boonville Avenue MEMBERS PRESENT: Callie Carroll, Chair; Derek Lee; Monica Horton; and Heather Hardinger. MEMBERS ABSENT: None. COUNCIL PRESENT: Bruce Adib-Yazdi. STAFF PRESENT: Maurice S. Jones, Deputy City Manager; Collin Quigley, Deputy City Manager; Amanda Ohlensehlen, Director of Economic Vitality and Workforce Development; Cora Scott, Director of Public Information and Civic Engagement; Melissa Hart, Assistant Director of Public Information and Civic Engagement; Kristen Milam, Senior Communications Coordinator; Zachary Martin, Principal Engineer; Timothy Schoenhoff, Professional Engineer; Errin Kemper, Director of Environmental Services; Ronald Petering, Assistant Director of Environmental Services; Anita Cotter, City Clerk; and Tonia Stopka, City Clerk Administrative Specialist. GUESTS: Krista Shurtz, City Utilities; Ben Jones, City Utilities; Kevin Barnes, Greene County; and Becky Volz, Neighborhood Advisory Council. Call to Order Councilmember Carroll, Chair, called the meeting to order at approximately 12:04 p.m. Roll call was conducted. Present: Heather Hardinger, Monica Horton, Derek Lee, and Callie Carroll. Absent: None. Approval of Minutes Councilmember Horton moved to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2025, meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Lee and was approved by the following vote: Ayes: Lee, Horton, Hardinger, and Carroll. Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None. Staff Presentation: Utility Growth Areas Surrounding the City of Springfield Maurice S. Jones, Deputy City Manager, introduced Errin Kemper, Director of Environmental Services. Mr. Kemper presented a detailed overview of growth and development within the city of Springfield and surrounding communities. He described the Urban Service Area policy, which was adopted in 1985 and revised in 1999 and 2005, Community Involvement Committee approved on 1 March 17, 2026 as a coordinated philosophy for urban growth outside the city limits. The plan identified a geographic area surrounding Springfield where urban services such as sewer, water, and transportation should be extended to support development while minimizing costs to ratepayers. Mr. Kemper described the longstanding partnership between the City of Springfield and Greene County in relation to wastewater services. He explained county zoning regulations required a public sewer for urban density development and the City served as the sole provider of public sewers in the Urban Service Area. He noted this arrangement allowed development in the county at urban densities without annexation into city limits. Mr. Kemper described the growth boundary agreements between Springfield and surrounding municipalities, such as Willard, Republic, Rogersville, Strafford, and Battlefield, which established annexation limits and restricted the extension of utilities across boundaries, except by contract. He reviewed the City Annexation Policy adopted in 1995 and noted it generally required annexation, or consent to annexation, prior to providing sewer service. The policy also limited sewer services to residential properties outside the city. He shared his belief that historic sewer extension practices had influenced current development patterns and the current policy should be revisited to provide clearer guidance and greater flexibility. Mr. Kemper distinguished between urban and rural growth, emphasizing differences in density, infrastructure needs, and long-term fiscal impacts. He cautioned extending sewer infrastructure in anticipation of urban densities that do not occur could result in stranded infrastructure and increased costs. He presented data indicating twenty-nine percent of sewer customers resided outside city limits and summarized related policy tools, including the City/County Sewer Agreement, City Code Chapter 98, and the Forward SGF Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Kemper concluded the presentation by recommending the formation of a multi- agency work group to include the City of Springfield, Greene County, City Utilities, and appropriate boards and commissions. The group would review policies and develop a comprehensive growth strategy. Discussion Committee members and staff discussed how population growth had increasingly occurred outside the city limits and how this trend affected infrastructure planning, service delivery, and long-term cost recovery. They agreed on the need to balance redevelopment within the existing urban core and at the edge of the city. Committee members expressed various concerns related to growth, such as how limited trunk sewer construction hindered urban development. Staff responded transportation corridors must be considered together with sewer, water, and electric infrastructure and agreed development could not occur without adequate access. Community Involvement Committee approved on 2 March 17, 2026 Committee members discussed the fiscal impacts of annexation, including infrastructure maintenance, public safety service costs, and revenue considerations. They inquired whether annexing commercial property would provide greater fiscal benefit than annexing residential neighborhoods. Members also questioned whether the city could offer incentives or support for either option. Staff responded cities rely primarily on sales tax, rather than property tax, for revenue. Staff further clarified that annexation of residential areas, without significant commercial activity, could impose additional costs without corresponding revenue, particularly for services such as streets, police, and fire. Committee members agreed on the need for return on investment analysis prior to the implementation of growth and annexation decisions. Committee members and staff agreed the present was an advantageous time for collaborative planning, because both Greene County and the City of Springfield were updating their comprehensive plans. Committee members expressed support for a coordinated approach involving Greene County, City Utilities, and neighboring jurisdictions to ensure infrastructure investments aligned with long-term planning goals. Recommendation Councilmember Lee moved the Community Involvement Committee recommend staff from the City of Springfield, Greene County, City Utilities, and appropriate boards and commissions form a working group to review the City Annexation Policy, Urban Service Area Policy, the City-County Sewer Agreement, City Code Chapter 98, and other related policies to develop a comprehensive strategy for urban growth, utility extension, and annexation. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Hardinger and approved by the following vote: Ayes: Hardinger, Horton, Lee, and Carroll. Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None. Adjournment With no further business to come before the committee, Councilmember Lee moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Horton and approved by the following vote: Ayes: Hardinger, Horton, Lee, and Carroll. Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None. The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:45 p.m. Prepared by Tonia Stopka Community Involvement Committee approved on 3 March 17, 2026