The Springfield City Council approved zoning variances for three proposed restaurants on Tuesday.

City ordinance limits the locations of establishments selling alcohol. It’s common for restaurants, bars and similar establishments to seek zoning variances allowing them to open in areas otherwise prohibited.

At the city council meeting on Tuesday, aldermen approved variances for restaurants at:

–3236 Ginger Creek Dr., at Ginger Creek Plaza off of Koke Mill Road.

–517 S. 4th St., the future location of Loukinen’s On 4th.

–3141 Hedley Road, in the future Hedley Plaza.

The city council also approved a relocation of billboards onto land that the city currently owns and wants to sell. The variance allows the billboards to be 140 feet from the nearest residential lot instead of the required 500 feet. Polly Poskin of Springfield opposed the variance request, which was approved 9-0. A separate zoning variance regarding billboard relocation was also approved.