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: [...]
The Springfield City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved William O'Hearn as director of Lincoln Library. O'Hearn comes to Springfield from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was most recently supervisor of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Downtown Branch. He will be paid $85,000 and will have 12 months to establish residency in Springfield.
The Springfield City Council on Tuesday voted down a proposal to give them oversight of certain new apartment and storage unit developments. The proposal comes about a month after the council approved raising the threshold to trigger oversight of large scale developments. Springfield mayor Jim Langfelder had proposed a change to the city's large scale [...]
The following building, electrical or other permits were recently approved for projects in Springfield by the City of Springfield Building and Zoning Office: -Silverleaf Children's Academy, 2715 S. Fourth St., obtained a permit for a 3,800-square-foot remodel. The contractor is Joyner Construction, and the project valuation is $80,000. -Glen Garrison obtained a permit obtained a permit [...]
The City of Springfield is poised to accept a $14 million federal grant to help pay for new underpasses where Ash and Laurel streets cross the 10th Street rail corridor. The underpasses are the next phase of Springfield's ongoing rail relocation project. At a Springfield City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, the [...]
Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath is proposing the creation of a new TIF district near Rochester to enable a subdivision development. The Springfield City Council Committee of the Whole voted on Tuesday to forward the proposed ordinance to the full city council for a vote. According to a proposed ordinance under consideration by the city [...]
The Springfield City Council is considering another change to its oversight of large scale developments, potentially specifying that certain multi-family residential projects and storage unit projects would be subject to review. In May, the council approved raising the project acreage which would trigger the review process. On Tuesday, the council's Committee of the Whole forwarded [...]
TV provider Dish Network LLC was ordered to pay $280 million in fines this week in a federal lawsuit filed in Springfield. The lawsuit, filed in March 2009 by the attorneys general of Illinois and three other states, alleged that Dish Network violated federal law regarding telemarketing practices. In an order filed June 5, U.S. [...]
By Monica Stabile The Home Builders Association of Illinois spoke out Tuesday against service tax legislation which they say would cause a loss of more than 500 jobs and almost $8 million in state revenue. Meanwhile, the bill's sponsor says she would change the proposal if other lawmakers would agree. The proposal being considered by [...]
By Monica Stabile Legislation to provide financial incentives for first-time business owners was approved Wednesday by the Illinois Senate. Dubbed the “Entrepreneur Learner’s Permit,” the pilot program hopes to boost small business growth by reimbursing some licensing and permit costs to first-time business owners. Entrepreneurs who qualify for the program include new information services, biotechnology and [...]
