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Council updates zoning ordinance to reflect chief development officer's code-enforcement authority
Summary
The council approved changes to the zoning ordinance (Article 2, Section 2.2) to align local code language with a 2008 legislative act that consolidated development and code-enforcement authority under the chief development officer/community development director.
The Springfield City Council voted to amend the zoning ordinance to reflect that the director of community development, also known as the chief development officer (CDO), has administrative oversight of code and zoning enforcement.
Tim Sheehan, the city's chief development officer, said the change is an administrative "catch up" to implement requirements from state and local legislative actions tied to the city's emergence from receivership in 2008. "The request before you this evening is basically to catch up with the legislative acts of 02/2008," Sheehan said, explaining the acts created a consolidated director role for community development and related enforcement duties.
Attorney Moore (identified in the hearing as the city attorney) told the council the change is housekeeping: the zoning ordinance needs to reflect statutory and administrative reality so that the CDO is explicitly listed as head of building and zoning code enforcement.
Councilors asked clarifying questions. Councilor Davila said he recalled a similar administrative change and sought confirmation this was not creating a new position; Sheehan and counsel confirmed no personnel changes would result and that the update merely reflects authority already established by the 2008 act. Councilor Whitfield asked whether the definition of "building commissioner" is changing; city staff confirmed definitions are being updated to list the CDO as the authority over code enforcement.
Councilor Perez asked about the Zoning Board of Appeals and whether membership needs updating; staff said the board will retain its role and the mayor's office is working to appoint additional commissioners. Whitfield asked for consideration of younger members and people of color in future appointees.
The council approved the ordinance amendment by roll call. The record shows the change is administrative and does not alter existing personnel assignments; the city noted that, under the updated ordinance, signatures on enforcement actions would correctly reflect the CDO's authority rather than a prior signatory (Steve Desilets).
