Council approves housing and zoning measures, places three-year solar purchase agreement on first reading

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Springfield City Council on Feb. 18 approved a package of zoning, housing and financial measures and placed a proposed three-year solar power purchase agreement on first reading.

The council adopted ordinances and votes that included funding for a 50-home affordable housing project, a use variance for a contracting and fabrication shop, and the appointment of Jeffrey G. Cox as alderman for Ward 1. Council members also voted 11-0 to put on first reading an agreement to purchase solar capacity from Birch Creek Development LLC for up to $8,300,250 over three years for the Office of Public Utilities.

Why it matters: The votes move forward housing and economic development projects backed by city funding and set the city on a path to add a short-term solar supply contract to diversify the municipal energy portfolio. The solar agreement will return to committee for further review before additional council action.

What the council passed or acted on

• Appointment of Jeffrey G. Cox (Ordinance docket 2025047). The council moved the ordinance through procedural steps and on final passage the motion passed “with 9 voting yes, none voting no,” and Cox was sworn in as alderman for Ward 1.

• Zoning docket 2025-001 (2168 South Ninth Street). Petitioned by Apex Fire Sprinkler Company LLC, the council approved the staff recommendation to grant a use variance allowing the property to operate as a fire sprinkler contracting office and fabrication shop in a B-1 Highway Business Service District, as described in the petition and exhibits. The motion passed with 10 voting yes and none voting no.

• Zoning docket 2024-042 (2242 South Sixth Street). The council continued consideration of requested sign- and temporary-sign variances for 2242 South Sixth Street to March 18. Planning staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended denial; the item was continued by motion.

• Affordable housing measures (Ordinances 2025-063 and 2025-064). The council authorized the use of $500,000 in Far East TIF funds for infrastructure to support construction of 50 affordable single-family homes as part of the Nehemiah Homes redevelopment project, and approved a subrecipient HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) grant agreement with NeMI Expansion Incorporated for up to $1,000,000 for the same 50-home project. Both measures passed with 10 voting yes and none voting no.

• Solar purchase agreement (Ordinance 2025-097). The council suspended the rules to place on first reading an ordinance accepting an agreement with Birch Creek Development LLC to purchase all MISO Zone 4 capacity from a solar energy installation for three years, not to exceed $8,300,250, for the Office of Public Utilities. The roll-call vote to place the item on first reading was 11-0; the item will return for further committee review before final passage.

• Treasurer’s report. Treasurer Redpath presented the corporate fund report for January, showing a beginning balance of $48,000,943.17; total receipts of $21,721,768; total disbursements of $15,671,494; and an ending corporate fund balance of $54,992,291. The treasurer said the report includes an ARPA-related balance of $10,731,351 for January. The council voted to accept the report into the record.

What’s next: The solar power agreement will be reviewed at the committee-of-the-whole meeting next week. Zoning docket 2024-042 was continued to March 18. Other items requiring further action will return to council according to the regular agenda and committee schedule.

Votes at a glance (action, motion outcome, tally)

• Ordinance 2025047 — Appointment of Jeffrey G. Cox, Alderman Ward 1: final passage — passed, 9 yes, 0 no.

• Docket 2025-001 — Use variance for 2168 South Ninth Street (Apex Fire Sprinkler Co. LLC): approve staff recommendation for use variance — passed, 10 yes, 0 no.

• Docket 2024-042 — Variances for 2242 South Sixth Street: continued to March 18 — motion carried.

• Ordinance 2025-063 — $500,000 Far East TIF for Nehemiah Homes infrastructure (50 units): final passage — passed, 10 yes, 0 no.

• Ordinance 2025-064 — HOME subrecipient grant with NeMI Expansion Inc. up to $1,000,000 (50 units): final passage — passed, 10 yes, 0 no.

• Ordinance 2025-097 — Agreement with Birch Creek Development LLC for solar capacity purchase (3 years, not to exceed $8,300,250): placed on first reading — roll call 11-0.

A note on procedure and records: Where the transcript recorded a numeric tally but did not list every member’s roll-call vote, this item reports the tallies as read aloud by the clerk or chair. Further roll-call documentation appears in the official meeting minutes and ordinance records.