Planning Commission approves Blackwood Farms preliminary plat with permit cap tied to intersection improvements

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Planning Commission on June 5 approved the preliminary plat for Blackwood Farms and required that no more than 310 building permits be issued for the subdivision until identified intersection improvements at Blackwood Drive and Memorial Boulevard are permitted, constructed and fully operational.

City staff said the restriction reflects findings in a traffic impact study prepared by Fishbach Transportation Group in January 2022. Miss Durham, the city’s Community Development Director, told commissioners staff added the note to the face of the plat to match the study’s recommendations and to ensure the planned road improvements are in place before the subdivision is built out.

The restriction was discussed at length during the public hearing and staff presentation because the subdivision fronts both the north and south sides of Blackwood Drive and because that corridor experiences peak congestion during large events at the Roxbury County Fairgrounds and at school dismissals. An adjacent engineering representative, Mr. Lyons, described the study’s recommended improvements: a dedicated left-turn lane (or dedicating an existing lane as a left-turn lane) and sufficient storage length at the Blackwood–Memorial intersection. Lyons said the study did not recommend a traffic signal; it called instead for turn-lane improvements and storage capacity.

A resident who presented traffic counts at the meeting emphasized peak congestion on event days and school dismissal times. City staff and commissioners noted that the traffic study used average daily trip generation and does not account for “outlier” events such as the fair, which produces short-term surges in traffic.

Staff also explained how system development charges (SDCs) factor into future improvements. Durham said the city’s SDC for a single-family home is $9,968 and that for multifamily units the figure discussed at the meeting was $77.64; she explained those fees are placed in funds the city uses for future, project-specific infrastructure such as roads, parks and utilities.

Commissioners used the discussion to raise broader planning questions. Several commissioners urged a future review of the zoning ordinance and consideration of performance-based zoning to shift some infrastructure costs and requirements onto developers rather than taxpayers. Staff said the commission can schedule work sessions to explore ordinance changes and tools to better align development approvals with infrastructure needs.

A motion to approve the Blackwood Farms preliminary plat with the staff-added note limiting permits to 310 until the intersection work is complete carried on a roll-call vote; the clerk recorded nine votes in favor and no recorded votes against. The commission did not identify a named mover or seconder in the meeting record.

The planning commission packet includes an updated homeowners association document provided by Lennar Holmes; staff said the HOA document has been approved and was included in the agenda packet for June 5. The annexation and zoning of portions of the property were completed in 2022 and the most recent traffic study was prepared at that time.

The commission’s approval allows the developer to proceed toward final plat and permitting steps subject to the permit cap and to any outstanding civil and landscaping comments staff identified.

Votes at a glance: Approve Blackwood Farms preliminary plat with permit cap tied to intersection improvements — Passed (9 yes, 0 no, mover/second: not specified).