Neighbors come together in unique opportunity to create community plan
In 2003, the Kroger-anchored shopping center at the northeast corner of Spring Mill Road and 161st Street created a heated zoning battle that enraged neighboring subdivisions and ended up in court. A decade later, the same group of neighbors is working with Westfield planners before more unwanted development comes to the controversial intersection.
“The history of this corner is legendary by now,” Mulberry Farms HOA President Mark Christoffersen said. “With the ongoing processes and multiple developers seeking opportunities for these corners it was important for people who have an interest to collaboratively come together. We needed a more consistent plan across all corners.”
Westfield Economic Development Director Matt Skelton said the Spring Mill Station Study Group is being proactive to create a vision for the intersection that will guide future development.
“It’s their plan,” he said. “They solve a problem instead of forming a remonstrance. Instead of preventing something they are trying to create. They have a huge interest in making a community identity.”
The remaining three corners of the intersection are highly attractive pieces of land, according to numerous city officials.
“There’s tons of interest,” Skelton said. “Every year one or two developers eye trying to do something on a corner or two.”
In 2012, Cooperstown Partners presented a plan for a four-building commercial area which included a Walgreens pharmacy. To prevent a public backlash, city officials asked neighbors to think about what they’d like to see at the intersection. Mayor Andy Cook said the neighboring residents are tired of developers bombarding them with projects.
“They are integral in making it work well,” he said. “They really are driving the process to create a plan for the entire area. The neighbors all have a voice and the developers and community know it.”
Jeannine Fortier, a resident of Enclave at Maple Knoll, joined the study group when it was created over a year ago.
“I was very much against any big box stores or unwanted development coming in,” she said. “I thought, ‘no way, you’re not going to do it.’”
Spring Mill Station, a railroad-themed neighborhood hub, will include public art, green space and multiuse trails to create a new identity for the community. Organizers said suggested use of the area includes retail, restaurants, offices and health care, and housing with apartments, senior living and single-family homes.
“It’s something that hasn’t been done in this area – a unique development,” Christoffersen said. “It’s more than a strip mall, it’s a destination.”
Fortier said the group indentified one specific goal: to create a warm, inviting community center where residents could feel safe and meet neighbors. She said they also wanted to have bicycle and walking trails connect one subdivision to another. The group traveled across the state and country viewing other communities that have successfully integrated housing and retail. Fortier and her husband went to Kirkwood, Mo. to view its railroad theme.
“The main goal is to make it consistent on all corners,” Fortier said, adding the four focus points are connectivity, great buffering, community and better safety.
The group unveiled preliminary plans for Spring Mill Station in December.
“For the most part it’s been very positive. People are engaging and asking, ‘How can I have input in some of the ideas?’ To me this is surprising. People are stepping up and being engaged,” said Fortier. “Some people are still very sore on the Kroger plan but those looking to sell property are incredibly eager.”
In addition to meeting with neighbors, the group has met with potential developers who have shown interest in the intersection.
“So far it’s been a positive outcome. Nothing is set in stone. Their feedback was expected, they had some concerns – so do we. I’m very positive there will be some middle ground,” Christoffersen said. “Who knows what’s going to happen? The mayor changes, city councilors change. Developers are still going to be there, still knocking on the door. If we are going to develop in the area these are the guidelines developers are going to have to follow.”
Christoffersen said the group still has some work to do and will dive into the collected feedback. He expects the plan to be introduced in February or early March.
“We want to get this to fruition as quickly as we can,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll see some movement this year.”
Once the plan is finalized, Skelton said the project will likely come before the city council as a comprehensive master plan – and like others will be introduced, have a public hearing and a vote by the Westfield Advisory Plan Committee, and come back to the council for adoption.
Who: The Spring Mill Station Study Group consists of neighborhood representatives from the surrounding neighborhoods of Enclave at Maple Knoll, Countryside, Mulberry Farms and Crosswind Commons. Combined it represents roughly 1,000 homes.
Planning area: The entire map area is currently zoned for single family residential. The Spring Mill Station Study Group selected the planning area shown in yellow as a potential area for infill development with a mix of uses. The boundary the group chose clearly delineates where infill development activity shall cease in order to prevent non-residential creep along the corridors.
Name: Spring Mill Station was chosen for the following reasons: “Station” continues the downtown Westfield theme of Grand Junction and acknowledges the railroad lines in the area. “Station” is also a reference to the history of the underground railroad in Westfield.
Land use: The area is envisioned to serve the needs of the local community (not a regional draw) and reduce the need to travel across the community fulfill basic needs. The area will have a heavy preference for additional restaurants and outdoor eating areas and for a “unique” style of stores and restaurants in the planning area.
Large buffers: Providing large buffer areas protects surrounding neighborhoods from potential negative impacts such as noise, lights, traffic, smell, etc. by using trees, berms and long open spaces.
Architecture: Building on the railroad-inspired name and applying a thematic railroad-era design across the entire planning area provide a consistent and timeless feel and eliminate typical franchise architecture. The architectural elements also allow for clear distinction from typical commercial/residential developments.
Conceptual plans: Each plan represents one possible build-out scenario showing how this area potentially could develop in the future. There is an unlimited number of build-out scenarios which, if created, would achieve the Spring Mill Station vision.
Conceptual Plan A: Incorporates a rerouting of 161st Street and Spring Mill Road that shows the neighborhood “hub” in center of the planning area
Conceptual Plan B: Incorporates a more traditional street layout and roundabout with the village green concept on the southwest corner of the planning area; the plan also depicts buildings constructed close to the right-of-way with a slip lane for parking
