Stretch of Lone Pine Avenue including Sequiota Park could get special taxing authority

An area of town that has been getting a lot of buzz for the past couple of years may soon have special taxing authority.

At its Monday meeting, the Springfield City Council will hear a proposal to establish a Galloway Community Improvement District encompassing the area along Lone Pine Avenue from just north of East Lacuna Street south to East Republic Road. 

The district would include Sequiota Park, portions of the Galloway Creek Greenway Trail, the cluster of buildings on the west side of Lone Pine that includes 4 by 4 Brewing, and several businesses on the east side of Lone Pine. 

It would not contain many of the nearby residential areas from which people have been vocal in their opposition to new apartment complexes and large-scale developments in the area.

However, one member of the Galloway Village Neighborhood Association would be able to attend improvement district board meetings as a non-voting member, according to documents submitted to the city. 

If approved, the district would have the power ask for a special sales tax of up to 1 percent to pay for improvements, such as:

• Signs, lighting, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, trail connections or other public right-of-way improvements 
• Additional parking and enforcement
• Holiday lights and decorations
• Cleaning and maintaining sidewalks, alleys and parking lots
• Trash removal 
• Landscaping
• Additional police, safety and security services
• Marketing, such as a website, visitor guides, or banners

In order to leverage a tax, more than 50 percent of voters within the district would have to approve it through a mail-in ballot election at a later date. 

The special taxing district vote comes as the council is considering whether to approve a neighborhood plan for the broader Galloway area. 

Last week, city planners presented their map for the future development of the area, which included several plans mirroring the goals of the special sales tax. 

The city council will receive public comment on the formation of the CID and taxing power at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Historic City Hall, 830 Boonville Ave.