Editorial
Banquet Hall Zoning
Banquet Halls in the rural areas of Sangamon County may not be the best use of agricultural land and certainly adds to the continued transportation problems we are experiencing in Springfield. In Sunday’s SJ-R article about the County Board being ready to approve these types of zoning variances, Patti Rudolph, whose family has resided in the New Berlin area since the 1800’s, makes some excellent points that should have everyone thinking about not rushing to adopt this resolution.
County Board Chairman Van Meter recently helped me understand why Koke Mill Lane running north of Old Jacksonville Road has remained unimproved throughout the years. This road has become dangerous with the massive build out of Churches, Retirement Villages, Apartments and Family Residences. The probable cause for this poorly maintained two lane road is jurisdictional. Worst yet, the Sangamon Planning Commission does not have the Koke Mill Road prioritized for safety upgrading as construction of buildings continues on this stretch of road. This dilemma is repeating itself throughout rural areas being newly developed.
Rural township governments really can’t afford to do major road improvements much less maintain more and more roads due to our runaway urban sprawl. It’s unfortunate that the City of Springfield eventually has to build and maintain infrastructure so that rural areas can transform into something else.