Council Hears Report on Need for Housing; Approves Sarah Bush Rezoning on Maple Street

Representatives of Development Planning Partners and The 1861 Group presented the Housing Economic Recovery Plan, created though the RISE Grant. It was noted that Effingham has many pluses, among them the location of the community, and a number of growing busineses. Chief among the minuses, though, are the number of workers who commute to Effingham from outside the county, as well as the housing supply, which was described as "incredibly limited". The point made was that housing growth hasn't kept pace with job growth. The need for new housing was judged "significant", and the point was made that if things don't change as far as places to live, it could "disincentivize development". 

City Commissioner Hank Stephens said, "This (study) is a good blueprint for us. We don't want this to collect dust."

City Administrator Steve Miller said they are working to get information from other communities on what they are doing to grow and develop. City Commissioner Libby Moeller asked for ways to make the information contained in the study available to local residents.

Meanwhile, the Council voted to approve the rezoning of a better than 12-acre tract along North Maple Street from single-family residence district to multiple dwelling district with provisions that there be no residential development on the parcel. The tract is targeted for development as a medical complex and pharmacy. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center plans to build a 20,000 to 30,000 square foot facility on the parcel it is acquiring from Agracel, Incorporated. Stephens said when that portion of Maple Street was built, it was with an eye toward developing the property for medical facilities. Access to the parcel will be limited to Maple Street, not the side streets in that area.

The Council amended the City Zoning Ordinance regulating modular dwellings and manufactured homes. The Council also voted to award a water main relocation project on Henrietta Street for $761,000 and a sanitary sewer main replacement project on Fayette Avenue for $941,000. Both projects are part of the Fayette Avenue reconstruction project. The State will reimburse half the cost of the water main project and 100% of the sewer main project.

Several projects were up for discussion, but not a vote. Among those were a liquor license for The Local Sports Bar and Grill, to be located along Keller Drive; an agreement on a web-based project to manage code compliance and inspections; and another 600-foot easterly extension of Ford Avenue including a box culvert. 

Also discussed was a proposal for engineering services for storm sewer improvements on Mt. Vernon Avenue and Jaycee Avenue; and engineering work on Stage 2 of the reconstruction of Evergreen Avenue from Willenborg Street west to near Oceola Street.

Items approved Tuesday by the Council included stop signs on Cardinal Drive as it approaches Oceola Street, and the start of a sewer rate study. The Council also witnessed the presentation of a Lifesaving Award and a Special Act Award by City Police Chief Jason McFarland to police officer Brittany Lowery for actions during an overdose incident in June. We will have more about the incident and the presentation in subsequent reports.