New plans for Springfield High to be unveiled
SPRINGFIELD >> The school board will hold the last update on the high school master plan prior to its appearance before the township Planning Commission.
“We have prepared and submitted our application to the township, and expect to present at the April 6 meeting,” said School Director Doug Carney, chairman of the facilities committee.
The board will hold its meeting at 7 tonight in the high school auditorium. According to district officials, it will take the form of an information session of all changes made to the plan since last fully brought before the public. The configuration and site specific details have been available on the district’s website for several months. The entire process, including questions and answers, has also been archived.
The latest overall scheme, which the district calls Plan B.1, has responded to concerns of nearby residents and the St. Francis parish community, as well as those expressed by planning commission members during the November 2016 appearance. Planners denied the application largely due to issues of traffic patterns and circulation and proximity to St. Francis buildings. While the location of the school at the corner of Saxer Avenue and South Rolling Road remains the same as selected by the board months ago, the current plan addresses those specific matters with shifts of the building and roadways.
The board is poised to review the plan and ready the public for the township’s planning meeting at the municipal building. However, unlike past “town hall” sessions, there will not be an “open mic” portion for back and forth between those attending, the board and consultants.
It is also incumbent upon the public to keep in mind what has been said by township officials with regard to various roles of boards and commissions: the planning commission will not weigh in on whether the school district should build a new high school, or debate the cost. Its duty is to review the technicalities related to zoning and land development.