Springfield, Missouri, to fix zoning problems

Tight regulations surrounding zoning codes in Springfield, Missouri, are currently being debated in the city council, according to News-Leader. The problems stem from a 2010 bill that was meant to simplify the code and make it easier to understand. An unintended consequence was that pawnshops were now being listed in multiple categories which disallowed them from building in either {unclear}. The problem was not immediately noticed until a recent application was made by broker Cory Loftis, the news source discovered. Fixing the problem is a major focus of the City Council, but there is currently some concern about future unintended consequences. While the previous attempt to fix zoning codes seems to have resulted in problems, there is a concerted effort to avoid such issues moving forward. For example, by rewording the highway commercial category, the government needs to be sure businesses can not set up in residential neighborhoods. The discussion is not centered around whether pawn shops and other forms of short term lending are allowed to operate, but simply how to fix previous oversight.