Springfield ICON

Independent Coalition for Our Neighborhoods

ICON News

  • Springfield ICON: Oppose change to Large Scale Development planning

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    The Springfield ICON Steering Committee wants you to know you can do something TODAY to limit urban sprawl, to support city planning, and to avoid having your city taxes spread over an even-larger area, which reduces funds for existing neighborhoods for infrastructure, police, fire, leaf & branch pickup, and snow removal. Tonight, on May 16,…

  • Springfield Household Hazardous Waste Collection September 16, 2017, 8am-11pm

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    Hazardous Waste drop off event is scheduled for Saturday, September 16th from 8am-1pm at Illinois State Fairgrounds. Participants will enter through Gate 11 and go to Lot 21.

  • Springfield ICON Announces Ward 6 Endorsement for Kristin DiCenso

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    Springfield ICON members met Monday, March 27 to vote to endorse Kristin DiCenso for Ward 6 Alderman to replace the position vacated when former Alderman Cory Jobe moved out of the city. We believe DiCenso will provide the visionary leadership we seek for Springfield.

  • ICON Holiday Party and Annual Meeting Fundraiser 2016 – Monday, Dec 12

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    Support Springfield’s Neighborhoods – Support Springfield ICON You are invited! Monday, December 12, 2016 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm Maldaner’s Restaurant Buffet Dinner, soft drinks Cash Bar Tickets $30 per person available from an ICON Steering Committee member or online at icon2016.eventbrite.com. Due to limited seating capacity, tickets MAY NOT be available at the door.…

  • ICON says goodbye to Ward 6 Alderman Cory Jobe

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    Members of Springfield ICON said goodbye to Ward 6 Alderman Cory Jobe at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Carol Kneedler, ICON Chair, and member of the Iles Park Neighborhood Association thanked Cory for his work for neighborhood and and his willingness to take the lead for positive change for all our city, noting Cory’s efforts…

  • Springfield Household Hazardous Waste Collection Sat, Nov 5, 8am-noon

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    SEE ACCEPTABLE / UNACCEPTABLE ITEMS BELOW! Springfield residents only – must bring photo ID! IL State Fairgrounds – enter Gate 11 from Sangamon Avenue. Items will be removed at fair parking lot 21. Cars will exit at Gate 7. Plan to go early. Before you go, consider asking your nearby neighbors, especially elderly or disabled,…

  • Kudos to city of Champaign / Urbana for hosting 2016 RNNC

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    Kudos to the city of Champaign / Urbana for hosting and being involved with the Regional Neighborhood Network Conference 2016! This conference, taking place on September 29 – October 1, 2016, is a three‐day event hosted by one of 24 Midwestern cities. It’s a place where community leaders,  volunteers, corporations, local government agencies, and businesses gather to…

  • Garbage reform passed July 5, 2016

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    On Tuesday, July 5, the Springfield City Council approved changes to the City’s garbage ordinance that should improve garbage service in Springfield and help clean up all neighborhoods. We thank Mayor Langfelder and the City Council for working with all stakeholders to craft ordinance changes that work toward a cleaner city. The most important aspects…

  • Problem property ordinance passes July 5, 2016

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    ICON thanks Alderman Proctor, Alderman McMenamin, the Realtors, and Corporation Council and looks forward to seeing the results in Springfield’s older neighborhoods. This will provide a useful tool for City inspectors and City legal to clean up long-term problem properties. ICON supports ordinance 2016-099, which updates the Defenses to Code Violations ordinance.  This change targets…

  • ICON Letter: The Magic of City Planning

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    Springfield ICON believes the City of Springfield would benefit from having a City Planner focused specifically on the city and tasked with creating city plans based on best practices and on efficiently implementing those plans in partnership with developers and property owners.  This person’s work could be supported by the currently-contracted Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning…

  • ICON Supports Neighborhood in Salvation Army move

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    At ICON’s April meeting, we voted unanimously to speak to the City Council in support of the Pioneer Park Neighborhood Association’s opposition to having the Salvation Army move into their neighborhood. Our remarks to the Council on June 7 are below. When I first heard about the proposed move of the Salvation Army to Gold’s…

  • ICON Publishes Quick Guide to City Council

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    For neighborhood leaders or volunteers who aren’t already familiar with the City of Springfield government, the multitude of contacts, departments, and different websites with different layouts and naming conventions can be a barrier to effective action. ICON presents this quick guide to the City Council as a small contribution to clarity. Download ICON’s Quick Guide…

  • ICON Guide to Creating a Neighborhood Association – NEW!

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    Neighborhood associations represent an area of the city where residents and business partners share common goals. A good neighborhood association can have a significant positive influence on the quality of life in a neighborhood. Strong neighborhood associations support ICON’s mission to improve quality of life in Springfield’s older neighborhoods. ICON has just published their new…

  • New Springfield City Arborist & Recommended Tree Lists

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    At the Harvard Park Neighborhood Association meeting on April 20, we heard from Springfield City Arborist Jeffrey Reim, who provided the following lists of trees for possible use by Springfield residents. Central Illinois trees, with indications based on location and environment… Download the recommended tree list… Download the undesirable tree list… Springfield ICON will be…

  • ICON supports Chronic Nuisance Landlord Ordinance

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    Springfield ICON submitted the following guest editorial to the SJ-R that was published Saturday, March 19 in the SJ-R. Look for more on problem properties coming soon. It’s time to fix our problem properties What’s it like to see the house next door sell for half of what it did 10 years ago? What’s it…

  • Rail Relocation Project Update – Feb. 11, 4-7 pm

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    In cooperation with Sangamon County, the City of Springfield and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Springfield Rail Improvement project will relocate all passenger and freight traffic from the Third Street corridor to Tenth Street; construct roadway underpasses at critical rail crossings on both the Tenth and Nineteenth Street corridors; and eliminate train horns…

  • ICON Annual Holiday Party & Annual Meeting Fundraiser 2015

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    Support Springfield’s Neighborhoods Support Springfield ICON You are invited! Monday, December 7, 2015 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm Shepardo’s in Vinegar Hill Pizza, Pasta & Dessert Buffet, soft drinks Cash Bar Tickets available at the door for $25. Agenda Social Hour ICON Update 2015 Second Annual Good Neighbor Awards ICON Election Buffet Dinner Good Neighbor Awards Individual…

  • Springfield Ward plan meetings start Nov 2 – attend yours – give your input!

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    Your input is needed! City of Springfield Ward Plan meetings are open forums where citizens are welcome to share their priorities. Topics could include: economic development, infrastructure, recreation, public safety, utilities, community resources, transportation, housing development, and beautification. Mayor Jim Langfelder said the process will help the City create a cohesive strategy for Springfield. The…

  • Key Gateway Property: Bel-Aire Motel comes down

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    We hope Harvard Park Neighborhood Association gets to keep the Bel-Aire seal for a park or greenspace.  Meantime, we’re posting photos of the demolition.  Kudos to the City and to Harvard Park for working to improve the area. More info at SJ-R.com… Now the City and developers need to put some effort and intentionality into…

  • Springfield ICON Announces Candidate Recommendations for 2015

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    Today, for the first time ever, Springfield Inner City Older Neighborhoods is recommending Springfield municipal candidates for election. Springfield ICON is a group of neighborhood leaders who work together to improve the quality of life throughout Springfield’s older neighborhoods. An improved quality of life in older neighborhoods will raise the quality of life for all…