Or at least an accurate description of where their boundaries end?? I can't find one anywhere. Thanks.
To be honest, they have no real "jurisdiction" anywhere. They have a small amount, and getting smaller, of influence over things that happen in the Springfield Historic District.
The membership and therefore, based on that, the city allows them some amount of influence in an advisory capacity over certain things. Like they can have a review committee that influences but does not and can not determine HPC matters. The same with everything else. They can use their perceived influence to talk with the city council and the city departments, but they have absolutely no power to decide nor change anything.
You never have to talk to SPAR Council about anything at all. Everything you need to do or find out is available from the historic department or other city departments. The purpose for a local organization like this is to inform the community and to speak for the community with the city. Nothing more.
A CDC (Community Development Corporation), like Metro North and what SPAR Council sometimes seems to be trying to be, also does a bit more. They are not typically open to the public for membership and they have some additional determinations that they can make due to the fact they they receive and pass through funding for various development projects. But they ultimately have no more real influence that a normal community organization.
Strider is absolutely correct. SPAR is not a governing body - it is a citizens group that advises HPC on the Springfield Historic District - HPC is the governing body.
^yup, correct.
There is a map online at coj.net of Historic Springfield's boundaries, if that is what you are interested in. Hang on.