NLR approves waivers at planned Amazon site

The North Little Rock City Council approved granting waivers of certain city requirements Monday that clear the way for Amazon to place a temporary distribution center on property near the interchange of Interstates 30 and 40.

Amazon, one of the world’s largest retailers, will put up a 16,333-square-foot tent structure on the 4.5-acre property at 1920 North Locust St. that will serve as a sorting facility.

The waivers, mostly concerning the addition of shade trees and buffers, won’t apply without further council action if Amazon chooses to build a permanent location in North Little Rock, which is the hope of city officials.

“There are a lot of moving parts on this, but, hopefully, we can show Amazon what good corporate partners we are,” Mayor Joe Smith said.

Amazon will also put up three smaller, modular buildings to serve as a general office, restrooms and a break room, according to a site plan.

The center’s concept is new for Amazon, property owner Norman Clifton has said. The goal is to speed package delivery by using tent-like distribution centers that will sort packages from larger Amazon distribution sites and take them “the last mile.” Such service is now largely handled by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS. Amazon also has similar tent-like distribution centers going up elsewhere in the country.

The waivers requested were to forego requirements for: Having a masonry trash bin enclosure; parking lot shade trees; street trees; a continuous shrub planting in front of outward parking spaces; front and side landscape strips; having a full buffer and screening between industrial and residential zone properties; and to be allowed to keep existing razor wire fencing.