Council OKs rezoning over protests

ROGERS — Neighbors near South Champions Drive lost a fight Tuesday night to keep nearby land safe from becoming apartments.

The City Council approved the rezoning, ending an eight- months- long dispute over a 13-acre site.

Council members unanimously approved rezoning the land from agricultural use to commercial after the Planning Commission passed the rezoning last week.

The council’s vote disappointed Christy Lamers, an organizer of local opposition, who said she remains skeptical the property will have any commercial use.

“This is going to become something with a Starbucks at the bottom and apartments on top,” Lamers said. “I know it, and the City Council knows it.”

Bill Watkins, attorney for developer S.C. Bodner Co. of Indianapolis, disagreed with Lamers and assured the council his client hasn’t made an official decision on how the property will be developed and all the council was voting on was the zoning issue.

“We’re not here to talk about specific uses, none of those issues are here tonight. Those will be addressed separately at a later date,” Watkins said. “And housing can’t go there. Housing is too expensive.”

The council also unanimously approved Tuesday almost $1.7 million to repair areas of Lake Atalanta and roads damaged last year in severe flooding and holding a special election regarding a bond issue.

John McCurdy, director of Community Development, told the council a design to repair the damage has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which shared the cost with the city.

“We do have a contract ready to go, and our board of engineers have permits to begin the construction to Lake Atalanta,” McCurdy said. “We’re very confident we’ve received the appropriate funds.”

Raymond Burns, CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, told council members the city needs several improvements. They include parks, law and fire departments and road conditions.

The council approved placing a $ 248 million in bond spending before the voters for the improvements. Voters would have to agree to extend a 1 percent sales tax to pay for the bonds.

“This is going to become something with a Starbucks at the bottom and apartments on top. I know it, and the City Council knows it.”

— Christy Lamers, opposed rezoning