Prairie Grove planners advance subdivision concept

PRAIRIE GROVE — The Prairie Grove Planning Commission gave its OK recently to a concept plat that shows a planned unit development with a mixture of 74 traditional single-family homes and detached two- story townhouses.

Ferdi Fourie, project manager with Civil Design Engineers of Cave Springs, presented the plan for a development called Parkwood Estates, which would be located on 20 acres west of Prairie Grove United Methodist Church on Parks Street.

Parkwood Estates LLC, a group of local builders, is the developer for the project, according to Fourie.

Parkwood Estates would have 34 traditional single-family homes around the perimeter of the subdivision, each with two-car garages; 12 detached townhomes with a single garage in the front; 32 zero-lot-line townhomes with a rear-loaded alleyway and single-car garage.

The commission tabled the concept plat last month because the developer wanted to rezone the land from A-1, agriculture, to R-1.75, a higher residential density zone. Commissioners said they thought R-1.75 was too high a density for the area and wanted it to match Sundowner Estates subdivision, which is zoned R-1.5 and located across the street from the property.

Fourie on Nov. 9 brought back an amended request to rezone the land to R-1.5, which has a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet.

The commission voted to rezone the land and approve the concept plat for the PUD.

On Monday ( Nov. 15), Prairie Grove City Council approved the owner’s request to rezone the land from A-1 to R-1.5 and reviewed the concept.

Next, Fourie will present the PUD’s preliminary plat to the commission. The preliminary plat will have to be approved by the City Council.

In other action, the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for Brian Hawkins to operate a special events venue in the Central Business District Zone at 116 N. Mock St., the Southern Chic building that once housed Fat Rolls Bakery.

Hawkins said he wanted to use the building for small weddings, receptions and other events.

The conditional use permit is approved as long as Hawkins has written permission from business owners and the School District to use their parking lots for parking during any special events.

The commission tabled a request from Monty Frasier to operate an outdoor vendor sales market at 204 W. Cleveland St. Frasier said he wanted to operate the market once a month and probably would start in March.

Commissioners wondered if there would be enough parking and asked Frasier to return another time with a concrete parking plan.

Turning to other matters, the city’s Board of Adjustments, which is made up of the same members as the Planning Commission, turned down a request from Mike Haney for a variance to install a sidewalk for his residence on Richardson Road. The vote was 2-2, and a tie means the request is denied.

The Board of Adjustments granted a request from Brad Smith to split the lot at the corner of East Buchanan and South Summit Street into two lots, resulting in 9,000 feet for each lot. This was approved as a variance to an R-1 zone, which requires a minimum of 10,000 square feet. The commission noted

that there are other properties in the area that are smaller than 10,000 square feet.