City Council sets downtown design standards

PRAIRIE GROVE — City officials have discussed for years establishing design standards for the Central Business District to help protect architecture and historic elements downtown, and now those standards are a reality.

The Prairie Grove City Council adopted an ordinance March 28 that establishes an overlay district for the Central Business District. Design requirements in the ordinance will apply to new construction and remodels within the boundaries of the Central Business District.

The ordinance becomes effective 60 days after its passage.

City Attorney Steven Parker said the city is working toward having an established “historical district” in the downtown area, but there are many steps.

The ordinance to create an overlay district provides a “stopgap measure” with requirements that property owners must meet for new construction or remodels, Parker said.

The original ordinance also would have applied to any alterations or repairs to buildings in the district, but council member Rick Ault said he did not support that.

“New construction, absolutely,” Ault said. “My only concern is if a building is damaged and (the property owner) being able to put it back the way it was.”

Ault admitted it’s probably a little ironic that he is a “historical preservation guy” but he said property rights and costs also have to be considered.

DESIGN STANDARDS

The purpose of the ordinance is to require that new construction and remodels are “consistent with the historic elements of the district.”

The Central Business District Overlay District imposes additional requirements on all property within the boundaries of the overlay district.

These requirements include:

• All buildings shall not exceed two stories or 35 feet in height.

• All buildings must use exterior facade materials that invoke the historical nature of the district, such as native stone, brick, stucco/plastic or stamped metal reproductions of historic storefronts found in other historic buildings in the district. Prohibited facade materials include vinyl or aluminum siding, wood siding, concrete siding, high gloss metal and reflective glass or corrugated products.

• Exterior architectural elements shall be in keeping with other historic buildings in the Central Business District, and design shall reflect similar styles and elements found throughout the business district.

• Compliance with the overlay requirements will be made by city planning and building staff. In the case of a dispute over the requirements, the Prairie Grove Planning Commission shall make a final determination.

NEW WARD MAP ADOPTED

In other action last week, the council adopted an ordinance to redistrict City Council wards based on the 2020 census.

According to a letter from Jeff Hawkins, director of Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, the city council has the duty to see that each ward has populations as equal as possible to best serve the interests of the people.

Hawkins said courts have generally ruled that deviations in population among election districts should be less than 10%.

The deviation for Prairie Grove’s existing ward boundaries, most recently determined after a 2014 annexation, is 68.8%, far above the 10% threshold, Hawkins said. This meant the city needed to redistrict its wards as a result of the 2020 census.

The new boundaries have a deviation of 5.8%, Hawkins said. Populations for each ward are Ward 1, 1,828; Ward 2, 1,748; Ward 3, 1,744; Ward 4, 1,725.

Hawkins said his staff was able to keep the current council members in their respective wards, another goal of redistricting if possible.

POSSIBLE LAKE TRAIL

The council also gave the go ahead for Larry Oelrich, city administrative assistant, to pursue a hiking trail around Prairie Grove Lake. Oelrich said he was approached by a consultant with the Walton Family Foundation with the trail idea and possibly an opportunity to get 100% funding for a trail.

Concerns, Oelrich said, would be to make sure the city’s facilities at the lake, such as the water treatment plant, are protected from any people using the trail.

An advantage is that the trail could have an impact in the area similar to the impact of the trails and activities at Lincoln Lake, Oelrich said.

Chuck Wiley, city public works director, said the trail, if it comes to fruition, would help in advertising Prairie Grove as a “destination area.”

The council raised hands in a unanimous show of support to move ahead with pursuing a trail.

OTHER NEWS

The council also approved:

• An ordinance to rezone a tract at 11157 Hogeye Road from agricultural to commercial at the request of Jerry Coyle of Prairie Grove. Coyle is planning to use the tract for a daycare center, according to city officials.

• Appointing two new planning commission members — David Faulk and Collin Cheatham. One is filling a position vacated by Mallory Mounce, who has resigned, and the other is an open position.

• An ordinance to waive competitive bidding for the purchase of an air compressor and necessary tanks and attachments required to fill firefighter air packs for $43,906 from Emergency Vehicle Specialists of Conway.

• A resolution for changes to the Fire Department’s personnel policy for the accrual of sick leave to accommodate firefighters now working 12-hour shifts.