Dogwood Junction moving to U.S. Highway 412 East
Dogwood Junction Bicycle Shop plans to move from its current location in Signature Plaza in early October to a property on U.S. Hwy. 412 East and is seeking approval on a rezoning permit for their new location.
The planning commission met Tuesday to hear RZ20-05, a rezoning permit for the property located at 4650 Hwy. 412 E. where Dogwood Junction plans to move. The property is currently zoned as I-1 (Industrial) and approving the permit will change it to C-2 (Roadway Commercial), according to Senior Planner Ben Rhoads. The permit was approved and will go before the city board on Aug 4.
Ben Jones, owner of Dogwood Junction, said neither he nor Lynch Butler, owner of the property, were aware the land was currently zoned as industrial especially since the last tenant was a DaySpring retail card store. Jones is also asking the commission to expedite the process because another business has already rented his current space at 200 N. Progress Ave.
“It’s kind of an imperative to get this done so we can transition smoothly,” Jones said.
Moving his business was an opportunity for Jones to not only expand his business but also eventually own his own property.
“I always wanted to own my own building so this is an opportunity to do that,” Jones said.
The space will be subdivided into three leases, Jones said. With other tenants, it will give Jones a reduction in rent. Since Dogwood Junction is renting to buy, Jones estimates he will own the property in 14 years, he said.
Jones said he has found one tenant already: Elite Cheer Company, presently located at 1710 S. Pointe St., off of Arkansas Highway 59. The cheer company has outgrown their space and needed a bigger space, Jones said. The new location will give Elite Cheer a 7,500-squarefoot space and more room for Jones, he said.
Jones did not indicate whether he planned on getting a second tenant for the other lease at this time.
Other business discussed during the meeting was PP20-04, a preliminary plat development permit for the 2000 to 2500 block of East Kenwood Street. The request is to subdivide 59.04 acres into 167 family lots, Rhoads said.
Audience member Barb Maples voiced concerns over the drainage on East Quarter Road and on Highway 16, which are both near the subdivision. Maples said her property does not have good drainage and was concerned the terrain change would cause more drainage issues. She also asked if the homes were going to be Housing and Urban Development homes and if the homes were going to be POA (Price on Application).
City Engineer Justin Bland addressed this, saying both East Quarter Road and Highway 16 are state highways and the city does not have authority to come and fix the drainage, however Bland said he could help Maples coordinate with Arkansas Department of Transportation in order to fix the problem.
Taylor Lindley of CEI Engineering addressed these questions for Maples as well as adding to the drainage issues.
“Nothing east of Highway 16 from our analysis comes on to our sites,” Lindley said. “We won’t actually be affecting or addressing anything east of Highway 16.”
Lindley added everything they work on is to the northwest and west of the property. Lindley also said the homes will be POA until they get enough sold and then they will revert to the occupants ownership.
The preliminary plat development permit was approved by the planning commission and will go before the city board on Aug. 4.
The last business addressed by the planning commission was the approval of the FP20-05, a final plat development permit for the 2200 block of North Hico Street. The planning commission approved the permit and it will go before the city board on July 21.