PG Continues To See Housing Growth

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove City Council approved two ordinances last week that will result in new housing developments in the future.

It approved the preliminary plat for Prairie View Subdivision for single-family homes and rezoned land to high density residential for multi-family units.

Prairie View Subdivision, owned by Linda K. Dizney Revocable Trust, is on 29 acres zoned R-1.75 on Heritage Parkway. The preliminary plat shows 98 total single family lots and two detention ponds for storm drainage. Most of the lots vary in size from 0.24 acre to 0.14 acre.

The council has changed the width for lots in R-1.75 zones but this plat came in before the changes were approved, so it falls under the original requirement of 50-foot wide lots.

Council members also approved a rezoning ordinance for almost 11 acres on the west side of Heritage Parkway from B-2 to R-3 at the request of Lots 102 Holdings LLC. Currently, the land is owned by Silva Properties. The land that fronts the highway will remain zoned B-2 for commercial use.

Lots 102 will have to submit a large- scale development plan but the proposal is to construct a complex of 75 multi-family housing units, including duplexes, tri-plexes and quad-plexes on the back portion of the land.

In other action, the council approved a new sidewalk ordinance that allows bicycles on sidewalks, though pedestrians still have priority.

Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, said the council has discussed changes to the sidewalk ordinance for several years.

“We’re seeing more and more bicycles on the highway. I’d much rather see them on the sidewalk than on the highway,” Oelrich said.

The ordinance to “enact limitations to sidewalk use” states that pedestrians shall always have the right-of-way for sidewalks but the

ordinance now allows foot- powered equipment, such as bicycles, tricycles, scooters and wagons, and electric- powered equipment, such as e-bikes and electric scooters, to be on sidewalks.

The ordinance limits foot- powered and electric-powered equipment to 5 miles per hour and requires users to yield to pedestrians. It requires non-pedestrians to give an audible signal to pedestrians before passing them on a sidewalk.

For sidewalks in the Central Business District in downtown Prairie Grove, use is limited to pedestrians. No other equipment is allowed on the downtown sidewalks, according to the ordinance.

For pedestrian crosswalks, anyone operating a foot- or electric- powered device must yield the right-of-way to motor vehicle traffic and pedestrians. A person can dismount and walk their device to earn the protection of a pedestrian.

Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of the ordinance can be fined $ 25-$ 100 for each offense.

The council also authorized a contract with Olsson Inc. of Fayetteville to provide professional engineering services for a project to extend Viney Grove Road to connect with Buchanan Street. The city solicited Requests for Qualifications from engineering firms and determined Olsson would be the firm best suited to provide the service to the city.

Olsson’s contract will include engineering for a four-way stop at Bush Street and Viney Grove and turning lanes.

Prairie Grove School District will build part of the street to its new junior high school and the city will construct the rest of the street over to Buchanan.

In other business, the council accepted a bid of $86,185 from APAC Central to overlay Bonnie Scotland and pave Muddy Fork Park parking lot.