Planners want more Slack Street business

PEA RIDGE — Several are residents expressed concerns during a public hearing of the Planning Commission when a request to rezone 13.5 acres at 936 Slack St. was presented.

The plan proposed by Bill Watkins, the attorney representing the property owner, called for commercial and residential lots.

Property owners questioned whether Wilson Street would be used. They were told connectivity between subdivisions is one objective of city plans.

One homeowner said he was promised property would remain agricultural. He also complained some of the houses in his subdivision are being rented.

“That’s something you should address with your [Property Owners Association],” said Karen Sherman, planner. “We don’t own the property, somebody else does, they have the right to ask.”

City attorney Shane Perry said the current meeting was for a zoning change.

“We want to manage public expectations, this is a zoning hearing,” Perry said. “No one should leave here expecting that a public street should not connect from one subdivision … connectivity is very important.

“No one should leave here thinking a public street should be isolated,” he said.

Another concern expressed by planners, but which didn’t impede the ultimate approval, was the small amount of commercial planned for the development which, according to the city’s long-range plan, should have commercial along Slack Street, which is also Arkansas 72.

“I’m concerned there’s approximately .3 acre development for commercial instead of what is shown on our longrange plan,” Sherman said. “I feel l like it’s important we preserve the commercial area for commercial property.”

“It took time sifting through the city code,” Watkins said. “As I understand it, your long-range planning is a guide.”

“With the explosive growth that’s coming,” Perry said, there’s a good reason for us to be concerned about commercial and residential mix. We do have subdivisions up and down there.”

Planner Patrick Wheeless said he agreed with Sherman and was disappointed the proposed commercial lot was so small. Planner Greg Pickens and Sherman voted against the motion to approve the rezone with four votes in favor of it.

In other business, city planners agreed to:

• Rezone Commercial-1 to Residential-1, 3.06 acres at 1938 Slack St., requested by Scott & Jennifer Jacobs.

• Rezone A-1 to R-2SF & C-1 13.47 acres at 936 Slack St. requested by (Doug Sperber.

• Rezone A-1 to R-3 & C-3 10 acres at 1840 W. Pickens Road requested by Dye Investments.

Annette Beard may be reached by abeard@nwadg.com.