Retail space increasing in city
The Coffee with the Mayor has been well attended the past three months. Questions for the mayor usually pertain to the issues connected with growth, building and traffic.
This week, two City Council members — Ginger Larsen and Nadine Telgemeier — were present as was Police Chief Lynn Hahn.
The mayor initiated the monthly open meeting to visit with city residents and answer their questions.
In discussing traffic, See said traffic congestion is an issue throughout the northwest Arkansas area and he and other city officials drive the same streets, get stuck in the same traffic jams as the other city residents.
“We can talk about traffic anywhere,” he said. “We can put plans in place … but it takes dollars.”
He explained that two state highways (Ark. Hwy. 94 and Ark. Hwy. 72) cross the city and are the jurisdiction of the state Highway Department.
Several options have been offered by the current city administration to inform residents of city news including an app for the city and “project tracker” which provides information about both residential and commercial development in town. Information on downloading those are on the city’s website (cityofpearidge.com). There is a QR code that will access the app Pea Ridge Connect. The project tracker is found on the app.
Several projects coming before the city in the near future include the construction of Casey’s, a three-strip retail center on the north side of Slack Street east of the Pea Ridge Dental Clinic, Pea Ridge Commons Phase 3 on the south side of Slack Street west of Ryan Road that is expected to include a Jiffy Lube and the Ashton Gray building which may include an optometrist’s office and other suites for rent. A building with availability for a sit-down restaurant is planned.
“There’s a lot of retail space coming available pretty quick,” See said.
One attendant asked about the city’s plans on zoning and was told that the ideal is to have commercial property along highway frontage, followed by high density and then single family residences.
Neal Nelson asked the mayor if a summary of City Council agenda items could be included on the agenda.
He also asked if there are programs involving youth to which See said he plans to start a Youth Council in August.
“It’s an initiative to get the next generation prepared for local government,” See said, crediting the director of the Arkansas Municipal League for beginning it.
Neal asked about the weather warning sirens and was told the sirens in the city have not worked since the county and city changed the source of communication to the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN).
“The tornado sires are only for outdoors; ours haven’t worked in four years,” See said. He advised that people sign up for BCAlert for weather warning notifications.
Barbara Davidson said has lived in Pea Ridge for seven years.
“It’s a privilege. We should all be grateful,” she said. “I’m a Fox news junkie and I see what goes on in other parts of our nation. I am so glad to live in Pea Ridge, Ark. There are more and more people gravitating to that.”