Council Looks At Agri Zone Changes

Panel OKs Cat Adoption Fees At $10

PRAIRIE GROVE — At the request of Prairie Grove Alderman Casey Copeland, the City Council is considering an ordinance to loosen some restrictions for those living in an agricultural zone, in response to the latest annexation along the new Prairie Grove Bypass.

“Just because we annex those folks in the city, it shouldn’t change the way they use their property until such time as they want to change how they use it,” Copeland told council members at their April 21 meeting.

Council members discussed a draft ordinance but then tabled it. Steven Parker, city attorney, said he would bring a revised ordinance to the May 19 meeting.

In discussing Copeland’s recommendations, Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, reminded aldermen the city has some residential areas annexed in 2006 that are still zoned agricultural.

The proposed ordinance would make changes to outside burning, regulations concerning at-large dogs and shooting of fireworks.

Co p e land sa id he requested changes because of comments made by people who lived in the annexation area.

“Against their wishes, they are being treated differently because of annexation,” Copeland said after the meeting. “I thought it would be easier to bring them in.”

Voters approved annexing land around the Prairie Grove Bypass during a special election April 8. Most of the property coming into the city is pasture or farm land.

Under current ordinance, residents have to apply for a $15 burn permit every time they want to burn debris or brush. The permit application has to provide location of burn site, type of material to be burned and date and time of burn.

The proposed change would allow residents in agricultural zones to apply for a one-time permit, as long as they plan to burn in the same place each time and notify the fire department every time they plan to burn. Resi- dents would have to meet all the other requirements in the burn ordinance.

Copeland noted farmers may have to burn multiple times and he did not think it was fair to make them apply for a burn permit each time.

The proposed change to the animal ordinance would allow dogs to run at large in an agricultural zone if the property owner has at least 10 acres and the animals stay on the property. Copeland said he did not think farmers should have to put their farm dogs in an enclosed area, as required by the animal control ordinance.

The proposed change for fireworks would allow residents in agricultural zones to shoot off fireworks throughout the year, except bottle rockets, if they had at least five acres. Currently, fireworks can only be discharged in the city from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4 of each year.

Alderman Dale Reed said he could accept the change for outside burning but did not care for the other changes recommended in the proposed ordinance.

“I don’t want to start making exceptions,” Reed said.

City council member Buddy Lyle wondered if there were concerns in the annexed area.

“Let’s not go out looking for problems to solve,” Lyle said at the council meeting.

Copeland said he believes the changes would address problems that annexed residents have.

“The people who came and talked to us certainly had problems with the new regulations,” Copeland said. “I think I’m addressing a problem that has been addressed to us. Maybe people think it doesn’t matter if they talk to us or not.”

Copeland said he voted for annexation because he believes the bypass is going to be an area of growth and he wants the city involved in the growth. At the same time, he said he sympathizes with newly annexed residents.

In other business April 21, the council adopted an ordinance to set cat adoption fees at $10 and to establish standard sizes for billboards and off-site commercial signs and regulations concerning banners for special events.

Another approved ordinance allows an alderman to submit a request to waive or reduce building fees for work being conducted by a non- profit organization or church.