Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Growth In The City
PRAIRIE GROVE COULD SET ANOTHER HOUSING RECORD
PRAIRIE GROVE — Mayor Sonny Hudson described the state of the city with one word last week, “Growth.”
The city’s population is growing, the number of new single-family houses continues to grow and sales tax revenues are up this year.
New businesses opened last year as well as old businesses relocating to new places. City employees are working on a new park north of town and new sidewalks are being installed.
Last year, the city broke a record for the number of permits for new single-family homes and is on pace to set another record in 2017, if activity remains the same throughout the year.
“It’s exploding,” Hudson said in giving his annual State of the City address at the March 20 City Council meeting.
In 2016, developers built 148 new single-family homes. Based on housing permits issued from January through mid-March, the city could see more than 200 new homes constructed in Prairie Grove in 2017.
Through March 22, the city has issued 55 permits for new single-family residences, and this number changes daily, said Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works. Developers will come in and get four or five housing permits at a time, Oelrich said.
In addition, the city has approved plans for a senior adult development with 32 units, as well as plans for other multi-family dwellings in the city limits.
Hudson said the city’s population has grown from 4,380 in 2010 to an estimated 5,450 today. If housing growth continues, he
estimated the city’s population could be around 6,000 sometime in 2018.
Revenues from the city’s 1-cent sales tax dipped in 2016 and officials attributed the decrease to the closing of the Walmart Express store in January 2016. However, looking at sales tax revenues during the past five years, Prairie Grove’s collections are increasing an average of 4 percent each year, Hudson said.
So far for 2017, sales tax revenues are up, compared to the same period in 2016. For January-February 2016, the city took in $77,053 from its 1-cent sales tax. For this year for the same two months, the city has received $77,771.
“We look like we may be on our way to good growth again this year, although it’s still too early to predict,” Hudson said.
Needs for the future include finding a way to extend utilities along the bypass to encourage commercial growth on Heritage Parkway. Hudson said City Hall is contacted on a regular basis by people asking questions about the land and said he believes with the city’s population growth, commercial development is inevitable.
Another need is additional or new space for Prairie Grove Public Library. One possibility no longer is an option. The city has an expansion building fund and hopefully, it will be able to meet the need for more library space in the future, Hudson said.
Other accomplishments last year were 1.25 miles of new sidewalk, with another mile of new sidewalks on tap for 2017. About 1.6 miles of city streets received asphalt overlays. Parks Street Bridge was finally completed for a cost of about $600,000. The city paid around 25 percent of the costs and the federal government paid the rest.
New businesses last year included Harton’s Furniture for Less, Prairie Grove Town Center, Fat Rolls Bakery and Massage by Sarea. Harps Food Store completed a major renovation project; Dollar General moved to a bigger facility; Farm Credit opened a new office; The Back Porch Designs & Gifts relocated to a new building.