Planners Conduct Busy March Meeting

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove Public Library was full last week as many people showed up, wearing masks and social distancing, for multiple items on the planning commission’s agenda.

The March 11 agenda included a preliminary plat, rezoning requests, a large scale development plan, lot splits and requests for conditional use permits.

A preliminary plat for a new subdivision called Hudson Heights and three rezoning requests were all approved by the commission, and then forwarded to the City Council for its March 15 meeting. ( See Page 1 article for this information).

In other action that didn’t have to be later ratified by the city council, Prairie Grove Planning Commission approved a large-scale development plan for a new office/warehouse building at 3021 E. Heritage Parkway.

Jake Chavis with Bates & Associates engineering firm submitted the plan on behalf of Kerry Pitts.

The 2,000- square foot building will have two offices but mostly be warehouse space, Pitts told the commission. Pitts said he plans to use the facility to sell gates and panels.

The large scale development plan did not show a sidewalk along Heritage Parkway in front of the property. The commission said a sidewalk is required, unless Pitts wants to submit another request asking for a variance. Pitts said he would install a sidewalk for the development.

The commission granted conditional use permits to Mike Fidler to build two triplexes in a B-2 zone at 318 Cleveland; Stacey Conkle to operate a home office for a cleaning business from her home at 1705 Charismatic Drive; Kelli Skelton to operate an outdoor booth during Junk Ranch and the Clothesline at the parking lot of Skelton Towing Business.

Following the planning commission meeting, the city Board of Adjustments, which is comprised of the same commission members, approved a request from Doug Smith to waive the business at 2553 E. Heritage Parkway. Smith said the business is a nontypical retail/office for storage building sales. This was approved with the condition that if Smith builds a permanent structure in the future, he would be required to comply with city ordinances for the commercial business.