Jim Erwin’s request for a conditional use permit for 750 Slack Street was denied by the Pea Ridge Planning Commission Tuesday. Two neighboring landowners spoke against the plans for the property during the public hearing. One spoke in favor.
Planning chairman Don Powers told Erwin at the end of the meeting that he would like to see more detailed plans outlining the plans for solving drainage problems and specifying ingress and egress, all of which was questioned.
“One of the things that I think would help me get over something like this would be some of the issues that the people in the audience have brought up - more about the planning, understand what your goals are,” Powers said, advising Erwin to present his plan at the monthly technical review meeting to “go over some of those things.”
Erwin, owner of Erwin’s Towing, told commissioners that he was wanting to increase the space where he parks and sells cars. He said there would be no increasedtra◊c and didn’t plan to hire more employees.
“I’m looking at a junk yard,” Nicole Harris said. She said she lives immediately behind (north of) the lot in question. I have two little kids. My house value is going down. The road is torn up anyway … I’m not happy… I don’t like it.”
“I live across the street,” Rick Robinson said, asking if it would be an expansion of the salvage yard. Erwin said it is not a salvage yard and no cars are dismantled nor parts removed at that site.
“It’s an expansion of the business we have now,” Erwin said.
“What about the drainage? It’s bad now, it runs into everybody’s yard,” Robinson said. He lives on Ellis Lane immediately west of the property.
Erwin told the commission he plans to cut down the trees and clean up the lot.
Judy Holm, who said she livesdirectly behind Jim’s recovery lot, said she did not object to the conditional use. “I understand where these folks are coming from, but I also know, that I don’t personally have any problem with noise most of the time, especially at night, maybe my house is better soundproofed, I don’t know. Jim and I have talked, he has told me that where the recovery lot is now, he was planning on putting used cars there and moving the recovery lot. I don’t have a problem either way.
As far as my property values go, my property values fell when everybody else’s did. I don’t personally think that Jim’s business had anything to do with it. I think that was the economy.
“Personally, I don’t have a problem with somebody furthering their livelihood just as long as we get along as neighbors. If we have a problem, we talk about it and resolve the issue in an expedient manner,” Holm said.
Planner M.J. Hensley, an engineer, said removal of vegetation will increase the drainage problem as vegetation absorbs 40 percent of rainfall. “There isa drainage problem there.
I did a drainage study of the area about 10 years ago.
Remember, yesterday’s solutions are part of today’s problems.”
Josh Meister, attorney for Erwin, said: “This property purchase is conditioned on approval of commission for him; otherwise it will probably sit for another 20 years with trees growing. I would consider it more of an eyesore the way it is right now.”
At the end of the meeting,Erwin said he plans to purchase the lot anyway.
“I’d like to put my two cents in,” Erwin said. “I’m going to buy the property anyway. I’m going to clear it anyway. Y’all can’t prevent me. You spend money on great big stadiums. I’ve always been a great big revenue generator for this community … there’s going to be something there. This will create less revenue for the community. The city is just a business, it needs therevenue to grow.
“I’ve got my opinion, too.
They can’t keep everybody out. It is zoned commercial,” Erwin said.
In other business, planners:
◊Approved a home occupation request for an online retail sales business from Kevin and Cheryl Wilson.
◊Approved the variance request from Wendell Tegethof, 647 S. Curtis Ave., who said he plans to build a garage.
News, Pages 1 on 08/14/2013