Planners approve Tobin's plan

A large-scale development plan for a commercial tract on Slack Street came before the Pea Ridge Planning Commission at the regular meeting Aug. 4. Property owner Pat Tobin reviewed his plans for the shopping center.

"I've been building these for a long time -- since the 1970s," he said. He noted that the plans are a change from what was originally brought before the commission a few months ago.

"I was trying to work on a lot. I did not review the plans like I should have," he said, "and that's what necessitated the change.

"I want to build something that's going to be able to rent here in Pea Ridge. I knew building retail at 6,000 square feet is just not going to work. I'm going to split the units up. I want to shift the buildings over." He later noted that: "We're not building anything big. My stuff is basically mom and pop stuff."

Planner Zach Hoyt asked why some of the storefronts had garage doors facing the road. Tobin said it's because some businesses can benefit from a service bay in front -- glass repair being one.

Planner Jerry Burton noted that he's seen businesses in Rogers with front-facing service doors.

"This is surrounded by residential," Hoyt said. "Those doors is what gave us heartburn. As I look at it, if I was in a house in that subdivision what would I want."

Tobin said he's a small business owner who does it all himself.

"I try to be a good neighbor," he said. "I've been doing this since 1971. When they call, they talk to me. It's not a company or anything else. I've got four pages of tenants, doing it the same way as in 1970. I have a yellow pad. I do not know how to work a computer. And I've not sold anything in 20 years."

After Burton's motion to approve died for lack of a second, Hoyt asked if Tobin would be willing to make come changes.

"Can we discuss this and table it? If we absolutely deny it, he's got to wait 13 months to come back to the commission," Hoyt said.

Burton said the city doesn't have anything that calls for architectural controls.

Hoyt said his only concern is the garage doors on the front.

Tobin then asked if commissioners would approve it if the garage doors were on the back.

"To make it work, I want it to look nice," Tobin said. "If that's the only change we can go on, we'll go on. Pea Ridge cannot afford the kinds of buildings, I hate to say this -- I'm not building these on Joyce (Boulevard in Fayetteville). I'm not going after $18 (a square foot rent) in Pea Ridge."

Hoyt, who said that he's comfortable with the doors in the back, made the motion to approve the plans. Approval was unanimous.

Commissioners adjourned, then reconvened as the Board of Adjustments to deal with a request from Tammy Mitchell for 10-foot rear-setback variance at 555 Ray St. Mitchell is putting in a swimming pool. After reviewing drawings, the board unanimously approved the variance.

Discussion then turned to a proposal from the Walmart Foundation for a master trail plan. Nathan See said the city can make the changes it wants, but that it needs to be approved by Sept. 30.

Planner M.J. Hensley noted that a bike trail costs about as much as a road.

Hoyt said he thinks the plan "is great, we just need to look at it."

The commissioners discussed lighting trails separate from city streets and trails added to the side of city streets, and how much right of way could be required to get through steep valleys.

No action was taken on the master trails plan.

General News on 08/20/2014