One Pea Ridge resident left the Planning Commission angrily stating that the decision by city planners had cost her "a lot of money."
Rosalie Kalb and her husband, Larry Kalb, attended the Tuesday, Nov. 1, Planning Commission to object to the request by William Clarke to place a mobile home on a one-acre piece of property on Carden Road near their home.
Clarke told city officials he and his family are in the process of moving from Tulsa to Pea Ridge, returning to northwest Arkansas.
"We love Pea Ridge," Clarke said. "Our desire is simple. We want to demonstrate fiscal discipline. We want to place a manufactured home on the lot for a few years and later build there. I have four children ... we want to do this in order to save money. I'm about to put my eldest in college."
The lot has all city utilities, according to both Tony Townsend, city building official, and Ken Hayes, water and wastewater superintendent.
Mrs. Kalb told planners she and her husband are planning to sell their property in the spring.
"I talked to a realtor. There are three things that affect the price -- floor space, how much property, and price of homes in the vicinity. A mobile home will bring evaluation down.
"We have lived in a mobile home," Kalb said, adding that they deteriorate quickly.
Planner Jerry Burton said he, too, had lived in a mobile home and that "if the upkeep is nice, they're fine with me."
"He did make the statement that this is a temporary home," Burton told Kalb.
"That won't help us next spring when we're trying to sell our home," Kalb said.
Planners evaluated the city ordinance and asked Townsend the proximity of other mobile homes in the area.
"It fits the regular lot size and is required to be on a regular foundation with footings, not skirted," Townsend said.
Ewald asked Townsend to clarify whether the request fits with the current ordinance. Townsend said it did.
Ewald made the motion to approve the request with Burton seconding the motion. All planners voted to approve Clarke's request.
As planners prepared to adjourn, it was noted that there were two men in the audience who expected to be on the agenda concerning a lot split for property on Ryan Road.
"I haven't even had time to review that, I'm sorry," Townsend said. "I didn't know there was a request. I got the plans a week or two ago, opened them, looked at them and haven't gone any further."
He told planners it's the former Laramore property (90 acres) to be split into five tracts.
"I haven't had time to review it for ingress/egress. I apologize, it's been pretty hectic," Townsend said, adding that because it was for five lots, it can not be done administratively.
One of the potential property owners said the project had been in the process since June.
"I got an email a month or so ago," Townsend said.
Burton said he needed to review the plan before making a decision on it and proposed it be discussed at the technical review on Thursday.
Townsend told the property owners that generally there are 12 copies of the plan and are sent to each of the Planning Commission members and evaluated at a tech review. Planners agreed to meet Thursday, Nov. 3, but later received an email from Townsend stating that the lot splits could be done administratively.
"Upon further review of the Laramore tract on Ryan Road, the property is in 2 parcels, which will be 2 splits on one parcel and 1 split on the other. Therefore the splits can be approved administratively and there will no need to review this at a tech meeting," Townsend wrote planners via email Wednesday, Nov. 2.
General News on 11/09/2016