Public comments on a request to rezone 10.4 acres situated on the northeast corner of Hayden Road and West Pickens were heard during a public hearing Thursday, Jan. 3, at the Planning Commission meeting. Area residents asked questions and expressed concern about increased traffic at the intersection of Hayden Road and Pickens, both of which are state highways. Ultimately, the Planning Commission approved the request to rezone the property from R1 (single family) to R2, single family, allowing for smaller lots.
Developer Kevin Felgenhauer plans to build a subdivision, Woodbridge Subdivision, with 36 lots. Planners also approved a lot split of the property which previously included 10.8 acres.
Shawn Herrington, who said he lives on McNair Street, said he was concerned about the drainage as the storm run off comes through his backyard from that property. He said floods his crawl space.
"The drainage on McNair is to be upsized and, hopefully, improved. He's doing a lot of off-site upgrades," Tony Townsend, building official, said of Felgenhauer.
Chairman Chris Johnson explained that city codes require developers to design projects so as to not adversely affect neighboring properties.
Herrington and others also expressed concerns about the increased traffic at the intersection in front of the high school.
City Street Department superintendent Nathan See told him the entrance off Pickens Road (Arkansas Highway 72) is to be a right-turn, ingress only.
"Hayden Road, Arkansas Highway 265, is a state highway," See said. "They (highway department officials) know about this."
"Everything is compliant with ArDOT standards," Johnson said.
David Cruse, a resident on Park Circle, reiterated concern about the traffic and asked whether the city planned to construct a turn lane or widen the road and was told that both roads are state highways and there are no plans to widen them.
"There's nothing the city can do," Dr. Karen Sherman, planner, said, adding that completion of construction of the new high school should alleviate some of the traffic in that area.
Cruse asked whether the city planned to pave Hickman Road, which is north of the proposed subdivision, and would provide an additional route out of that area.
"That's a great idea," Sherman said.
"That would be a great idea and we've talked about it," See said, explaining that would cost from $1 to $1.5 million. "A lot of people already use that," See said, referring to the dirt road.
Clyde Arnold, who said he lives on Pickens Road, asked whether taxes would increase again and whether the city sewer plant could handle the increased load. He was told the new sewer plant will handle 1 million gallons of wastewater and that ...
In other business, planners:
• Elected Chris Johnson as chairman, Donnie Ewald as vice chairman and Al Fowler secretary of the commission;
• Approved a home occupation request from Kerri Christensen for 330 Washburn St.;
• Approved a lot split for the Walton Family Trust property on Hayden Road;
• Approved drainage changes for Elkhorn Ridge Phase III; and
• Tabled the preliminary plat for Woodbridge subdivision as six lots are smaller than the minimum required.
Townsend told planners that Phase IV of Elkhorn will be reviewed at the tech review scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, as will a concept for a project on the McGarrah tree farm on Hazelton Road.
General News on 01/09/2019