HOW WE SEE IT Town-Gown Committee Worth A Try

Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas are stuck together, for better or worse.

As close as the two entities are, it’s easy to sit back and assume the city and university will always co-exist in peace and harmony, and any issue that arises between the two naturally will iron itself out.

Of course, such an assumption would be foolish. As with any relationship, this one requires work.

That’s why we can’t argue with the plan, initiated by Mayor Lioneld Jordan, to create a committee that includes a mix of university staff , city oftcials and residents to work through“town and gown” issues.

University Chancellor David Gearhart supports the plan. City Council members are set to consider a resolutionto establish the committee at their meeting next week.

University enrollment has been growing rapidly. With that growth comes demand for student housing. Some residents fear their neighborhoods will be overtaken by student housing developments. This is one matter the committee should address. Development around the university is an issue that won’t go away.

Town-gown committees are nothing new.

They have been tried before, here and in other places. It can’t hurt for everyone to sit down and talk to each other. Communication is never a bad thing.

The committee, however, should have goals beyond just getting together and talking. We hope its discussions will lead to some kind of action with which everyone can agree. Exactly what the committee aims to accomplish is unclear, though there is talk of creating an “overlay district,” which would impose limits on land in a certain area beyond what city zoning districts require.

In any case, we appreciate the group’s meetings will be open to the public, according to oftcials. Everyone should be allowed in on the discussions, not just the handful selected to serve on the committee.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 06/29/2012

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