Shifting on gas station, 1 to request LR revote

City Director Dean Kumpuris informed his fellow Little Rock board members Tuesday that he plans to ask them to rescind a vote passed earlier this month that allowed Murphy USA to locate a gas station and convenience store at the corner of West 12th Street and South University Avenue.

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Kumpuris, who originally voted in favor of the gas station, didn't give a reason for his request but said he would ask for a vote at the Sept. 2 board meeting to rescind the earlier decision. His announcement was quickly followed by Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola's request for a study to be completed on the effect of gas stations and convenience stores on neighborhoods all over the city.

The Aug. 5 vote to allow the Murphy USA store at the intersection -- 300 feet from the entrance to the University Park neighborhood -- was the second such gas station proposal to incite a controversy in the city this year.

When Mapco recently petitioned to build a service station at a downtown intersection, several Pulaski County elected officials lobbied against the move. Eventually Mapco withdrew its proposal.

Earlier this month, the Planning Commission tabled another proposal by Murphy USA to build a 24-hour convenience store and gas station at the southeast corner of Cantrell and Taylor Loop roads. That request also has received pushback from the neighborhood.

At-large City Director Joan Adcock suggested Tuesday that the city board consider putting a moratorium on the construction of gas stations if it plans to wait for an impact study before approving more service stations.

"Since we know there's another one of these coming up, should we consider a moratorium on these type of convenience stores until we have a study?" Adcock asked.

Vice Mayor and Ward 6 City Director Doris Wright added: "I think we need a moratorium until we can study this because it's happening so fast we can't keep up with it."

Stodola, however, suggested that the moratorium discussion be postponed until the board votes in two weeks on Kumpuris' proposal to rescind the vote on the Murphy USA station at South University Avenue.

If the board does rescind its earlier vote to allow the store to be built, Murphy USA's attorney, Mark Childers of the Friday, Eldredge & Clark law firm in Little Rock, said the company would lose the $10,000 to $15,000 it has spent on design fees.

"In Robert's Rules of Order, I believe it's improper to have a motion to rescind when something has been done as a result of the vote of approval that is impossible to undo," Childers said. "... [Murphy USA has] moved full speed on this project and is spending money they can't get back. Those are things that are impossible to undo."

City Attorney Tom Carpenter noted that the company does not yet own the property where the gas station would be placed, and told Childers that company officials have spent money "at their own risk." Stodola added that the board's approval doesn't take effect for 30 days after the vote.

The Aug. 5 vote to allow the store at the intersection was protested by dozens of residents who showed up at the board meeting that night. It narrowly passed with the mayor casting the tiebreaker vote of approval.

Kumpuris' request for the vote to be rescinded came after residents lobbied board members to take back their votes. City Directors Ken Richardson, Erma Hendrix, B.J. Wyrick, Adcock and Wright had voted against the measure. Voting for the proposal were Kumpuris and Brad Cazort, Gene Fortson, Lance Hines, Stacy Hurst and ultimately the mayor.

State Sen. Joyce Elliott, who lives in the neighborhood where the gas station is proposed, wrote city directors and the mayor before Tuesday's meeting asking them to support the motion to rescind the vote, which she said she expected to be offered by Richardson.

"I care deeply about what happens south of I-630. I live there on purpose, on Fair Park, where I am seeing positive changes that I desperately want to see continue throughout the entire neighborhood and the rest of South 630," Elliott wrote. "What we place there matters when it comes to attracting family-friendly businesses to our area. We already have enough other 'stuff.'"

Joe Busby, president of the University District Neighborhoods Association, sent a letter Tuesday to city officials in which he suggested the study Stodola ultimately proposed.

"The study should take into account the development of these large multi-pumps convenience stores in areas that are of urban nature and that have begun revitalization," Busby wrote.

Stodola said during the board meeting that the study would be an objective way to gauge the effect of gas stations on residential areas.

Metro on 08/20/2014

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