Again, LR holds off on Mapco vote

Mapco leaders asked Tuesday that the Little Rock Board of Directors again defer the company's request for the city to rezone a lot at the intersection of Third Street and Broadway downtown to make way for construction of a gas station.

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map showing proposed Mapco site

The board allowed the deferral in a 7-3 vote, putting off a decision on the proposal for three months, per the request of Ward 5 City Director Lance Hines.

Hines said he received a call from Mapco representatives Tuesday morning notifying him of the company's intention to seek a second deferral and noted that the board received a letter from Mapco's president last week indicating the company's willingness to cooperate with the community.

Ward 7 City Director B.J. Wyrick and At-Large City Director Joan Adcock said they were shocked to hear of the deferral request at the last minute. Wyrick, Adcock and Ward 3 City Director Stacey Hurst voted against the deferral.

There has been no shortage of opposition to locating the gas station and convenience store at the busy intersection. In addition to several Pulaski County elected officials -- including County Judge Buddy Villines and County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley -- there are neighborhood groups that are against the effort. The Downtown Partnership and the Quapaw Quarter Association both voted to oppose the proposal.

Hines said Tuesday that the company asked for the vote on its request to be postponed so it could work with the community on a compromise for the station's design.

In response to Hines' motion to defer, Ward 4 City Director Brad Cazort said he wouldn't oppose putting off the vote because the board has allowed deferrals in the past. However, he noted that because the design isn't what the community opposes, he didn't see the point in deferring the proposal for that reason.

Wyrick said she had met with downtown real estate broker Dickson Flake of Colliers International, who is representing Mapco in the development request, on Monday and wasn't notified that the company planned to ask for a deferral.

"I don't know how much you can change the design for a gas station and convenience store to make it attractive to a multitude of people who don't want to see it there," Wyrick said. "I'm surprised at the deferral. As late as 11 o'clock [p.m.] yesterday, I had met with Dickson Flake and he never mentioned it, so I'm surprised someone knew about it a week ago."

Adcock added that putting off discussion on the proposal for a second time was "rude" to the dozens of citizens who took time to go to Tuesday's meeting.

"I wish we'd be a little more considerate of the citizens," Adcock said.

Villines, Jegley and others wrote letters to the Planning Commission asking that it deny Mapco's request in May, but the commission advanced the measure in a 7-2 vote despite the city's Planning Department staff recommending denial.

Planning Director Tony Bozynski told the Board of Directors at its agenda meeting last week that staff members didn't support the request because the Mapco proposal didn't fit the urban use zoning of the area, wasn't pedestrian friendly and didn't fit with what many residents refer to as the government corridor. The county's administrative offices, prosecutor's office and courthouse are all nearby.

In an added twist, a grass-roots group dubbed Smart Growth Little Rock paid for robocalls last week asking residents to tell city directors to vote against the gas station development.

Christen Carter, a field coordinator at the Markham Group who, according to her work biography, managed the Restore Robinson campaign, said she created the group's Facebook page. Many against the Mapco development have said the gas station will lead to crime in the area, which they said would be a slap in the face to voters who recently approved a $68 million renovation to Robinson Center down the street.

Carter wouldn't disclose the names of the groups or people behind Smart Growth Little Rock, saying that it is a community effort of residents, neighborhood organizations, businesses and elected officials. She also wouldn't say how much the robocalls cost nor who paid for them.

Adcock said she was notified of another robocall that went out last week that was in support of the proposal, but didn't know what group backed that call.

City Directors Doris Wright, Hines and Erma Hendrix have all said they support the proposal. The property is located in Hendrix's ward. She said the city needs the tax revenue, while Wright said there's a shortage of convenience stores in the immediate downtown area.

Additional issues mentioned by those in opposition to the development include concerns that it would hinder pedestrian safety and add to traffic problems at an already dangerous and congested intersection.

Mapco Director of Real Estate Steve Vanden Noven has said the gas station isn't a destination venue and would serve the existing traffic in the area, not create additional congestion. He also countered that a well-lit and staffed convenience store is better for the safety of pedestrians than a dark, empty bank building and parking garage that presently sit on the lot.

As proposed, the Mapco would stock groceries and have a restaurant with a seating area. The gas pumps also would be placed closer to Arch Street to encourage customers to enter from Arch and Third instead of from Broadway.

Board chambers at City Hall had standing room only, and Mayor Mark Stodola said at least 17 people had signed up to speak against the proposal. At least two dozen people left Tuesday night after the Mapco ordinance was taken off the agenda.

Metro on 07/02/2014

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