ROGERS -- Fellowship Church officials presented the city Planning Commission with a petition signed by about 1,200 people requesting a road extension be removed from the city's street plan during a meeting Tuesday.
Mickey Rapier, church directional leader, said extending 13th Street from Price Lane to Pleasant Grove Road will cut through the church's property.
"Our request is to remove this from the plan," Rapier told the commission. "If it is built in the future it will greatly diminish our use of this land."
The road will split the church's property, Rapier said. He said the land is often used for events.
The street plan is being reviewed for the first time since 2008.
Two public workshops and two public hearings are required to be held before the commission can take action on the plan. The workshops have already been held and the final public hearing will be at 3 p.m. May 19 at City Hall, 301 W. Chestnut Street.
Derrel Smith, city senior planner, said the commission could decide to hold further meetings before recommending the plan to the City Council. He said the council will have final approval.
Street plans provide the city with an idea of how to improve or expand infrastructure as money becomes available, Smith said. He said it also informs the public of what the city's plans are.
"It is a place holder for a future street," Smith said. "So as people look to buy property they know that there is a street planned for that property."
Smith said the plans will only be completed as money becomes available. He said it could several years or decades for the plans to become reality.
The 13th Street extension has been on the plan for more than 10 years, Smith said. He said it could continue to be on the plan without development for a long time.
Rapier said the street was added after the church bought the property in 1991. He said the church was unaware it was added to the plan until recently.
Dennis Ferguson, planning commissioner, commented that 1,200 signatures is a lot.
"I think it's clear we have a number of people who feel strongly about this," Jim White, planning commissioner, said.
Smith said that staff doesn't plan to remove the extension from its proposal.
"We still see a need for a grid network here," Smith said. "We ask for it to remain."
If Rogers continues to develop in the region, the extension of the road will be needed, Smith has said.
Smith said the council will have the final decision in changes to the plan.
NW News on 05/06/2015