ROGERS -- The Street Plan recommended to the City Council by the Planning Commission on Tuesday night left off a 13th Street extension supported by staff.
The proposed extension from Price Lane to Pleasant Grove Road has received heavy criticism from Fellowship Church officials and members in recent months. Opponents said it would cut through the church's property.
"In essence, this proposed extension condemns one-third of our property for a possible street that may not be built for decades, if then," Mickey Rapier, church directional leader said. "Building the street would adversely affect our ability to safely conduct ministry at our present capacity."
The commission's 4-2 vote to remove the extension from the plan was received with applause and "amens" from about 70 in attendance Tuesday. Commissioners Brian Jackson, Mark Myers, Jim White and Don Spann voted in favor of the motion. Tony Noblin and Myra Moran voted against it.
Myers said he doesn't see a benefit from the road the extension.
"Our charge is to the city as a whole not just an individual property owner and to the future," Myers told the audience. "That being said, living in this area and taking the time to walk through it, I am not seeing the overall benefit of this extension."
The plan is being updated for the first time since 2008. Two public workshops and public hearings were held before the vote Tuesday. City staff responded in writing to the Planning Commission about concerns raised by residents during each of meetings.
Staff said the 13th Street extension provides "connectivity and is part of the city's grid network" in one of the notes.
"While the section is not currently needed, it should continue to be in place for future growth," staff wrote. "Removing this connection moves the north/south grid system too far to the west and will slow (emergency) response time in the future."
Derrel Smith, city senior planner, has said the plan is a place holder for street expansions and improvements needed in the future. He has said if the region continues to develop the road would be needed. He also said it could take years before the extension became a reality.
The 13th Street extension has been on the plan about 10 years, Smith said.
The church purchased the property in 1991, Rapier said. He was unaware of the proposed extension until recently.
Rapier also argued the street wasn't adequately needed. He noted a traffic study done by the city showed traffic hasn't increased a South 13th Street and Price Lane since 2005.
"It seems to us that it makes no sense to add a collector street so close to 71 business and Dixieland," Rapier said.
Noblin said he disagreed with statements the road wasn't needed. He said he drops his son off at school in the area every morning.
"I'm not talking about studies or engineers," Noblin said. "This is just what I see. The traffic is getting backed up. I know this is the worst time of day but it is still there."
Smith said the street plan could go before the City Council for approval during its June 9 meeting. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 301 W. Chestnut.
NW News on 05/20/2015