Paper's cartoons need to be in sync with voters
When will this newspaper realize that the old blue state (Arkansas) has turned into a red state. Perhaps the opinion editor was sleeping. I am completely fed up with the political cartoons that continue to be totally disrespectful to the president-elect. Whoever picks these cartoons should be fired. He or she is totally out of sync with the voters of this state.
To quote a soon to be former president, "elections have consequences." Hillary lost, get over it.
Sign me "one who jumped out of the basket of deplorables."
Elaine Taylor
Bella Vista
Residents need protections from event centers
My neighborhood in rural Washington County (South Shaeffer Road) is zoned as Agriculture/Single-Family Residential. A conditional-use permit is required for property to be used in any other way. Last month, the Washington County Planning Board approved a conditional-use permit that would allow a non-resident landowner to establish an event center (parties, reunions, weddings) within a few feet of our property. The event center main building, driveway and parking lot will all be a scant 12 feet from our property line. Twelve feet! That is as far as across a small room! This sets a new precedent for rural Washington County. No others event centers are this close to neighbors.
If this ruling stands, a parking lot for 100 partying guests, amplified music and outdoor game areas will be just a few feet from the garden where my wife, Janet Bachmann, grows vegetables and flowers for sale at Fayetteville's farmers' market. Since 1994, Janet has worked in that garden up to 12 hours a day in peak season. When a wedding or party is in session across the fence, no more bird songs accompanying the meditative garden work! During evening events, sitting outside listening to and watching the night hawks will be much less relaxing. And our house, where we sleep with windows open in prime weather, stands nearby as well.
Along with several of my neighbors, I have appealed to the Washington County Quorum Court to overturn the Planning Board approval for this permit.
The effects of the new precedent may be felt on future Planning Board decisions. Before this action, event center facilities in unincorporated areas of the county had been sited at least 50 feet from their neighbors' property boundary. This decision also sets another precedent in the small size of the property. The newly approved event center is on a property of only 7.4 acres, with no other land serving as a buffer from neighboring families. No other approved permit of this type has so little room available to buffer sound and sight from the neighbors.
In addition to overturning this decision, I ask the Quorum Court to establish guidelines for rural event centers. In unincorporated portions of the county, event centers should be required to have at least 20 acres of property to hold events. And event facilities should be at least 50 feet from property boundaries. These guidelines would protect other rural landowners and residents throughout the county from having commercial party houses move in as their intimate neighbors, and would help keep our rural landscape looking rural.
The Quorum Court is scheduled to first hear this appeal is Feb. 9. I urge Washington County residents to alert their justices of the peace to this appeal. Encourage them to support new guidelines for rural event centers. I don't want the White River Landing Event Center so close to our home. And I don't want future event centers to be this close to where other rural residents live either.
Jim Lukens
Fayetteville
Commentary on 01/07/2017