PEA RIDGE -- Opposition to a rezone request propeled numerous city residents to speak during several public hearings at the Pea Ridge Planning Commisson meeting May 4.
Seven separate items were presented in public hearings, with two drawing the majority of public speakers. Those two items were rezoning agricultural land on Greer Street and Lee Town Road to Residential-2, single family. The property is owned by Deloris Wilkerson and Kinley Miller. Realtor Tim Salmonsen spoke on the requests and said the developer plans to construct single family residences.
Julie Pond spoke stating low density subdivision reflect the city's culture. "I'd like to see the city do a moratorium on building until they get their plans done," Pond said Tuesday.
Amanda Evans said she is "opposed to high density."
"It would not be cohesive to anything around Greer Street... it would not be cohesive to the atmosphere of the far east side of town," Evans said.
Barbara France said she believes the "citizens are getting incorrect information ... not getting the full picture." She said the R2 zone, in addition to smaller lots for single-family dwellings, allows for duplexes, tri-plexes and four-plexes.
Michael Frost said he is opposed to multi-family dwellings. "We have problems in my neighborhood now with people leasing homes and not taking care of them."
Ronald Simons said he believed 313 homes in neighboring subdivisions will be "financially harmed by this rezone."
In speaking to the opposition, Salmonsen said: "First of all, this is for R2 single family homes. We're just trying to keep homes affordable in Pea Ridge."
City building official Tony Townsend said the R2 zone is not a high density zone and the developer will have to present a development plan to city officials for approval before construction begins. He said the lots in Pea Ridge are larger than most places in Northwest Arkansas.
Opponents to the rezone request spoke mostly about multi-family dwellings.
"I've been here 26 years and have seen deed restrictions," Karen Sherman, planner, asked city attorney Shane Perry. "Is that legal or not?"
Perry said planners could put a restriction on the property for single family homes only but didn't know if it could be enforced by the city.
"It doesn't currently exist now by code," Perry said. "In our new code, we're looking at splitting that apart so we don't have this issue. This boils down to a matter of trust."
Salmonsen said: "Just for the record, that's (multi-family dwellings) is not the intent of the developer. They've already got buyers for the lots."
Sebrina Turner asked: "You've been doing this for 26 years. Have you ever seen somebody plan a subdivision and then turn around and put something different in."
"Usually what happens is it doesn't develop. I haven't seen someone say single family and turn it into a multi-family in the time that I've been here," Sherman said.
Planner Patrick Wheeless said he voted against a similar request at a previous meeting "because I didn't think it was submitted properly." He said this request did not involve spot zoning and made the motion to approve the request. It was seconded by Chris Johnson. Two planners, Michael Wilhelm and Al Fowler were absent. Sherman voted against both requests which passed 4-1.
In other business, planners:
• Approved rezoning 6.6 acres on Weston Street from A-1 to C3.
• Approved rezoning a 10,000-square-feet lot on Smith Street from R-1 to C-1.
• Approved a conditional use for 955 Slack Street for an ice machine.
• Approved two home occupation requests -- one for 1057 Nemett Dr., for Eric Tolan, and one at 1462 Charles St., for Sebrina Turner.
• Approved the development plan for 240 Slack St. for a service building for Zipline.
• Approved a preliminary plat for Avalon Subdivision.
• Approved a variance request to waive the large scale development requirements for Greg Smith for a beverage truck at It'll Do Road/Arkansas 72.
• Approved a variance request for the lot size changing setbacks for Jeremy and Carrie Webb for a lot on Smith Street.