Planning - Regular Meeting

I will call a meeting to order. Start with a roll call. If you're here, please press your eye button. Did it? It's on there.

There it is. This being the first meeting of the year, we need to open up with an administrative action of electing our officers. Anyone here make some nominations?

Nominate Lonnie to remain as chair and Kevin as co chair. Second that. All

those in favor, your I button. Anyone opposed, press your nay button.

Nope, didn't vote.

I'm sorry. We didn't put that one in.

All those in favor say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed?

Heaven's sake, no.

Either way we are. Okay. Moving right along. I'll open up for the discussion of the minutes from the 12/09/2025 meeting. Are there any changes to be made?

Move approval, they were submitted. Second.

I have a motion and a second. Everybody in favor, press your eye button. Anyone opposed, press your neighbor. Oh, wait. Hold on. I'm sorry.

Okay.

Alright. First item we have tonight on the agenda is a preliminary subdivision. Applicant Mark Morris is requesting for approval for the Orchard Phase 3 preliminary subdivision of 13.61 acres. Applicant for this item?

Good evening. My name is Mark Morris. I'm the engineer on this project and we're seeking preliminary approval on 43 lots. This is the third phase of the orchard.

Okay, city planner, you have any staff comments to add to this?

I think yes sir, we reviewed it. It does meet all the requirements for lot size. It meets the requirements for the single family zone that it's in. So we would recommend approval.

Commissioners have any questions? Anyone ready with a motion?

Zoper, move to accept the application.

Motion to hear a second. A little second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor press your eye button. Anyone oppose your nay button. Preliminary subdivision is approved. Thank you. Next item we have on the agenda, the applicant Carlos and Brandon Wood is requesting approval of Twin Oaks Reserve Commercial Subdivision of 17.23 acres. Have a proponent for this item. Yeah, I'm Brandon Wood, an engineering surveyor for the project representing the owner.

And we're just requesting final approval for Twin Oaks Reserve Commercial Subdivision. City planner, you have the staff comments for this one?

Yes, sir, we do. We have reviewed it also and it meets all the requirements. Everything except the sidewalk on the

north side Yes, north.

Would be is completed except for some minor stuff, but we have a bond for everything. So we would recommend approval.

Okay. Commissioners have questions on this one or comments? When ready with a motion?

Move from over to approve approve the application.

Is there a second?

Hold for All those

in favor, press your eye button. Anyone opposed, nay? Subdivision's been approved. Alright, Thank you. Okay. The next item we have on the agenda is ATRC rentals is requesting conditional use to construct a gravel storage area for rental equipment adjacent to an existing rental center at 2210 Doctor. Martin Luther King Drive. The applicant for this item.

John Easley with Associated Engineering on behalf of Herc Rentals. At 2210 Martin Luther King, they have an existing next I'll over fenced in, screened area. We also are asking to for a conditional use to put a parking lot in I1 zoning.

Without a building? Okay. City planning, you have staff comments on this?

Yes, we do. We've reviewed it and we would recommend approval based on the following three requirements that are two requirements. Upon issuance of a conditional use approval, all of the required local and state wide permits and expect inspections must be applied for and obtained in the interior of any this this doesn't apply. So just that one one requirement.

Okay. With this being a conditional use, is there anyone here to give public input on this request? Hearing none, I'll defer to the commissioners. Are there any questions or comments?

Zilper moved to approve with stipulation.

I have a motion with stipulation. Do I hear a second? A little second. Okay. All those in favor, cast your vote.

Opposed cast your vote. Okay conditional use has been approved.

We go.

Sorry John, we couldn't get it entered into the system in time.

So we're not gonna move in that. I mean, tell you this. We have. Okay. Alright, so the next item we have on the agenda, the applicant Weston Wagner is requesting a rezoning for property at 1306 Charles Drive from r one single family residential to r s seven single family residential. We have the applicant for this item.

Hey. Good evening. I'm Weston Wagner, and I also own 1306 Charles Drive. I am requesting a rezoning from a r one to an r s seven. It is staying residential, and I'm trying to build two single family homes on this lot.

The reason I'm trying to go from a r one to an r s seven is my front width is about a 104, 105 foot, which puts me about 52 to 53 foot frontage. And on an r one, I would need 60 foot frontage. RS seven would allow me a 50 foot frontage, which would allow me to put two homes on this. I have emailed Carol about it, and there is a new bill that came out. It's house bill 15 o three, which allows a secondary and ADU on any residential property.

And so I can take the property as is as an r one lot and build two structures on it, which would be one house of whatever size I went with, and the other's house could be up to a thousand square foot. And so I could build two houses on it right now. One would just be limited on square footage, and the other one could be any size. But I'd like them both to be similar in size, roughly probably around the 1,500 square foot mark.

Okay. City planner, do have any staff comments to add to this one?

Yes, sir. We have reviewed it, and it does meet all six of the approval criterias. So we would recommend approval with the following conditions. The proposed site shall satisfy all requirements of the city engineer, all requirements of the current stormwater drainage design manual, and floodplain regulations regarding construction. Final site plan subject to all ordinance requirements shall be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the planning department priority in redevelopment. A change of use oh, any change of use shall be subject to planning planning department approval in the future and the site shall come this in the Overlay District. So just those three. Thank you.

Alright. And with this rezoning request, is there anyone here for public comments on the rezoning request at 1306 Charles Drive? Hearing none, I'll open up for commissioner comments or questions for the city staff or the applicant.

We'll remove that we accept the rezoning request or approve the rezoning request with conditions.

A little second. Okay, have a motion and a second. All those in favor, press your eye button. Anyone opposed your nay button? Okay, so you have received a favorable recommendation from the Planning Commission, but you need to get on the city council agenda before Thursday at 10:00. Thank you so much. You bet. Okay. Next item we have on the agenda. This is a rezoning request. The applicant Dustin White is requesting for a rezoning of the property at 2620 Alexander Drive from R 1 Single family residential to C 3 General Commercial District. Have the proponent for this item?

Thank you, mister chairman. I'm Dustin White. I'm here on behalf of the property owner to speak in support of this rezoning request. This rezoning request aligns with the city's adopted long term land use plan. And the direction the direction that the city has already established for this area. There's no specific use being proposed at this time. This request is strictly about zoning alignment. Any future development would still go through the city's normal site plan review and so forth.

Okay. City planner, do you have staff comments on this one?

Yes, sir. We do. Again, this one meets all six requirements requirements of the approval criteria, so we would recommend approval with the following conditions. The pro site shall satisfy all requirements of the city engineer, all requirements of the current storm water drainage design manual, and floodplain regulations regarding any new construction. The final site plan subject to all ordinance requirements shall be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the planning department prior to any redevelopment of property. Any change of view shall be subject to planning department approval in the future, and the site shall comply with all requirements of the Overlay District.

This is the overall Overlay District? Yes, sir. It is. Okay. Now for this rezoning request, is there anyone here to give public input? Anyone would like to come up and give comments regarding the request?

Well, I guess I'm elected.

You would just come up and state your name for the record. Alright. Let us know what's on your mind.

My name is Cheryl Rogers. I live at 2815 Wood Street, which is on the corner, just right down from where the proposed rezoning property is. I don't know, but I'm opposed to it. You know, this is this is I know it says it's in use with the projected land use for the city of Jonesboro. That maybe.

I don't know but I guess the concern maybe that I would raise and maybe that other people would raise who live close to, adjacent to that property or in the neighborhood would be the commercial use, and we've been down this road before with some property across the street from us several years ago, and that property was submitted with a limited use overlay. Now that was rejected by the city council, and it remained residential property. And so at this point in time, I think I'm speaking for at least the neighbors that I have talked to and who might have a concern with this is the general commercial property. Also, I was looking today for like the city plan for projected use with open spaces and the appearance of people driving. This is a high intensity area because it is right next to I 5555 but from people driving through the area and the impression that they have of the area.

And so we would also be concerned that the about what would go there, the type of business that would go there, and the appearance of it, not only for the city of Jonesboro, but for our neighborhood as well. The commercial property that is already there is looks very nice. If you drive down Alexander Drive, it looks very nice. And I think we would be concerned and with any projected use as far as what would go there and how it would impact both the residential neighborhood and the appearance of that area. So those are my comments. Thank you.

Thanks for your comments. Is there anyone else who would like to add to those comments? Okay. I'll open up for any commissioners questions.

Chairman Dennis Zulper. Wouldn't it be good to tell the lady that we can't consider uses because we're only in rezoning? That's not something we can take into consideration.

No, you can't ask what the use is gonna be. Now, you can consider a limited use overlay if that's something that the that was proposed. Right? At that point, you can eliminate certain uses. But if you just have a general commercial designation or c three, you can't ask what the intent is to use the property for. So that's where the LUO that she was referencing comes in.

For the property is in the Overlay District though, so there are some design standards for commercial properties in the Overlay District. So it would have to be 80% bricks, masonry or stone. It'd have additional landscaping requirements. It'd have smaller signage requirements. Lighting limitations? There will be lighting limitations because it does abut the residential area. So that's already in our codes that we can control that.

I think it's good.

There are barrier requirement between the

Areas, there's a minimum of 25 feet from commercial to residential.

Any other questions, commissioners? Any other concerns? Mister White, would your owner consider leaving a that lot is pretty wooded. Would they consider leaving a wooded buffer between like a 30 foot buffer between the property and the residential properties that abut it.

As opposed to a 25 foot?

Well, maybe it is the 20 yeah, 25 to 30 foot is what I was And would they consider submitting a limited use overlay that might be more pleasing to the neighbors?

I can't speak for them. I think that they're reasonable folks. Ultimately, I think the zoning aligns with what the city's long term use plan is, and we're really just trying to get in alignment with that.

So Jeff, about the barrier, you're saying leaving it untouched? Are you talking about equal sized? I mean, is that something we can stipulate on a rezoning request?

Yeah, I'm thinking leave it leave it wooded as it is now, a buffer between and maybe it's 25 foot if that's already the requirement, but to leave that So we would

make that a stipulation? Can do that. Leave an untouched buffer for 25 feet.

Make that a stipulation. Can we stipulate a limited use of the lake? Can we do that or they have to propose that? I mean, would be tough

to go through that list here tonight and decide what that is. Unless you're prepared to table it and go back through and then I don't think you can make them proposal. That's not what they've requested, so I don't think you can make them do that.

I mean he's asking for a general C3, so I mean, can't, like you say, can't force them to change the option at this time.

Would you be interested in tabling it and coming back with a limited use overlay?

I don't think so at this time. We don't have a specific use in mind.

I guess that would be more about eliminating possible uses, not determining what the use would necessarily be today. True. True. But eliminating uses that might make these neighbors feel more at ease.

We're not interested in tabling it for now.

So are we making the 25 foot untouched barrier?

Is that what you're Along the residential property.

Along the residential property, yes.

Would be the east and north sides of

the Does that agree with you, Justin?

Yeah, that sounds good.

So add that as a stipulation? Yes. Okay. Any other questions from the commissioners? Anyone ready to make a motion?

Make a motion to approve the request for rezoning with the stipulation.

Have a motion on the floor. Do I hear a second?

Go for a second.

All those in favor, press your eye button. Anyone opposed, press your nay button.

I think you can back up, I don't know.

Everybody might have to vote again. Ready to vote. So you received a favorable recommendation from the Planning Commission. You need to get on the City Council's agenda before 11:00 Thursday or 10:00 Thursday. Thank you.

Okay. Next item we have on the agenda. This is a sidewalk fee in lieu of letter. Applicant John Easley is requesting a waiver to do a sidewalk ordinance at 2210 MLK Junior Boulevard, proponent for this item.

John Easley, RDOT's doing in Whiting on MLK Boulevard. Boulevard. Therefore, the project already has a job number. So we're asking for an in loop based on RDOT's price for this project.

Hold on just second. We're trying to find that letter from the state. Your r dot letter. I guess that's what it is, isn't it? That's it.

Okay. Sorry about that. John, if you wanna proceed. Is that everything you wanted to say about the R dot number and all that? Okay. Alright. City planner, you have comments on this?

Yes, sir. We do. As you notice on this, it's not the normal price that we've seen in the past, but it is the price that we've accepted along MLK since they're actually building this right now. And the price of $68.78 a square yard is actually what it cost RDOT to build that right now on that project. So that's the reason. Normally, I think right now it's, what is it, Michael, close to a 100 yards, so, but we use their actual bid prices on this one. And we've done that on the last, the two, multi families that were along Martin Luther King too. We we accepted that because that's the actual numbers we have.

So the fee total will be $4,816.43?

Yes, sir.

Okay. I'll open up for commissioner's questions, comments, or motion. I'll make a motion that we approve the in lieu of Is there a second? A little second. All those in favor, press your eye button. Anyone oppose your nay button? Okay. Sidewalk and loop up fee has been approved.

Alright. Thank you.

Okay. City planner, any other comments? Just one.

I think most of you know that we're in the process of doing comprehensive land use plan and a master street plan update that we've hired a consultant to do for us. I've emailed y'all, and with the emails I have, I know I need to get mister Cooper's writing because it's going to the city email. I know that's not the one you you read. But, I sent you a letter that contains a QR code and a link to a website. It's a questionnaire the committee that was originally looking at this.

We would like y'all's input too. Kinda need this input pretty quick. It's just a survey that everybody's doing, and you can fill it out and and get it back to the consultants. Yeah. If you fill that out and get it back to consultants, we would appreciate it. We will also Email?

I'm sorry. Send it to our email?

Yes. Yeah. I'll send it to your email. The city email? I think I sent it to your I had your personal email. Okay. Think I sent it to that. There will also on February 12 be a public hearing for this comprehensive land use plan and master street plan. Right now, we're looking at, over at Earl Bell, and it'll probably be from five to seven ish if anybody wants to drop by and, cease the results of the surveys and see some of the preliminary work that's being done. And then the last of February March 1, there will be a charrette session.

It will be at the OY and it'll be an all week affair and so there will be more information there. So we'll be sending out more information about this as we go. But right now we're still trying to gather information to put everything together to complete the surveys, to ask the questions that the public is you know, will want to see in the plan. So if y'all can do that and get that back to us, we'd appreciate it.

K. Commissioners have any questions? Anything to add? K. We're adjourned.