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Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Minutes
March 12, 1959
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The City Planning Commission of Jonesboro, Arkansas, met in regular session on March 12, 1959, at 7:30 P.M. in the Engineering Office of City Water and Light Plant.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Planning Commissioners Charles Frierson, Al Hendrix, Mrs. Clifford Hill, Minor Markle, Lloyd Rebsamen, and Elmer A. Stuck.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Planning Commissioners Dean Ellis, Neal B. Thayer and Caleb Watson.
The following matters were considered:
John Busby, owner of Lot 3 in Ridgecrest Addition, appeared stating that his attorney had presented a request for closing the platted thirty foot street going east and west on the north line of his lot to the City Council and he had been advised that the application should first come before the Planning Commission. The fact of this unopened street being marked on the Master Street Plan and the possible effect upon east and west traffic, if it was permanently made so that it could not be opened, was discussed, together with the plans, as stated by Fred Haywood, who was present on behalf of Mr. Busby, concerning a curved street on the Cartwright property, being in future contemplation which would carry traffic from southeast to northwest through the area, also, the effect of the previous action of the Planning Commission in approving the subdivision of Don Gilbert to the west of the area as making the street as originally laid out on the Master Street Plan unnecessary and not feasible. Also considered was the existence of power lines and telephone cables on the dedicated right of way.
Motion was made by Al Hendrix, seconded by Elmer Stuck, and carried, that the Master Street Plan be amended to delete the protection of right of way on the dedicated strip concerned and that the closing of same be recommended to the City Council provided: (A.) The owner execute and file a dedication of right of way for turning radius according to that provided in the Planning Ordinances, from and across the south point of said Lot 3 of Ridgecrest Addition, and (B.) Execute record and deliver to the City Water and Light Plant of Jonesboro, Arkansas, a perpetual easement for lines, either electrical, sewer or water across the tract involved.
H.C. Kiech and Engineers Fred Haywood and John Kenward presented a request that curbs not be required in Kiech’s Addition to Nettleton, which is planning south of the Nettleton School. It was pointed out that Ordinance 909, Paragraph V (3), did not require curbs if the sales price or F.H.A. appraised price was above #21. 70 per foot. It was also stated to the applicants that in the opinion of the Planning Commission, neither the commission nor the City Council had authority to waive any provision of Ordinance 909 or change same, except by formal amendment. Applicants expressed the thought that evaluation to be placed on the lots was such as not to prevent them to proceed with construction in this subdivision, plat of which was recorded before the passage of ordinance 909.
Dale Reaves, of Wood Street Road, and Engineers Haywood and Kenward made preliminary presentation of plat of Reaves Addition. They requested approval of a fifty foot instead of a sixty foot right of way, for the reason that the wider right of way did not permit the street to joint Western Heights Addition and street known as Valley Drive, because of a sharp point extending southward in one of the Western Heights lots and refusal of the owner or sub divider of that subdivision to set back for the required ten foot additional right of way. It was the option of Reaves and his engineers that a sixty foot right of way would cause the street to come into Valley Drive too close to the Country Road laying on the south of the proposed subdivision. After complete discussion of the layout of lots, an objection raised by Mr. Stuck because three or possibly four of said lots would cause the improvement constructed on them to have their rear to the Country Road and a statement by the applicant and his engineers that no other arrangement could be found that would provide proper passageways and utilities, motion was made by Al Hendrix, seconded by Mr. Clifford Hill, and carried, that the preliminary plat be approved, subject to being redrawn to show a sixty foot right of way, stopping on its northeast at the west line of Lot 5, Block E of Western Heights Addition.
The written request of Knight Laird, registered engineer for E.L. McCarty, was presented, requesting permission under the Zoning Ordinance, to construct a commercial building to be rented or used as a neon sign shop on parts of Lots 1, 2, and 3 of Block B of McCarty Addition to Jonesboro, Arkansas, which lots lie directly south of the Tasty Freeze Drive-In on Nettleton Avenue. A copy of the request is attached and it was stated that the owners and Mr. Laird were requesting the change under the portions of the Zoning Law permitting the Planning Commission to approve an extension of the business use of a lot presently used by business purposes in event the Planning Commission found that the extended use was not deleterious to the neighborhood. From motion made, seconded and unanimously adopted, the extension of business use on the lots described and for the purpose stated was approved.
Report was made of the activities of the Traffic and Parking Study Group, in which Al Hendrix, Charles Frierson, and Lloyd Rebsamen of the Planning Commission, served with representatives of the City Council, Parking Authority and the Chamber of Commerce. University of Arkansas Planning Group had contracted with the City of Jonesboro and the Traffic and Parking Study Group had undertaken to pay for the parking survey. Progress has been made and complete discussion of the problem and conferences held with Lieutenant Franks of Jonesboro and Mr. Bonner of the University of Arkansas was reported. The detailed survey is planning for the last April and first days of May.
Chairman Markle reviewed and the minutes of the previous meeting were read, wherein the Planning Commission had determined , as provided in the ordinance, that the lot or tact south of the Dog and Cat Hospital on Gee Street was intended to be and was, by the Zoning Ordinance, fixed at Commercial. It was stated that an office building was planning on the lots and the drive-in, which had been restrained by the Chancery Court on the theory of nuisance, but not he theory of zoning regulation, was no longer planned. The commission approved of the chairman delivering a copy of the previous minutes concerning said lotto the owner thereof.
There being no further business, meeting adjourned.