Agenda Highlights 11/2/21

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 11-2-21, the Board will vote on whether or not to issue Industrial Development Revenue Bonds for up to $10 million for expansion by window and door manufacturer Weather Barr. The planned expansion would add 100 new jobs with pay averaging $17.50/hour. The advantage for Weather Barr to issuing the bonds is a savings on property taxes. Through the Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement the company will pay the equivalent of 40% of the normal property taxes for 15 years, a total of $801,614 in savings. The City is not obligated to service the bonds or make bond payments.

The Board will also vote on 3 different zoning changes. One is to allow for the property at 830 North Greenwood, a vacant building that was formerly AAA U-Rent It, to house indoor new tire sales, furniture sales, and auto detailing. The second is to allow for an asphalt batching plant to be built on 10 undeveloped acres on the west side of Ball Road and Northwest of Harper Drive. The third is to allow for a set of 4 duplexes to built to replace a single family residence at the corner of Waco Street and South 30th.

The Board will vote on changing the Unified Development Code concerning outdoor dining. Currently restaurants (located anywhere but Downtown) have to get Conditional Use zoning approval to have outdoor patio dining. The proposed change would make them no longer required to do that so long as they are not within 300 feet of a residential property.

The Board will also vote on whether or not to make the Downtown parking meters free from 11-26-2021 to 1-7-2022. This has been done in several recent years. It is predicted to cause an estimated $5000 in lost meter revenue. It is intended to encourage and support shopping local and patronizing downtown local businesses during the holiday season.