Agenda Highlights 7/25/23
The biggest item on the agenda for the Fort Smith Board of Directors study session meeting scheduled for 7-25-23 is discussion of potential plans for Brick Yard Park. At last week’s Board of Directors meeting a resolution was passed asking Acme Brick to donate the land at the former site of their quarry and brick manufacturing facility to allow for a park and retention pond to be built. The plan suggested by Friends of Recreational Trails for the park to be designed by Progressive Trail Designs includes a park on the west side of Old Greenwood Road (where the quarry was) that will be primarily focused on mountain biking trails and bike related amenities. The east side of Old Greenwood (where the kiln was) would be developed into a flood water detention pond to help alleviate May Branch flooding that frequently results in flooding of residences and business on the North side of town. In addition to the anti-flooding benefits, the pond would also serve as a water feature for the park. The two sides would be connected by a pedestrian bridge spanning over Old Greenwood. Potential funding sources for the project include City funds (including funds from the sales tax for Parks capital improvements) as well as a public-private partnership with the Friends of Brick Yard non-profit to be established to focus on the park and multiple grants that may be available for the project.
The Board will discuss Planned Zoning Districts including the possibility of requiring properties that apply for a PZD zoning change to submit a development plan. This discussion was originally scheduled to be held at the 6-27-23 meeting, but was tabled to allow for more time for discussion of other issues on that agenda.
The Board will discuss the height restrictions for buildings. Currently in conventional zoning districts, the maximum building height allowed is 35-45 feet. In the Central Business Improvement District where the code is form based, maximum heights range from 35-100 feet. There is also currently a provision that allows for an additional vertical foot above what would otherwise be the maximum allowable height to be added for each extra horizontal foot of set back beyond the required set back. For example, if a property is zoned so that buildings are required to be set back 10 feet and are allowed to be 35 feet tall, if the developer would build the building set 20 feet back he could also build the building 45 feet tall. This discussion was also originally scheduled for the 6-27-23 meeting and tabled to allow more time for discussion of other issues on that evening’s agenda.
