[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6277243,"mediaKeyId","2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894","parentId",2656406,"title","Board debates rezoning request to agricultural-forestry amid neighborhood opposition and looming ETJ legislation","audioSeconds",550,"startMs",4014000,"endMs",4564000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894&start=4014&end=4564","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894/thumbnail_4014000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6277243/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Board-debates-rezoning-request-to-agricultural-forestry-amid-neighborhood-opposition-and-looming-ETJ-legislation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277243-a3704ba95262100539917e162fb57f65/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154690&Signature=WEXQBArnFMJjBFhRNp4HvoZyXqP1Ck3mQl80-Hvvh25e~TPJzvDsu5pki8JfxHjE16oeAj5Vsf2ACJLEe7ruxax93G1xouCMN9V4D13cUADwv8NstVGQfPJWmY8JJglr5ZPhSBAzlYtRl5YxA6irjeOiIag66SR2Djpqu1AR8LSjPG747Js8NsuUV34FCzC8QhP~DRn0qesTHQSDvOKLzZWq-MFA0rao9AD2VTFzxth7pE0d7zyKaPdjAdYioYmsovDbs5LBcezc5kGmbLF0txnU7R3b6cUhJQmgQXhRrsXTssztppm5T~JdTjmEe287izotE~hydaE4-X67WfY75Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Little Rock","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","City planning staff and board members discussed a rezoning request for a 24.28-acre property at 3708 Garrison Road on March 18 that would change the parcel from R-2 (single-family) to AF (agricultural-forestry).

Mr. Jordan, Planning Department staff, described the request: the property includes a 14,000-square-foot single-family residence and the applicant seeks AF zoning principally to permit hobby-farm uses such as raising poultry and other animals and to support a “farm-to-table” concept tied to the owner’s restaurant. Jordan said the Planning Commission recommended approval of the AF designation but that there had been substantial opposition at the Planning Commission hearing; earlier plans to use the site for event space were withdrawn after sustained public pushback.

Directors voiced concern about changing zoning inside an established residential area. \"I have no idea why we would take a home in the middle of a residential area and turn it into an agriculture and farm property,\" Director Hynes said, noting how such a change could allow uses (livestock, kennels, riding academies under conditional use) that neighbors oppose. Mr. Jordan noted the area includes other large lots and some AF zoning nearby, and he said AF would allow single-family residences together with accessory agricultural uses.

City Attorney Carpenter advised that a pending civil suit over ownership does not by itself preclude the board from acting: under city ordinance, the property owner may request a zoning change and the board can consider it if there is no objection from a party challenging ownership. Carpenter also cautioned that an active piece of state legislation could remove the city’s extraterritorial-jurisdiction (ETJ) authority; if that bill passes the city’s ability to control uses in some areas outside the municipal boundary could change and could affect how the board wants to act on this and similar requests.

Procedural requests and related items: Director Hans asked that items 14, 17 and 27 be held separate and grouped where appropriate; later staff noted item 18 was to be deferred to April 15. Director Wyatt asked what AF permits, and Jordan read the code’s permitted and conditional uses for AF (single-family residences and accessory agriculture are permitted; agricultural processing, kennels and similar uses are conditional and would require separate review). Several directors said they wanted more time to weigh possible neighborhood impacts, and Mayor Frank Scott Jr. suggested conferring with the property owner about how pending state legislation might affect the outcome.

Why it matters: rezoning changes use allowances and can permit agricultural and commercial activities that neighbors might find intrusive; board action could affect adjacent established subdivisions. The possible change in state law concerning ETJ authority raised the stakes because it may limit the city’s future ability to regulate similar parcels outside city limits.

Next steps: Directors asked staff for additional briefings and recommended holding related agenda items separate for fuller public comment and consideration. No final rezoning vote was recorded during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Directors Agenda Meeting 3_11_25","oneSentenceSummary","City planning staff and board members discussed a rezoning request for a 24.28-acre property at 3708 Garrison Road on March 18 that would change the parcel from R-2 (single-family) to AF (agricultural-forestry).","taxTitle","Little Rock City, Pulaski County, Arkansas","taxId",3741,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6277254,"Little Rock officials outline extensive deferred maintenance at fire stations; mayor to propose emergency fund",3221,839000,4060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894&start=839&end=4060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894/thumbnail_839000.jpg","/articles/6277254/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Little-Rock-officials-outline-extensive-deferred-maintenance-at-fire-stations-mayor-to-propose-emergency-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277254-a05d72d73ad4799dfe975dfb1c9f1d7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154690&Signature=Buxvn0KVY1oKcwJHkIFjwZvGTlUMju8FrSDkAo3jglMw4DBCsJVEH~V-7Lwhe6I0di2SvxCPSdZyIWn2fcpsrSKZDH8mn6rCMu9cbp8R1K-MvhBf2dStd3k0Z5BRc5iaTQrVhKbe4LRiIH~nhw3uZPSZxoOdb~J~Aoh~ISDZGA9vEqgLR0FoYfeHfvm8sJ-6GIMVNSDdhk0PiQKl0jUTtfF4WhTW5XwtaTXd7VTPitJCz0dWyGFOxaPgXXaz9~7i~58BaOwxCnnMyYBgFIMZmZxa0PxT3Nmug3AQbZcoPCZZUkQFWYoA5il8OmnXc9~y2haHWErEbc9a8Edv20VNBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fire Chief Delphon Hubbard told the Little Rock Board of Directors on March 18 that the city’s fire stations have long-standing structural and health-and-safety problems, and that the department used $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for immediate repairs while more funding is needed for larger capital work.

Hubbard, Fire Chief, Little Rock Fire Department, said when he was hired in January 2018 he promised to assess station buildings and apparatus and found “the fire department had over $10,000,000 in deferred maintenance.” He described foundation failures, damaged engine-bay doors, peeling vinyl asbestos tile, patched HVAC units, ceiling-tile and vent corrosion, ongoing pest problems and isolated reports of mold and flooding.

The matter matters to public safety and city finances. Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Mayor, Little Rock City, said the board has already allocated $1.5 million in ARPA funds to address immediate repairs and described a broader, citywide deferred-maintenance problem. “This city has about $50,000,000 in deferred maintenance,” Scott said, adding that $24,000,000 of that is HVAC-related. He told directors he will bring an ordinance asking the board to approve an emergency fund of between $1 million and $2.5 million to prioritize fire life-safety repairs.

Why it matters: firefighters live in many of the city stations while on duty, directors said, so failures that might be considered ‘cosmetic’ elsewhere can create daily safety and habitability problems for on-duty crews. Directors who visited stations described cracked walls, exposed wiring, generators out of service, kitchen and drain problems, and bay doors that sometimes fail to open.

Hubbard and chiefs said crews report maintenance problems through established channels and that Public Works staff respond, but several directors said the reporting and tracking process needs overhaul so repairs aren’t submitted year after year without clear updates. “The reporting system does not seem to be working,” Director Peck said; she described stations she personally visited as “deplorable beyond cosmetic” and urged quicker action on life-safety items.

What has been done and what’s planned: Hubbard said the department used the $1.5 million ARPA allocation for items including pressure-washing, ceiling-tile and fan replacement, some flooring and furniture replacement, and improvements to exterior benches. He said asbestos and lead were identified in some flooring and paint during planned work, which required pausing those jobs and pursuing grant assistance for abatement.

Willie Hinton, responding for fleet planning, outlined apparatus purchases funded by the 2022 bond program: five apparatuses due in March, seven scheduled for mid-2026 and two more in 2027, including a hazmat unit and a tiller truck. Hinton said the annual public-safety replacement need for apparatus and fleet is large (he estimated current public-safety replacement costs at about $5.5 million–$6 million per year) and said the total spent on apparatus tied to the bond program is roughly $19 million.

Directors pressed for clarity on priorities, the limits of one-time funding, and whether community groups should be asked to help with cosmetic improvements. Several directors supported community “adopt-a-station” efforts for nonessential amenities but said core repairs should remain the city’s responsibility. Director Webb and others warned against treating firefighter housing as something the public should be asked to fully fund.

Where funding could come from: Mayor Scott reiterated the board’s interest in a long-term capital or revolving fund model to avoid repeating the cycle of one-time fixes. He described options under review—including selling surplus city properties and creating an internal revolving fund and exploring a sustainable energy district to address HVAC needs at scale. In the short term he said he will present an ordinance to create an emergency appropriations vehicle to direct $1 million–$2.5 million to prioritized fire repairs; that ordinance is to come back to the board for formal action.

Discussion vs. decisions: the board’s substantive, recorded decisions at the meeting were limited to prior ARPA spending (the $1.5 million allocation already awarded and spent on identified repairs) and several procedural requests (directors asked for presentations and further documentation). The mayor’s commitment to bring an ordinance is a direction to staff and not a completed vote.

Ending note: Chief Hubbard and administration officials said they will return with more detailed lists of prioritization, costs and timelines once the mayor and Public Works finalize the scope for any emergency appropriations. Directors also requested clearer maintenance-tracking reports so the board can see which items remain open and which have been completed.","Fire Chief Delphon Hubbard told the Little Rock Board of Directors on March 18 that the city’s fire stations have long-standing structural and health-and-safety problems, and that the department used $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for immediate repairs while more funding is needed for larger capital work.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6277249,"Little Rock staff flags state bills on short-term rentals, ADUs, FOIA and county sales-tax distribution",187,581000,768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894&start=581&end=768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2656406-5fb9625d04d844cc456fbd65776d8894/thumbnail_581000.jpg","/articles/6277249/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Little-Rock-staff-flags-state-bills-on-short-term-rentals-ADUs-FOIA-and-county-sales-tax-distribution","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277249-f4912c0a4466d70f110277edf2137fed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154690&Signature=FECrdYK26m4bqhcfDJq3SXkz0F7ukJvlMNf7gOcid6ZGMK5uqdVNl88j~FJTmgw0rnlVkHQWM~2GivQO1M6Rkbzu85J17MBpClxWY38Y8lcwO6DTnCmgTsa78TZJ-zUiz12E60RF6IXUgpX-wikTQKSd7bCnlprLuQu5m6kahtrAc3H-Gmy1CyOjluau0WODPFRnlqWRsh~ztywgVFGfcMhgihvgC15bldSUpw1jUmfhDpBmykxT37Q81rSdpaM8C2gLz8jLD1bd22vr-WTZQXB~UVDrBEaTK9ewr8PHx1bzQBthA2KL26veTSWH~5TNBauYwMrnHpEukOC6c-Quxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Susan, City staff member providing legislative updates, reviewed several bills the city is monitoring during the 2025 legislative session and told the board the administration is tracking possible impacts on local authority and revenues.

Susan said House Bill 1445, which would limit local restrictions on short-term rentals, had seen no recent movement. She described House Bill 1481 as an \"anti-ATF commandeering\" measure that would prohibit public employees from enforcing federal firearms laws; the bill had been amended to allow enforcement of state firearms laws but would still bar enforcement of federal firearms laws by public employees, creating concern for city staff.

On housing, Susan said House Bill 1503, a measure that would restrict municipal limits on accessory dwelling units, passed out of a Senate committee and is under continued monitoring. Senate Bill 91, she said, would remove local authority to regulate or control rental-application fees or security deposits for private rental property; that bill passed the Senate and was in the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee.

Susan also summarized Senate Bill 376, an amendment to the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 and public-meetings law that would change the threshold for a public meeting from \"more than one\" to \"more than two\" individuals; the city is monitoring that language. Finally, she identified Senate Bill 394 as a proposal to change allocation, distribution and use of county sales-and-use tax revenue for capital improvements; staff said they were concerned because the city receives approximately $60,000,000 in annual county turnback funding and the proposal could significantly affect city revenues. Susan said the bill was in committee the following day and staff would work with the Municipal League on the issue.

Board members asked whether lobbyists should have contacted the city about House Bill 1503; Director Webb said she had contacted her state representative and asked whether local lobbying had reached Little Rock. Susan replied she would ensure lobbyists coordinate with city contacts. Director Hines asked to meet with staff to better understand the turnback-revenue proposal in Senate Bill 394.

Why it matters: the bills would curtail some local regulatory powers and could change how cities budget or regulate housing and public meetings. City staff framed the items as monitored legislation rather than finalized policy changes; no board votes were recorded on the bills during the meeting.

Next steps: staff said they will continue monitoring the bills, coordinate with the Municipal League and follow up with directors who asked for additional briefings.","City staff summarized multiple pending state bills that could affect Little Rock authority over short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and local control over county turnback revenue and public meeting thresholds. Officials said they are monitoring legislation and working with the Municipal League where appropriate.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board debates rezoning request to agricultural-forestry amid neighborhood opposition and looming ETJ legislation

Little Rock officials outline extensive deferred maintenance at fire stations; mayor to propose emergency fund

Little Rock staff flags state bills on short-term rentals, ADUs, FOIA and county sales-tax distribution