Planning staff recommends rezoning 500 Quapaw Avenue to Neighborhood Commercial to cure nonconforming community center use

City planning staff asked the Board Oct. 7 to rezone about 1.32 acres at 500 Quapaw Avenue — the Quapaw Community Center property — from Residential Neighborhood 5 (RN‑5) to Neighborhood Commercial (CN) to correct a longstanding nonconforming commercial use.

Planning Director Kathy Selman said the community center and its buildings have operated as nonresidential uses while the zoning map remained residential. The requested CN designation would "cure" that nonconformity and allow the current tenant (CrossFit Hot Springs) and similar neighborhood‑serving uses without a nonconforming use status. Selman said Planning Commission reviewed the application Sept. 11, received four public comments (support for the center but concern about rezoning), and voted 7‑0 to recommend rezoning the property to CN. Planning Commission amended staff's future land‑use recommendation from "office center" to "commercial enclave" to emphasize that the rezoning is meant to regularize the existing use rather than promote broader commercial expansion.

Board members asked for a table of permitted CN uses to be included in the packet so they could see what additional businesses might locate there if CrossFit left. Staff agreed to provide the zoning table of uses and supporting materials in the packet. No final action was taken at the agenda meeting; the ordinance to amend the zoning map is scheduled for the regular Board meeting.