At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission approved a preliminary plat to subdivide property owned by First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro into five lots covering about 5.59 acres in the core mixed-use redevelopment district.

Don Parker, representing First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro, said the plan "we have taken, I think, 27 or 8 metes and bounds parcels and combine them into 5 separate lots" to consolidate several small parcels; he described existing structures and parking areas and noted one of the small parking lots is leased from St. Bernard's. The applicant said the city and applicant completed an alley-abandonment process to clear an unofficial alley and addressed a sewer line and that property-line adjustments clarified that a parcel extended to the back of curb at a southwest corner.

City staff reviewed the submission and "recommend[ed] approval," the City Planner told the commission. A commissioner moved to approve the request and, after electronic roll-call voting, the chair reported the subdivision "has been approved." The transcript does not record a numerical vote tally or any conditions attached to the preliminary approval.

The action will allow the property owner and any lessees to move forward with whatever design, permitting, or site-preparation steps are next under city procedures for a preliminary plat. The transcript records no timetable for follow-up submittals or building permits.