Board to consider rezoning 170 Section Line Way to institutional for St. Joseph's Mercy property and senior center use

Planning and Development Director Kathy Selman presented an ordinance to amend the zoning map for land generally located at 170 Section Line Way from CG (General Commercial) to INST (Institutional). The applicant is Garland County and the property owner is St. Joseph's Mercy Health System, Inc.; the applicant is represented by Daniel George (Craft & Tall) and the owner's representative is Crystal Bohannon. Selman said the property has approximately 775 feet of frontage on Section Line Way and is located west of Higdon Ferry Road behind Central Arkansas Rehabilitation and across from Ouachita Regional Counseling. She said adjacent uses include rehabilitation, retail and regional counseling and that the INST zoning is intended to accommodate governmental uses, educational facilities, civic and cultural facilities, health care institutions and similar campus-like institutional uses. Selman said the Planning Commission found the requested INST zoning consistent with the property's future land use classification of community commercial center and with adjacent properties and voted 7–0 to recommend approval at its Aug. 14 meeting. Board Member Webb asked whether the rezoning would be in connection with a senior center; Selman said yes. No final board action was recorded during the agenda meeting; the ordinance was scheduled for consideration on Sept. 2.