Board adopts Hot Springs Heritage and Historic Preservation Plan with minor timeline additions

The Hot Springs Board of Directors voted to adopt the Hot Springs Heritage and Historic Preservation Plan dated June 30, 2025, funded through an Arkansas Historic Preservation Program grant and developed with public meetings and an online survey. The Historic District Commission had unanimously recommended adoption at its Aug. 21 meeting.

Planning and Development Director Kathy Selman described the plan’s two parts: an inventory of historic resources and a set of implementation goals, policies, and actions. Selman said the plan is aspirational and will guide incremental decisions by the Board, the appointed Historic District Commission and private investors. “Implementation will occur incrementally through multiple future decisions,” she said.

Mayor Pat McCabe requested an insertion covering the mid-1980s effort to preserve the park designation and the public-private partnership that later supported restoration of major bathhouses, including Quapaw, Superior and Hale. Selman agreed the text could be augmented and staff would coordinate with the mayor and commissioners to finalize wording and dates. Director Dudley Webb moved to amend the resolution to include those timeline items; the motion was seconded and the amended plan was adopted by unanimous vote.

Discussion vs. decision: The board formally adopted the plan and approved staff to make the specified historical timeline additions, with the expectation that changes would be finalized quickly to meet contract timelines.

Background and next steps: The plan was prepared starting Sept. 2024 with four public meetings and survey input. Staff and the Historic District Commission will incorporate the mayor's suggested text and return final edits as appropriate.