Commission backs rezoning of 959 Ferris Road to create cross‑access for commercial developments

The Conway Planning Commission recommended rezoning 959 Ferris Road to O‑1 Tuesday to create an access drive intended to connect multiple commercial properties between Ferris Road and the Tucker Creek Trail and to relieve traffic pressure on Prince and Ferris streets.

Planning staff said the 959 Ferris parcel currently contains an 1,800‑square‑foot home and a 520‑square‑foot detached structure that will be removed during redevelopment. "This lot, the intent is to serve as an access drive to the commercial properties between Ferris Road and the Tucker Creek Trail," Ryan, a planning staff member, said.

Troy Rice, business services coordinator for the City of Conway, spoke for the applicant team and described coordination with nearby commercial owners and an approved Brahms Restaurant development. Rice said the city will sell a small sliver of the 959 Ferris parcel to Brahms to enlarge stormwater detention and that the project team is working to minimize disruption to nearby residents. "We're gonna put an 8 foot fence there with some landscaping and dress that area up with some green space," Rice said, describing early design plans he said are in development.

Commissioners asked about buffers and the ability to require them. Staff explained the commission cannot add landscaping or buffer conditions to a rezoning—those types of requirements are available only through conditional use permits or site‑specific approvals. "We can't condition. This is just a rezoning," Ryan said; he did note some adjacent conditional approvals carry buffers (he cited Brahms at 20 feet and other developments at 30 feet) but said a rezoning alone cannot impose new buffering conditions.

Rice said the planned access will allow left turns onto Ferris and that the drive will be built to the width of a city street though it may remain designated as private access. He also said planners are discussing pedestrian connections so sidewalks on Ferris could link to the Tucker Creek Trail through the development.

Commissioners approved the rezoning recommendation by voice vote after hearing no opposition. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to City Council; staff said items from the planning commission may be considered by City Council as soon as Aug. 26.

Discussion vs. action: staff presented the rezoning purpose and limitations; the City of Conway representative described preliminary design commitments (fence, landscaping, cross‑access) and stormwater coordination; the commission recommended rezoning without imposing buffer conditions, which staff said would require a different approval type.