Springdale City Council adopts multiple ordinances, approves easement purchase; sets May 13 hearing

The Springdale City Council unanimously approved several ordinances and resolutions at its April 8, 2025 meeting, including emergency clauses for previously adopted zoning and permit items, authorized acquisition of an easement for the Jean George Boulevard Extension Project and set a public hearing for May 13, 2025 on a petition to abandon a utility easement.

The council voted 7-0 to add an emergency clause to an ordinance rezoning property at 3446 Wagon Wheel Road (rezoning R25-11) from agricultural to general commercial. The ordinance and emergency clause had been discussed previously and were returned to the council after the Planning Commission recommended approval. The council also approved a replat (RP205-2) combining Lots 7 and 8 of Butterfield Coach Retail Park to allow a Walmart fuel station and adopted an emergency clause for that replat ordinance (vote 7-0).

On the financial side, the council approved a resolution authorizing expenditure of funds to acquire property from El Centro Cristiano Hispano for the Jean George Boulevard Extension Project (Elm Springs Road to County Line Road, Project Number 23 BPS4). That resolution passed 7-0. The council also moved and approved a resolution setting a hearing date of May 13, 2025, on a petition to abandon a utility easement in Springdale (vote 7-0).

The council approved an ordinance vacating a portion of Success Avenue (described in packet maps) and adopted the emergency clause for that ordinance (vote 7-0). The city attorney stated that notice of the public hearing on the street vacation had been published as required by statute. Finally, the council adopted an ordinance related to a private club permit for Raise the Bar Foundation to align the city's permit action with the Arkansas Alcohol and Beverage Control Division requirements and added an emergency clause; that motion also passed 7-0.

Most items were procedural or follow-ups to measures the council had previously approved without emergency clauses. There were no public speakers on the agenda items. Planning staff and committee chairs presented the items: the Planning Commission had recommended the rezoning unanimously at its earlier meeting, and the Finance Committee forwarded the easement purchase to the full council with a recommendation for approval.

Next steps: the Jean George Boulevard acquisition will proceed per the authorizing resolution; the public hearing on the utility easement abandonment is set for May 13, 2025; and the ordinances with newly adopted emergency clauses take effect as provided in those ordinances. Several items were continued from the March 25 meeting because the council lacked the necessary votes to adopt emergency clauses at that time.