Fayetteville council adopts zoning changes, accepts grants and approves equipment purchases; tables parking overhaul

The Fayetteville City Council approved a set of funding, equipment and land-use decisions and held off action on a proposed change to residential parking rules.

The meeting included a presentation of the local police pension report and the city’s monthly financial report, followed by routine consent items. Council elected Sarah Bunch as vice mayor. The council approved several grant awards for the police department and purchases of police equipment, adopted an expanded downtown outdoor refreshment area boundary, approved a new “Urban Neighborhood” zoning district to allow medium‑density mixed‑use housing types, and approved a vacation of a small portion of East Joyce Boulevard right‑of‑way tied to a Fayetteville Public Schools project. A separate ordinance rezoning a 0.41‑acre parcel at 1520 West Sligo Street to a higher‑density residential classification was also approved.

After extended public comment and commission testimony, councilors tabled a proposed rewrite of the city’s residential parking reduction rules—an item that drew the largest public turnout and substantial debate. Council also considered but did not adopt a proposal to limit council members’ use of remote attendance, and rejected a…