Planning commissioners spent a large portion of the meeting on how to organize and time a rewrite of Fayetteville’s Unified Development Code (UDC), including whether to form a special subcommittee, how to sequence the rewrite with the comprehensive plan, and how to budget consultant support.

Staff told commissioners the city’s capital improvement program (CIP) includes line items for long-range planning and that funding for a consultant-led code rewrite is not likely to be available for at least two years. Staff recommended beginning a “long on-ramp” now: staff-led problem definition, targeted short code fixes where feasible, and sustained commissioner engagement so the planning commission shapes the scope and consultant selection later.

Commissioners discussed three organizational models: (1) use existing long-range planning meeting time and panels of planning-commission volunteers, (2) establish a formal special committee (which the bylaws permit but would require a planning-commission vote and publishing an ADM), or (3) form a larger, multi-stakeholder advisory group and a smaller technical advisory team. Staff noted Arkansas law changes effective August 5 will broaden what counts as a public meeting (two or more commissioners discussing city business must meet publicly), which affects subcommittee design and meeting logistics.

Several commissioners urged a methodical, staged approach rather than immediately seeking a consultant to “fix” the entire UDC; others suggested targeted short-term amendments for particularly frictional topics (minimum lot widths, conflicting multi-family districts, conditional-use standards). Staff and commissioners repeatedly said the code and the city’s comprehensive plan should be updated in close coordination to avoid legal vulnerability when zoning changes affect property values.

Ending: Commissioners did not vote to create a subcommittee at this meeting but discussed initiating staff-led problem definition, targeted amendments, and a potential formal subcommittee or technical advisory group once funding and clear scope are in place.