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Rezoning request to demolish two Hillcrest homes for church parking fails after strong neighborhood opposition
Summary
The Planning Commission denied the proposed PDO rezoning for Our Lady of Holy Souls to build a surface parking lot that would have required demolishing two houses. Neighbors and preservation groups urged denial, citing historic character, tree canopy loss and lack of a parking study; the motion to approve failed on a roll call vote.
The Little Rock Planning Commission on March 13 voted down a planned development overlay (PDO) rezoning that would have allowed Our Lady of Holy Souls Catholic Church to convert two houses in Hillcrest into a surface parking lot.
Staff described the project as a two-phase PDO at 1015 N. Tyler Street and 1016–1020 N. Harrison Street that would add 45 parking spaces in Phase 1 and 19 in Phase 2, develop two points of ingress/egress and place portions of the lot within the 25-foot front setback, which triggers the PDO review in the Hillcrest Design Overlay District. The staff recommendation was to approve the PDO subject to the conditions in the staff report.
Church representative Susie Williams said the project would provide parking for daily staff, weekday funerals and school masses and that the parish and school have seen growth. Architect Greg Peckham said one of the two existing homes has a deteriorating foundation and substandard plumbing and electrical and that moving the houses would be difficult; he said the parish had offered the houses to anyone who would move them. Williams said the church revised plans after neighbor requests and agreed to phase the project, with Phase 1 to be built first and the parish evaluating future work.
More than a dozen neighbors and neighborhood organizations opposed the rezoning at the hearing. Speakers included Craig Berry (Hillcrest resident and former planning commissioner), Tricia Bing (Quapaw Quarter Association executive director), Bob Keltner (Hillcrest Residents Association), Clay and Heather Mercer, and Keith Lynch. Opposition arguments emphasized the homes’ architectural and historic value, loss of tree canopy and permeable surface, increased stormwater runoff and the absence of a parking study or exploration of shared parking alternatives. The Quapaw Quarter Association urged denial and asked the commission to require a comprehensive parking study before considering demolition.
Speakers also said the existing church-owned parking is underused during some events and that parishioners prefer to park closer to church entrances, limiting the proposed lot’s effectiveness. Several neighbors asked the commission to require that only Phase 1 move forward and that Phase 2 retain R-2 zoning until later review; the applicant said the current plan already staged construction in phases.
On a roll-call vote the commission’s motion to approve the PDO zoning for Z100069 failed. Recorded votes included yes votes from Commissioners Brown, Hart, Person, Trimble and Vickers and no votes from Commissioners Russell, Hodges and Baxter; the motion did not secure a majority. The failure leaves the property’s existing R-2 zoning in place. The church said it had met with neighbors and revised plans but will need to reassess next steps in light of the commission’s decision.
