Jonesboro council approves $855,000 contract for comprehensive growth and master street plan

Jonesboro City Council on Aug. 19 approved a resolution to contract with DPZ CoDesign to prepare a new comprehensive growth plan and a master street plan for the city, using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) restricted revenue replacement funds. The purchase price cited in the council resolution was $855,000, and the resolution authorizes the mayor and city clerk, April Leggett, to execute necessary documents.

City staff and council members said the city’s last comprehensive growth plan dated to 1998 and that related documents — a land-use plan and street/tree plans — were updated more recently (2017 for land use, 2018 for a master tree plan). “So it’s definitely time to to update this,” said Daryl, a planning department staff member, during council discussion.

The resolution’s sponsor explained the city conducted a request-for-qualifications process and selected DPZ CoDesign of Portland, Oregon, as the most qualified firm. The resolution text, as read at the meeting, states the appropriation will come from ARPA restricted revenue replacement funds by amending the fiscal year 2025 professional services budget for the planning department.

Council members asked staff several operational questions before the vote, including how much ARPA funding remains available. City staff told the council the financial report provided at the prior meeting (page 24 of that report) showed a remaining ARPA balance of $1,536,000. Council members also asked when the last street-master plan had been completed and how the new plan would account for current projects such as Caraway Road and Prospect Road improvements and planned trail connections. The staff reply noted the comprehensive plan process typically spans 18 to 24 months and that the document would include connectivity, roadways, trails and related infrastructure.

During public comment Patty Lack of Forest Hill Road said she supported the idea of a growth plan but questioned the timing and urged the council to consider pending studies. “We don’t even know what that’s gonna hold, whether we have an impact fee or whether we don’t have an impact fee,” Lack said, referring to a 26-week impact-fee study whose results she said the city would receive the following week. Lack urged robust public engagement, including ward meetings and open houses, and warned against applying different rules to different developments.

After discussion and public comment, a council member moved to adopt the resolution and a second was recorded. The council adopted the resolution; the meeting transcript records the presiding official saying, “and that ordinance does carry 10 to 2.” The transcript did not provide a roll-call list of individual votes for this item in the public record provided.

The resolution directs appropriation of $855,000 and authorizes execution of the contract with DPZ CoDesign. City staff and the council indicated the plan would be used to align infrastructure investments, land-use policy and development reviews going forward.

Next steps: the resolution authorizes city officials to finalize and sign the contract; staff said the planning process would begin following contract execution and will include public engagement over the plan’s 18–24 month schedule.