Council approves accessory apartment at 706 Jennings Avenue for new owner

The Hot Springs City Council approved a use‑permitted‑on‑review application by Lisa Cruz for an accessory apartment at 706 Jennings Avenue.

Cruz told the council the apartment existed when she purchased the building four years earlier and that she had not altered it. She said the prior owner obtained permits for the apartment. Cruz told council the apartment is on the same level as the showroom floor, has a backdoor exit and an egress window, and includes required firewall elements to meet building codes. She described two doors “in and out of the apartment” and said the unit was built through the city permit process.

Council members asked about emergency access from the alley behind the building and whether an ambulance or fire truck could turn around. Cruz and other speakers described the alley as a dead end used for parking, where drivers back out when leaving; they said a full turnaround for a large emergency vehicle is unlikely in the alley. A council member said that another upstairs apartment nearby is not subject to the same review because that use was not changing with the current application; staff confirmed the review is required because ownership changed.

After discussion, a council member moved to approve the use‑permitted‑on‑review application and the council approved the motion by voice vote.

Clarifying details captured during the hearing: the applicant said the apartment was permitted previously; it includes a required egress window, two doors for entry/exit, and firewall work completed under the prior owner’s permits. The alley at the rear is a dead end used for parking and requires backing out rather than a full turnaround.