North Little Rock Council OKs petition to pursue annexation, approves map and owner additions

The North Little Rock City Council voted to authorize the mayor and city clerk to sign a petition to annex a parcel of land into the city, adopting the resolution after three amendments that changed the map and added an additional property owner to the petition.

The council’s action, introduced as a resolution to permit the city to join a property owner’s county petition, does not itself finalize annexation. An attorney explaining the petition told the council the county must first accept the petition and, if approved, the annexation would return to the council as an ordinance for final approval. “When property outside of the city limits wants to be annexed into the city, the property owners will petition first with the county,” the explainer said.

Council members discussed the location and details during the meeting. A speaker described the site as near the Galloway exit and said the city discovered it owns a small portion of the property; that ownership is why the city must be a party to the petition. The council considered three amendments: amending the map (Exhibit B), substituting Exhibit A to include an additional owner, and adding “Maverick Real Estate LLC” after “Land Trust of Arkansas” in the whereas clauses. The attorney stated that property owners had been contacted and that “all of these property owners have consented to it.”

Each amendment was moved and seconded and passed by roll-call vote. The council then voted to adopt the resolution as amended. Staff told the council the related public hearings on later agenda items would be withdrawn and refiled to allow for required re-notification.

Next steps: If the county judge accepts the petition, the annexation will return to the council as an ordinance for formal adoption. At this meeting, the council’s vote authorized only city participation in the petition process.