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Fort Smith board rezones 1401 Old Greenwood Road to allow Boy Scouts office lease
Summary
The Fort Smith City Board of Directors approved an ordinance rezoning 1401 Old Greenwood Road from a residential RSD-2 designation to Transitional to allow the Western Arkansas Council of the Boy Scouts of America to lease office space in the existing building; the planning commission had recommended approval 7-0 and the board adopted the ordinance and emergency clause by a 7-0 roll-call vote.
The Fort Smith City Board of Directors voted unanimously to rezone 1401 Old Greenwood Road from residential single-family/duplex low density (RSD-2) to Transitional, clearing the way for the Western Arkansas Council of the Boy Scouts of America to lease office space in an existing building.
The planning commission held a public hearing and recommended the zoning map amendment 7-0, planning staff told the board. At the meeting, the board adopted the ordinance under suspension of the rules and approved an emergency clause; the clerk recorded the vote as 7 in favor, 0 opposed.
Mayor (unnamed) said the Boy Scouts have been a long-standing community presence and urged support. "Boys and Boy Scouts of America is a great program," the mayor said, adding the organization is a fixture on Old Greenwood Road and that the board should assist efforts to serve area youth. The applicant's representative noted the site has hosted Boy Scout offices for decades and that the rezoning will allow flexibility should the council lease space to additional tenants while retaining Boy Scout operations.
Planning staff told the board the applicant received a waiver of the neighborhood meeting under UDO section 27.3.041 and that letters were sent to neighboring property owners; staff reported no objections returned. The planning commission record showed a 7-0 favorable recommendation.
The ordinance was read aloud before the board, which found no public opposition and approved the measure and its emergency clause, recording the roll-call result as 7-0. The board offered the applicant congratulations and wishes for success.
What happens next: The rezoning will be reflected in the city's zoning map and enables the council of the Boy Scouts to formalize lease arrangements for office space at that address; no further board action on this item was recorded at the meeting.
