Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning And Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Prairie Grove council, planning commission debate fence rules, paving requirements and RV-park limits
Summary
Council and Planning Commission members discussed whether to ease the fence 'finished side out' rule for non-street-facing properties, how paving requirements affect small businesses and whether RV-park stay limits should be loosened; staff will research options and return with proposals.
Prairie Grove city leaders spent substantial time on Sept. 16 reviewing zoning and planning issues, including fence orientation rules, parking-lot paving requirements for existing commercial properties and potential standards for RV parks.
A resident appealed a fence outcome and asked to reverse the fence face so the finished side would face the homeowner's yard. Planning Commission members and councilors discussed whether non-street-facing sides could be allowed to show the finished face toward the owner’s yard without a variance. Commissioners noted the existing code requires the "finished" side to face public view and that variances cost $50 and require demonstrated hardship. Several members said the current variance process is in place but asked whether staff should research other cities’ approaches and whether some leniency for interior-facing fences is appropriate.
Council and commissioners also debated paving requirements that trigger upgrades — such as a building vacancy of 90 days or major modifications to an existing business — and whether small businesses should receive conditional, time-limited approvals (six to 12 months) instead of automatic denial when financial hardship is claimed. Commissioners emphasized safety and ADA concerns tied to unpaved parking and noted the code currently excludes financial hardship as a valid variance rationale.
Separately, developers seeking to build an upscale RV park asked the council to consider relaxing a rule that limits RV stays (current language cited: 30 days within a six-month period). Commissioners and council members discussed whether contractors, travel nurses or long-term seasonal users should be accommodated and asked staff to collect examples and suggested covenants from other municipalities. Suggested standards discussed included limiting unit age, requiring inspections after a set service life and ensuring sites meet landscape and paving criteria.
Council asked staff and the Planning Commission to research other cities’ ordinances, the costs and safety implications of paving alternatives, models for conditional time-limited approvals and RV-park standards; staff agreed to return next month with recommendations.
