Council holds Spriggs Road condemnation, adopts series of cleanup-liens

The North Little Rock City Council on June 8 read and approved a series of resolutions certifying cleanup liens and declaring several properties public nuisances while holding a contested Spriggs Road condemnation for further review.

Mayor Mary Hartwick read a resolution declaring structures at 214 Prothos Street a public nuisance and said the public hearing produced no speakers; the council moved for adoption and voted to approve the measure. The council carried out similar procedures for properties at 200 E. 22nd Street/2118 N. Poplar Street and several other addresses, certifying cleanup-lien amounts to be filed with the Pulaski County tax collector.

The most substantive public discussion centered on R26172, a condemnation resolution for structures listed at 411 and 413 Spriggs Road. Jerry Cox, who identified himself as the property owner and said, "I've lived there 64 years," told the council he has been repairing the buildings and asked for time to finish the work. "All I want to do is redo the top," Cox said, adding he had installed a metal roof and that much of the yard growth had been cleared.

City code staff member Felicia described lengthy enforcement efforts, saying the property had been cited multiple times and that other structures on the site had previously been condemned. Staff and council members discussed requesting updated photos and conducting another site visit before a final determination.

City staff explained the standard rehab timeline for condemned properties: an owner has 30 days to enter a rehab agreement and, if they do, 180 days afterward to bring structures into compliance. Staff said the city typically requires a deposit equal to an estimated demolition cost (often in the $3,000–$6,000 range) held until the work is complete.

After the exchange, the mayor said she would hold R26172 for two weeks to allow staff to get updated documentation and for the owner to pursue a rehab agreement. "I'm gonna hold this for two more weeks," Mayor Hartwick said, and the council agreed.

The council then read and adopted additional resolutions certifying cleanup liens for properties at 1512 Nanette Street, 4732 Alpha Street, 801 North Poplar Street, 2401 Moss Street and 1109 West 24th Street, and a multi-property grass-cutting/abatement certification; none of those items drew public testimony.

The council's actions are procedural certifications enabling lien filings with the county tax collector; for the Spriggs Road property, the next public meeting should include updated staff photos and any evidence the owner submits toward a rehab agreement.