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Council approves zoning code updates aimed at clarifying uses, closing data‑center loophole
Summary
Council adopted a package of zoning text amendments intended to tighten the table of uses (including a clause to close a data‑processing loophole) and make downtown and light‑industrial districts more business friendly; staff said the changes will be updated in the conditional‑use sections across the code.
The Jonesboro City Council unanimously approved a package of text amendments to the city zoning code (26TA001, 26TA002, 26TA003) that staff says will modernize allowed uses, close an apparent data‑processing loophole and make certain commercial areas more welcoming to low‑impact businesses.
Staff described three main goals for the updates: close a data‑processing use that could otherwise justify a data center, make the historic downtown more business friendly to low‑impact uses, and reinterpret some M‑1 light industrial areas to allow commercial technical schools and similar uses. Staff said the amendments are intended as a living document and presented clarifying edits and deletions of outdated categories.
"The main goals were to close a loophole in a data processing use, which could justify data centers in the city," staff said.
Council members asked for clarifications about specific deletions and how some uses (for example, elementary and secondary schools in certain districts) would be affected; staff confirmed the changes would not affect homeschooling and that many editorial deletions removed outdated references (such as film‑processing uses).
Council voted to adopt the text amendments and companion conditional use updates. Staff will reflect the approved changes across related sections and continue periodic updates.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 1377 — staff open public hearing on text amendments; topfinish SEG 1550 — council adopted the amendments.
Speakers quoted (first reference shown): David Allen (staff, speaker 24).
