Flood control central to Acme planning; consultants show three design paths

The Acme property master plan presentation to the Fort Smith commission framed flood mitigation as the project's primary obligation while showing how public access can be layered depending on the chosen concept.

Consultants said Concept 1 focuses solely on flood control with three dry detention basins and limited or no public access. "Right now, this is articulated to really be a flood mitigation project ... it likely would continue to remain fenced, gated, and relatively inaccessible to the public," the project team said. Concept 2 retains detention but converts the central basin into a wet pond or small lake that supports trails, fishing and a small kayak/canoe launch. The team estimated the lake area at roughly 7–8 acres with a deep end near 14 feet.

Concept 3 preserves the same 100‑year detention capacity but adds a planning scenario that could allow private development on a strip along Old Greenwood Road and up to roughly 14–18 acres on the south end to help fund public improvements. Consultants cautioned that any sale or private development would be sensitive — both technically and politically — and stressed that implementation details and funding approaches will be developed in Part B.