Jonesboro Planning Commission Turns Down Development Project

It was a light agenda but a packed house after the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted Tuesday night against a 180-unit residential and commercial development along U.S. 63.

The 8-1 vote, in front of about 125 onlookers at Municipal Center, focused around a 28.93 acre development near West Parker Road and Paula Drive.

The supporters and opponents to the plan made their arguments known to the commission.

Rick Griffin, an official with Griffin Properties of Fort Smith, said the development called “The Woodsprings” and “The Reserve at Woodsprings” would be marketed toward residential and business opportunities on the property.

As for the residential, Griffin said the 180 units would be in nine two-story and nine three-story complexes.

Over half of the apartments (92) would be two-bedroom, while 76 would be one-bedroom and another 12 would be three-bedroom, Griffin told the commission.

Griffin said he and the other developers met with neighbors Nov. 19, where several concerns were brought up.

Those concerns involved traffic going in and out of the development, sound and noise concerns, lighting, and flooding issues, Griffin said.

He noted the developers worked with city officials to address the issues including building a 30-foot buffer between the neighbors and the complex as well as adding additional turn lanes and right of way lanes in the area.

However, several people who attended the meeting in opposition to the development said the issue united residents.

“I am highly opposed to it,” Brett McDaniel said.

McDaniel also said he believes the development went against what city officials have done in recent years about rezoning and that property rates will suffer.

“All it will do is create decay,” McDaniel said of the apartment complexes. “It will be a high water mark … Oak Forest (the neighborhood near where the complex would be built), in a few years, it will be called the neighborhood by the apartments.”

Earlier in the meeting, Griffin countered the argument by saying the apartments would be geared toward high-end multi-family units.

Griffin also said the complex would have an on-site manager and that each of the requests made by neighbors would be covered in legal agreements and bills of assurances.

However, Sarah Tipton Dickey, who also spoke in opposition to the rezoning, said 406 people signed a petition against the rezoning, citing concerns over property values.

“Crime happens in every existing apartment complex. They start out beautiful,” Tipton Dickey said of apartments. “I am a transplant. But there was a place in Memphis where I once lived, it is not a place I want to live today. I do not want to move out of town or across town. I love my neighborhood.”

Tipton Dickey said she likes to run every day in the neighborhood, talking to friends while on her run.

“I have friends in the neighborhood. I would ask you. During your weekly trip to Wal Mart, do you want to see this?” Tipton Dickey said.

Voting against the request were commissioners Brant Perkins, Jimmy Cooper, Jerry Reece, Jim Scurlock, Kevin Bailey, Kim Schrantz, Ron Kelton and chairman Lonnie Roberts Jr.

Voting for the request was Paul Hoelscher.

The next step in the process involves a possible appeal to the Jonesboro City Council. Planning and Zoning Director Otis Spriggs said the developers have until Jan. 9 to appeal the MAPC decision.