ROGERS -- Documents released by the city show a demotion and unpaid suspension for its planning director on the same day as the immediate retirement of its senior planner.
Steve Glass was demoted from director of Planning and Transportation to senior engineer and city planner April 1. Derrel Smith, senior planner, retired effective the same day.
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The demotion and retirement follow criticism from some residents regarding a Planning Department directive on downtown zoning.
"The purpose of this letter is to summarize the outcome of today's meeting concerning deficiencies in recent work product," a letter signed by Mayor Greg Hines attained through the Freedom of Information Act states.
Glass' annual compensation was reduced from $117,515 to $113,425, the letter states. The letter also notes an unpaid suspension for three days.
Street and airport employees will be removed from the oversight of Glass, the letter states. Planning and engineering employees will continue to report to Glass, it states.
The Planning and Transportation director position will not be replaced, Hines said Wednesday. Street and airport employees will report to Hines.
Reasons for Glass' demotion and suspension aren't listed in the letter. Glass didn't return a call to his cellphone Wednesday. Smith previously denied comment.
"The restructure was a plan to ensure that we are getting the best level of service we can provide to the public," Hines said. "That should be and always will be our goal."
A debate about downtown code started during a January Planning Commission meeting. Planning staff recommended rezoning property owned by Hannah Cicioni at 618 W. Poplar St. The rezoning was approved.
Following the approval, a group of downtown residents sent numerous emails to city staff stating planning officials didn't follow city code when allowing zero-lot lines for the development. Zero-lot lines allow structures to be built close to property lines.
Residents said the property was rezoned to commercial mixed-use. The zoning doesn't allow for zero lot lines when next to residential lots, residents said. They said a building permit allowing for the zero-lot lines was a mistake on the city's part.
Email sent by Glass in March detail some of the confusion in the Planning Department about the property.
"When Hannah's builder came in for the permit Kelsey pointed out the clause to me that says that any new construction in the COM zone next to an existing single family residential zoned lot needs 10' setbacks," Glass said in an email to Betsy Reithemeyer, a council member.
Glass said he called Gateway Planning Group officials at that time. The Texas company drafted the zoning changes last year to coincide with the city's downtown plan.
Gateway officials said zero-lot lines could be allowed when next to residential lots in the zone, Glass said in the email.
"I didn't know this, but Derrel had talked to another member of the Gateway team that had a differing opinion," Glass said. "I approved the building permit based on our understanding of the intent of the code, the call from Gateway and the fact that we told her previously that she would have zero-lot lines."
Chris Griffin, Rogers staff attorney, previously said the code is ambiguous. City officials don't plan to stop the developer because of the code and interpretation of it, he said.
The Planning Commission voted against a request by the planning staff to rewrite the code last week. The rewrite clearly identified zero-lot lines could be used in the code.
Griffin previously said city staff will interpret the code differently in the future. Developments in commercial-mixed use zones will need a minimum of 10-feet setbacks on the sides when building next to residential lots, he said.
NW News on 04/14/2016