Senator: Capitol zoning superfluous

Hutchinson cites complaints, studies end to panel’s funding

Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, center, who joined in voting against a veto override Tuesday, said he’s considering phasing out funding for the state Capitol Zoning District Commission.
Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, center, who joined in voting against a veto override Tuesday, said he’s considering phasing out funding for the state Capitol Zoning District Commission.

Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, said Tuesday that he's exploring the option of phasing out funding for the state Capitol Zoning District Commission in Little Rock.




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In an interview, Hutchinson said he's received three or four complaints from people about the commission's decisions. The senator said he has held up the Joint Budget Committee's action on the commission's appropriation -- Senate Bill 46 -- and he plans to meet with Little Rock officials before making a final decision on funding.

He said he is considering phasing out the funding at "the end of this calendar year for their staff to find a job, and also for Little Rock to plan and take whatever measures that they need to take to start regulating" the area under the commission's jurisdiction.

The Capitol Zoning District was created in 1975 by the General Assembly to protect and improve the neighborhoods around the state Capitol and the Governor's Mansion. A nine-member commission reviews building exterior changes and land-use within the district, according to the commission.

The Capitol Zoning District Commission receives $236,878 in state funding in this current fiscal year and its proposed funding for fiscal 2017 is $237,002, said Jake Bleed, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance and Administration.

Hutchinson said that the Capitol Zoning District Commission "seems so duplicative to me. Why is a state agency messing with, even if it's a capital city, zoning issues in the city?"

Boyd Maher, executive director for the commission, said, "I think we do a good job." Maher said the commission's constituents generally support its work.

Little Rock spokesman Jennifer Godwin said city officials had no comment about Hutchinson's proposal.

The nine-member commission is chaired by Gov. Asa Hutchinson's policy director, Kelly Eichler. The commission includes seven appointees of the governor, and one each by the secretary of state and Little Rock's director of planning and development. Gov. Hutchinson is Sen. Hutchinson's uncle.

Sen, Hutchinson said he's also "looking at the Historic Zoning Commission, as well, out in MacArthur Park" because he's received one complaint about it.

The Little Rock Historic District Commission reviews projects in the area surrounding MacArthur Park, and the commission does not review zoning in this area, Godwin said. The Little Rock Planning Commission reviews zoning cases. This is a city commission and is staffed and funded by the Planning and Development Department, she noted.

A Section on 04/27/2016

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