A zoning request to allow a mixed-use development in west Little Rock, which has nearby neighbors on edge, is up for a vote next week by the city Board of Directors.
"I would expect a packed house on this one next week," At-large City Director Joan Adcock said Tuesday.
The proposed 408-unit Herrick Heights multifamily development would be on a 74-acre wooded site west of South Bowman Road. There also are plans for office space and single-family homes on the site.
The Little Rock Planning Commission approved the site plan submitted by developer Keith Richardson in November. On Tuesday, the city board agreed to keep the item on its agenda for a vote next Tuesday.
Residents in surrounding neighborhoods have asked the board to reject the request to rezone the property as mixed-use.
The planned development is between the Brodie Creek subdivision, which is made up of single-family homes, and the Pointe at Brodie Creek Apartments. The single-family Sandpiper and Woodland Edge subdivisions also are nearby.
Palmer Hussman, who lives in Brodie Creek, started an online petition at thepetitionsite.com asking the board to not rezone the area. About 140 people had signed the petition, titled "Stop the Rezoning of Property on Bowman Road," as of Tuesday afternoon. Being a resident of the area wasn't a requirement, and some signers chose to remain anonymous.
Most said they worried about an increase in traffic if the subdivision were to be built. There is already one apartment complex in the area and another under construction.
"There are currently 740 apartment units under construction within a mile of this site on Bowman Road (500 of which belong to Mr. Richardson in addition to the 600 he's already completed.) Enough is enough," a petition signer who identified himself as Doug Steward wrote on the website.
Others said they moved to the area because of the ample green space and that they don't want to see it destroyed. Many, including Hussman, were concerned about a decrease in their property values.
"We have seen what his developments in Maumelle have done to that area and we do not wish to suffer the same fate. The strip malls are tacky, those apartments have not been maintained at all and the amount of traffic that has been generated is simply absurd," Hussman wrote on his petition site.
Hussman is the son of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette publisher Walter E. Hussman Jr., and is also an employee at the newspaper.
Property owner associations in the nearby neighborhoods gave their approval to Richardson's proposed development, but Hussman said the organizations didn't notify residents before taking a stance.
Richardson plans to use about 23.5 acres of the site for a multifamily complex, 27.3 acres for single-family or age-restricted housing and 11.5 acres for offices, a nursing home or a recovery house. Another 11.75 acres would remain open space to serve as buffer areas to the north, east and west of the proposed apartment complex, his application filed with the city states.
The proposal shows 890 parking spaces -- more than the 612 required for a development of its size.
Richardson has said at previous public meetings on his application that he plans to have 120 units ready by 2017 and then add 96 units each year for three years. He said Richardson Properties has spent more than $130,000 per unit for every apartment complex the company has built in that area.
Ward 6 City Director Doris Wright indicated Tuesday that she agreed with residents about the area not needing more apartment complexes. She asked whether the city had the option of putting a moratorium on apartments in a certain area.
"Could we put a moratorium to keep our market from being oversaturated with multifamily developments? This corridor is getting -- I don't think it needs any more," Wright said.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter told her that was a difficult question to answer, since long-term moratoriums for unspecific reasons could be struck down in court.
"But this is a rezoning request. Nothing forces you to rezone this property to be multifamily. The zoning is single-family now. If you think [changing] that is not the best interest of the city, if the answer is no and this project is denied, then this project doesn't move forward," Carpenter said.
The board will vote on the proposal at 6 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall at 500 W. Markham St.
Metro on 01/27/2016