Our Town

North Little Rock notebook

City fee $35 to rent out homes, rooms

North Little Rock has set a $35 annual base fee that must be paid by residents who rent out their homes or rooms to vacationers, a substantially lower amount than would have been charged under the city's previous fee schedule.

City aldermen in April approved the collection of a 3 percent total hospitality tax on short-term home rentals, which have grown to compete with traditional hotels and motels. Several property owners in the city, aldermen were told in April, have begun advertising on websites such as Airbnb and Home Away to rent houses, apartments or bedrooms to city visitors for short stays.

A city business permit normally costs businesses $121.50 annually, plus $3.60 for each room available, under the city's permit fee schedule.

At the time of the April 11 vote, aldermen delayed for 60 days putting any fees into effect for permits, allowing time for the City Council to set a lower permit fee for such rentals of fewer than 30 days.

The council approved the lower fee last week. It plans to later set requirements for short-term home rentals to comply with city zoning regulations, aldermen agreed.

To fix culvert, JFK to detour Sunday

A part of John F. Kennedy Boulevard in North Little Rock will be closed Sunday to make repairs to a failed culvert beneath the street, also known as Arkansas 107.

The street will be closed from 8 a.m. until completion, expected to be by that evening, a city spokesman said.

Traffic will be detoured from Randolph Road to Crestwood Road to North Hills Boulevard for northbound traffic. A detour for southbound traffic will be from Osage Drive to Seminole Trail to North Hills Boulevard to McCain Boulevard, the spokesman said.

Heavy rain March 30 caused a drainage pipe within a culvert to sag under JFK Boulevard, between Cedar Creek Road and Pontiac Drive. The two northbound lanes and one southbound lane were closed the remainder of that night and part of the next day so Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department workers could install temporary metal plates across the three lanes.

State grant sought to redo health hub

North Little Rock is applying for grant funds from the Arkansas Department of Health to make renovations and repairs at the North Little Rock Health Department, 2800 Willow St.

The City Council approved a resolution at its meeting Monday authorizing Mayor Joe Smith to make the application to the state Department of Health under its Major Grants Program.

The two phases of renovations would cost $823,695 as estimated by Clements & Associates Architecture Inc. of North Little Rock. The city would be responsible for a 10 percent match of the grant amount approved. If the full amount is granted, the city's cost would be $82,369.50 in cash or in-kind work, according to the legislation.

The renovations would allow the city Health Department buildings, built in 1963, to expand from two exam rooms to six, remodel the front of the department, update heating and cooling systems and add insulation, city Health Department Director Carey Woods told the City Council last week.

"This will be a major remodel," she said.

Metro on 06/02/2016

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