PRAIRIE GROVE -- Since February, the Prairie Grove City Council has approved the final plats for three subdivisions, making way for 370 single-family homes.
Most recently, the council on April 18 approved the final plats for phases 2 through 4 of the Snyder Grove subdivision and Mountain View subdivision.
In February, the council approved the final plat for Prairie View subdivision, which will have 98 lots on 23 acres located off Heritage Parkway.
The final plat for phases 2 through 4 of Snyder Grove subdivision, located off Mock Street, shows 96 single-family lots. At one time this subdivision included lots for multifamily housing, but these have been changed to single-family lots, according to Larry Oelrich, administrative assistant.
Snyder Grove, which has been sold by the original owner, includes new houses built along Mock Street, as well as phases behind those houses. In all, this development will have eight phases.
The council also approved the final plat for Mountain View subdivision, a 53-acre development located between Parks and Butler streets. The subdivision has 176 single-family lots.
Oelrich said the developers will pay performance bonds for any work not yet completed, such as sidewalks or some paving.
Compared to the past five years, building permits for residential units have been down so far for 2022. As an example, only one permit was issued in March for a single-family residence. Through March, the city has only issued six single-family home permits for 2022.
The city issued 184 single-family permits in 2017, 190 permits in 2018, 146 permits in 2019 and 110 permits in 2019. For 2021, the city issued 56 permits for single-family homes.
Oelrich expects permits will pick up now that final plats have been approved for the three subdivisions.
"It's going to pick up, and it will pick up in a hurry," Oelrich said recently.
In other action, the council approved:
• Two resolutions to amend the city's contracts with Olsson Inc., an engineering firm in Fayetteville, on two separate projects.
Olsson will provide contract oversight and administration on the project to expand the wastewater treatment plant for an amount not to exceed $491,000.
For the second resolution, the council approved an amendment to its contract with Olsson to provide engineering services for the berm and culvert design for the Viney Grove Road extension for an amount not to exceed $20,000.
• An ordinance to amend the municipal code for the storage of propane. The city allows storage of Class 1A liquids up to 250 gallons. The amendment increases the cap to 1,000 gallons on properties with 2 acres or more in areas zoned agriculture, with a 50-foot setback from buildings and boundary lines.
• A resolution to approve changes to the Police Department's policy manual to provide a night shift pay differential. Police Chief Chris Workman said he hopes the extra pay will help to retain officers and recruit applicants. Officers who work the night shift schedule will receive an additional $2 per hour compensation and will only be paid the differential when the officer is physically working.