Where is Alexander’s Master Development Plan?

OPINION/EDITORIAL

After much work done by the former City of Alexander Planning Commission, and with the help of Metroplan, the new master development plan lies in limbo in the City of Little Rock. Why is no one in this administration pushing for its release?

Background:

The developing and writing of the new master development plan began in 2022. A new plan was needed not only because the current plan was approved in 1982, but because the contract (signed in 2018) with Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA) requires a new zoning ordinance and master plan.

The previous zoning ordinance was also approved in 1982. The new zoning ordinance was adopted in 2019.

The master development plan will be used by current and future city leaders to act as a guide concerning residential and commercial growth in the City of Alexander.

The new plan was given the title “On Track for a Better Tomorrow.” The title is in recognition of Alexander’s days as a rail town. Get it; rail, track?

The existing contract also requires that LRWRA and the Little Rock Board of Directors approve the plan. Apparently, the reason LRWRA gets to tell Alexander how to run its business is because the LRWRA provides sewer service to the Pulaski County portion of the city.

So, what’s the holdup? Apparently, the powers-to-be at LRWRA never considered how to remove these requirements from the contract once they were all met.

When Alexander’s city attorney got involved he and the attorney for LRWRA decided to write a new contract. Unfortunately, “Perry Mason” wasn’t happy with some of the wording of the current contract. It is now going on two years and nine months since the LRWRA received the proposed master plan and still no approval and no new contract.

And, to complicate matters, Mayor Crystal Herrmann unknowingly wants to reinvent the wheel when she asks for a new “zoning map” and public input. That work has already been done. That’s the purpose of the master development plan.

What she really is asking for is a revamped land use map. If the mayor and council are unhappy with the proposed land use map, change it before adopting the new master plan. There’s even a change I would like to make.

But, of course, it’s obvious the mayor hasn’t read the proposed master plan otherwise she wouldn’t be making these unnecessary proposals for public input meetings and new maps. If she wants to start some place give council members a copy of the plan and tell “Perry” to get moving on the new contract. It won’t be long before three years will have passed.