After three years Alexander takes final step in Brownfield grant process

The City of Alexander has held its last public hearing in an attempt to receive around 3.5 million dollars in a Brownfield grant. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant will be used to raze the old hospital building on the former Human Development Center property.

Mayor Crystal Herrmann noted she began this process during her first month as mayor in January, 2023.

“It has taken us this long to get to the point where we qualify to apply,” Herrmann said. “There's been a lot of wonderful people that has helped us with this whole process. We've got ... the Central Arkansas Development District, that has assisted us, of course, with council’s approval.”

While no one suggested how the property should be developed, Herrmann was peppered with a barrage of questions. Responding to the various questions she said, “I don't know how many months it takes for them to release the awards. It will be within the 2026 window.” …

Concerning the future of the property Herrmann quoted the proposed master development plan. “It states mixed commercial residential.” …

The cleanup, “[W]ill stimulate some attention and maybe have some folks come forward more than to say, Hey, this is looking good. It's getting cleaned up. Hi, I'm a developer.”

Herrmann has been attempting to acquire a Brownfield grant in order to make the former HDC property safe for development. The grant program is funded by the EPA and is used to clean properties where the presence, or potential presence, of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant makes development difficult. The expectation is the hospital building contains asbestos, lead paint and potentially other unknown hazards.

Red box outlines the area 

involved in the grant 

application. The hospital is 

outlined in black.

Alexander Council meets Jan. 20; Public hearing before meeting

The Alexander City Council will hold its January meeting on Tuesday, January 20. The regular Monday meeting is moved due to the Martin Luther King Federal and State Holiday on the 19^th.

Prior to the council meeting a public hearing has been scheduled. The hearing is to receive input from the public on how to develop the former Human Development Center (HDC) property along Highway 111 in South Alexander. The public hearing is required as part of the process to receive a Brownfield Grant that will be used in the razing of the former HDC hospital building.

There are three action items on the council meeting agenda. They are:

1-The Organization of City Council for 2026 document;

2-A resolution to hire Hallf Engineering to do a storm water study in North Alexander; and

3-A resolution concerning taking part in the Federal Surplus program.

The public hearing will be held at 5:30 PM. The council meeting will begin at the usual time 6:00 PM. Both will be held at the courtroom in the Alexander Municipal Complex on Highway 111.

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.