Alexander Planning Commission members listened to representatives of Metroplan as they explained the next steps in writing a master development plan for the city. Metroplan’s Bernadette Gunn Rhodes (Community Planner) and Hans Haustein, GIS (Geographic Information System) Planner and Performance Measure Coordinator, explained the various next steps involved in writing a comprehensive plan. The city’s current development plan dates back to 1982.
At the planning commission’s June 8 regular meeting members were given a “Scope of Work” document that details the responsibilities of both Metroplan and the city. The first item listed as a joint-effort is to, “Draft a public survey.” Once completed, it will be up to the city to get the survey out to Alexander residents.
The city must also form a, “Citizen Advisory Group.” The Advisory Group, working with the planning commission, will take part in developing the master plan based on their interpretation of the survey results and “public outreach.” There will be at least one, possibly more, meeting for the general public to express their desires for the future development of Alexander.
Anyone who wishes to volunteer for the Citizen Advisory Group should contact either the mayor or planning commission chairman. Mayor Paul Mitchell’s email address is mayor@cityofalexander.com. You can contact Planning Commission Chairman Michael Huck at pcchair@cityofalexander.com. Or, you can phone city hall (501-455-2585) and speak to either the mayor or leave contact information to volunteer for the advisory group.
According to the Scope of Work the makeup of the advisory group should, “Aim for diversity in age, sex, race, and ethnicity.”
Providing that information when submitting your application will allow the planning commission to insure a wide mix of city residents.
The Scope of Work also establishes deadlines. By July the survey is expected to be sent out to the public and the Citizen Advisory Group should be formed. In August, a public meeting is expected to be held to announce the results of the survey and to hear “ideas” from residents concerning the planning of Alexander’s future.
Following the public meeting Metroplan will evaluate the feedback from residents and develop “[L]and use and transportation scenarios.” In September the Citizen Advisory Group is expected to meet to develop recommendations to be sent to Metroplan by October. Metroplan will then, “Begin drafting concepts for the plan.”
By November, Metroplan expects to have the first draft of the plan completed. It will then be presented to the planning commission and city staff for review and comment. In December, Metroplan will revise the plan draft based on comments made at the November meeting.
This process will then move into 2022. The latest plan draft will be presented at a town hall style meeting in January to hear comments from the public. Any necessary revisions will be made and a final draft should be completed by the end of January. If all goes well the planning commission and city council are expected to adopt the development plan in February, 2022.
Metroplan is a quasi government agency dedicated to providing general planning, mapping, and technical assistance to local governments in Central Arkansas. It’s major role is to work with local governments, the Arkansas Department of Transportation, and local transit providers to determine transportation needs and funding priorities for Federal transportation investments. Alexander pays an annual fee to be a member of Metroplan, allowing the city to take advantage of its services.
In the Chairman’s Report during the June 8 meeting, Chairman Michael Huck told commission members there’s nothing new to report on the plan to rename N. Alexander Rd. and Alexander Rd. to N. Main Street and rename E. 3rd St. and S. Alexander Rd. to S. Main Street.
He also reported that Ample Storage, located along Hwy. 5, will be requesting a zoning change for a 1.73-acre parcel that was annexed into the city in 2018. The parcel will be rezoned from Open Space/Recreation to Highway Commercial.
Huck said he was contacted by someone wanting to locate a Verizon cell tower in the city.
Commission members were also told about Mayor Paul Mitchell’s discussions with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDot) concerning the Hwy. 111 turn at E. 3rd St. and Alexander Road. During the May council meeting Mitchell told council members he is trying to get ArDot to add a right turn lane from Alexander Rd. to E. 3rd St. traveling south, widen the intersection, remove the stop sign for traffic on E. 3rd St., and add stop signs for cross traffic on Alexander Road. The goal is to keep Hwy 111 traffic moving, eliminating the back-log of traffic, which occurs for drivers traveling north.
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