The Alexander Planning Commission has sent two recommendations to the city council, giving them the final say on two issues. One is the approval of a variance request for property at 14916 Regency Drive. The other is approval to allow the Bryant Church of Christ to begin construction, on a church at 100 Cornerstone Drive, before receiving approval for the sewer connection.
Property owner Heman E Montoya wants to take one large lot, divide it into two and build a single-family site-built home on each as rental units. The lot is located at 14916 Regency Drive in south Alexander. It sits at the corner of Regency Drive and Charles Street.
Under the proposal the width of the property will be divided into two; from 120-feet to 60-feet for each lot. Under Alexander zoning the minimum allowable frontage width is 60-feet.
However, the minimum lot size allowed is 8,000 square feet. Splitting the lot leaves one half with 6,916.5 square feet and the other will be 6,901.5 square feet.
Montoya has submitted a Variance Permit requesting a waiver on the 8,000 square feet minimum. The process includes sending notification letters to adjacent property owners, and residents, asking for, "written consent from any adjoining property owner affected."
At the October 8 Planning Commission meeting, Montoya reported that he received signed certified mail cards for some of the letters, which means the letters were picked up. The remaining letters were returned to Montoya. He did not receive any of the pre-written response letters declaring their approval or disapproval. This issue was tabled at a special September 10 meeting due to the delay in receiving the written responses.
Planning Commission Chairman Michael Huck reported he did receive one response given to him during the September 16 city council meeting. Huck said the way the pre-written letter was filled out, "I'm not exactly sure if she (property owner) read it correctly. [O]n the one hand she, she circled 'disapprove.' Okay, but where she should have written the address of his (Montoya's) property, she wrote her address."
Huck said he sent the letter to Montoya to give him the opportunity to discuss the variance with his neighbor.
Relaying to commission members what Montoya said in an Email exchange between himself and Montoya, Montoya said in the Email, "[S]he denied even sending the letter back disapproving."
Continuing to explain the conversation he had with his neighbor, Montoya said at the October meeting, "Well, I was like, could you write something down for me like give it to me in writing. And she just said, I can't do it right now. And I'll stop by city hall and talk to them either Friday or Monday."
"I asked her because I had talked to her husband before even all this (sending the letters)," Montoya continued. "That's why it surprised me. ... I sent the letter because he told me he didn't have any problem that when his wife got there, he would fill out the letter and send it back. But that they didn't have a problem with it."
Nothing had been received as of the October 8 meeting.
Since none of the adjacent property owners or neighbors submitted written approval or disapproval, Planning Commission members found themselves in a corner. They decided to proceed with the next step, sending the variance to the city council with a written recommendation to approve the variance.
In a roll call vote planning commission members Jennifer Plunkett, Juanita Wilson and Huck voted to recommend the city council approve the variance and post the public notice for 30-days. Council members Stephanie Beck and Tonya Prowse were absent.
If the council approves the variance, the posting of a public notice is required giving Alexander residents 30-days to respond. If no one submits written disapproval the variance goes into effect automatically. The city has five locations where public notices are posted; City Hall, the Post Office, the Mobil Station at I-30, Elmo's, and the Saline County Water and Sanitary Sewer Facilities Board Office at East Azalea and South Alexander Road.
Alexander Planning Commission members took another unusual step by voting to recommend the city council approve construction of a new church building and leave approval of the sewer connection until early 2025. The Bryant Church of Christ has purchased property at 100 Cornerstone Drive, across from the Circle K along Highway 111. The church currently rents a building at 9500 Highway 5.
The proposed building size is 60 feet by 90 feet. Inside construction plans include five classrooms, an office/audio video room, library/office/workroom, nursery, rest rooms, pastor room, dressing room, baptistry, preparation room, and a sanctuary with seating for 105. In front of the church is planned an asphalt paved parking lot with 22 regular parking spaces and three handicap parking spots. The front of the church will face Highway 111.
After reviewing the plans Fire Chief Ryan McCormick noted either missing information, or suggested additions to the construction plans. Requested improvements include adding a fire hydrant at the west driveway, widening the east driveway from a 20-feet radius to 25-feet, adding fire lane markings, placing an emergency key box at the front door, and include the use of panic hardware on exit doors. McCormick also asked for the width of hallways and the type of seating in the sanctuary to be included.
The main focus, however, concerned getting approval to connect the building to the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA). LRWRA provides sewer service to the Pulaski County portion of the city and that portion of Saline County, in north Alexander, along the Pulaski County line.
Normally, the city council would approve the construction of a building and the connection of the sewer line to the LRWRA system at the same time. A letter is then submitted to the LRWRA approving the requested sewer line connection. However, the current contract between Alexander and the LRWRA is keeping the city from approving new connections.
"The current contract required us (Alexander) to write new zoning and a master development plan," Huck explained. "We've done all of that. [T]he (current) contract says we can't do anything else (no new connections) until we" complete those two requirements.
Currently, City Attorney Chris Madison is negotiating a new contract with the LRWRA. The new contract will eliminate the zoning ordinance and master plan requirements and tighten other language in the current contract.
The expectation is a contract should be available for approval by January. It must be approved by the Alexander City Council, the LRWRA and the Little Rock Board of Directors.
Church officials want to begin construction before winter begins.
"The council could ... approve the church being built, which would give city hall the authority to issue the building permits," Huck suggested.
The plan is to allow construction to proceed while the new contract is going through the writing and approval process. Huck said when the contract is in effect the planning commission can meet again and vote to recommend approval of the sewer connection.
In a roll call vote planning commission members Jennifer Plunkett, Juanita Wilson and Huck voted to recommend the city council approve construction of the church providing all of Fire Chief McCormick's concerns are met. Council members Stephanie Beck and Tonya Prowse were absent.
The Alexander City Council's next meeting is Monday, October 21 at 6:00 PM. Meetings are held in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall).
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