Alexander council updated on apartment complex design

The Alexander city council now has a better idea what the proposed gated apartment complex along Highway 111 will look like once completed. Council members were presented with a color printout of the project showing the location of 46 apartment buildings, streets, trees, a pool, two ponds, and a large green space containing trails and a gazebo. The layout was presented at the March 26 council meeting.

According to Rick Ferguson, representing the development firm of Rausch-Coleman, each two-story building will have 16 apartments. That gives the complex a total of 736 units. Half of the apartment buildings will have one or two bedrooms while the other 23 will have two or three bedrooms.

Most of the development will be located off Highway 111 across from the entrance to the Meadow’s Edge subdivision, which is currently under construction. At the October meeting Ferguson said the houses are selling as fast as they are being built.

It was at that meeting the council gave preliminary approval to rezone the 51.53-acres, which will be used for the apartment complex, from Agriculture to Multi-Family Housing. Another 6.81-acres received preliminary approval to be rezoned from Agriculture to Commercial Zoning and a third plot of 4.59-acres received preliminary approval to be rezoned from Agriculture to Single Family.

The commercial area will be between Highway 111 and the entrance to the gated apartment complex (as shown above). A street from the highway to the complex entrance will split the commercial area in nearly two equal halves. Only a small section of the complex north of the commercial area will front Highway 111.

Joe White, of the civil engineering firm White-Daters and Associates in Little Rock, said the apartment complex entrance will not only have a gate but will include license-plate reading cameras. He also said the next step is to contact Saline County Water Works to discuss connecting to the water and sewer system.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, March 19. Meetings start at 6 PM and are held in the courtroom at the Alexander City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

       An example of the building style to be used for the gated
       apartment complex.

Alexander council approves ordinance accepting transfer of state property

The Alexander City Council approved an ordinance accepting an offer from the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) to take ownership of the Human Development Center property. The abandoned 65.69-acre property is located in south Alexander along Highway 111.

In the ordinance the city agrees to “honor” an existing lease between Pathfinder, Inc. and the state. While Pathfinder occupies approximately one acre of the property and five housing units, according to the lease Pathfinder pays one dollar ($1.00) per year and must maintain the grounds of the entire property. The lease expires in 2022.

The phrase in the proposed ordinance, “Shall approve any new or continuing lease,” came under scrutiny by Alderman Dan Church who thought it could be interpreted as a requirement the City maintain an on-going lease with Pathfinder until Pathfinder decides to leave. Alderwoman Joy Gray interpreted the wording to mean if the city doesn’t want to continue with the current lease and doesn’t propose a new lease then Pathfinder must move. As a precautionary measure the council agreed to change the word “Shall,” which appears twice, to “May” and approve the ordinance.

According to their website, “Pathfinder, Inc., a nationally recognized nonprofit organization, is dedicated to the development and implementation of individualized strategies designed to enable citizens with developmental disabilities, and/or behavioral health needs, total access to community life.” Pathfinder operates facilities throughout Arkansas for both children and adults.

“This facility (Alexander) is currently home to fifteen individuals,” the Pathfinder website states. “Most of the residents work in the community at various jobs.”

DHS has been trying to sell the property to developers since it was closed several years ago as the result of a state-wide lawsuit. To settle the suit residents were moved out of the Alexander facility, and others like it throughout the state, and into apartment-like settings.

Since DHS first made the offer in early 2017 it has been Mayor Paul Mitchell’s intent to use the property as a lure to attract individual businesses or developers who couldn’t afford the state’s asking price for the entire property. Mitchell would like to have a super market as an anchor store along with the usual smaller businesses found in a commercial retail setting. He has also suggested one of the three smaller existing buildings could serve as an animal shelter.

Under the terms of the agreement Alexander will pay a purchase price of ten dollars ($10.00) to the state and provide a copy of the signed ordinance and minutes of the February 26 meeting. The State of Arkansas will then send a “Special Warranty Deed” to Alexander. According to Mitchell the city attorney will register the deed with Saline County.

In other action at the February 26 meeting;

By a voice vote council members gave Police Chief Robert Burnett permission to add Delta Dental/Vision to the benefits package for city employees. Chief Burnett noted area police departments are trying to “pick off” city officers for their departments. Mayor Mitchell said he is working on a retirement package for city employees but it will have to wait until after the new one-cent sales tax collection begins April 1.

Chief Burnett was also given permission to buy a used Humvee from the Federal Surplus Depot in North Little Rock. He said several have arrived recently but the one he wants has 544 miles at a cost of $2,500. Burnett said the Humvee will be used mainly in bad weather conditions when an area is either flooded or a street is too steep and icy for a police car to travel. He told council members during the recent winter storms he almost had a vehicle slide into a ditch on a hill. He said he would rather damage a used Humvee than a new police car.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, March 19. Meetings start at 6 PM and are held in the courtroom at the Alexander City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

Ordinance concerning Human Development Center on Alexander agenda

An ordinance to acquire the Arkansas Human Development Center, “Property, Deed transfer and lease agreement,” is on the City of Alexander’s agenda for Monday night’s meeting. The property is located along Highway 111/South Alexander Road and has been abandoned for several years. The state is transferring the property to the city. The transfer includes the city acquiring the lease between the state and Pathfinders, Inc, which is located on the south end of the property.

Rick Ferguson and Joe White are listed on the agenda as guest speakers. Ferguson and White are involved with the Meadow’s Edge subdivision project along Highway 111/South Alexander Road. While the agenda does not specify why they have asked to speak to council members, Ferguson last spoke at the October meeting to get preliminary approval to rezone the area across the highway from Meadow’s Edge from Agriculture to Commercial and Multi-Family Housing. The council agreed but at the time of the meeting development drawings weren’t available.

Another item on the agenda is providing employees access to Delta Dental-Vision plans. “Discuss Hummer,” is also on the agenda.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, February 26. Meetings start at 6 PM and are held in the courtroom at the City of Alexander City Hall on Highway 111, across from the post office. The public is invited to attend.