HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-12 - Minutes -
Meeting of the Historic District Commission
March 12, 2026, 5:30 PM
City Hall Room 101 & Zoom
NOTE: The March 12, 2026 Historic District Commission meeting was held in person and
online. Staff were present in person.
Members: Chair Christine Myres, Meredith Mahan, Mark Harper, Cheri Coley, Jennifer Didway,
Tommie Flowers Davis, and Karen Rorex
City Staff: Kylee Cole – Long Range & Preservation Planner; Britin Bostick - Long Range
Planning & Special Projects Manager, Kaci Black – Long Range Communication & Outreach
Specialist
Call to Order: 5:30 PM
In Attendance: Chair Christine Myres, Vice Chair Cheri Coley, Meredith Mahan, Jennifer
Didway, Mark Harper, Tommie Flowers Davis, Karen Rorex, Britin Bostick, and Kaci Black.
Approval of Minutes from the February 12, 2026 Meeting: Motion to accept by Vice Chair
Coley, second by Commissioner Mahan. Motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Unfinished Business:
1. Oak Grove Design Guidelines: Bostick began the update by showing
Commissioners how to navigate the online agenda, which now has links to
documents for viewing and download for documents attached for items. This allows
members of the public to view and access items reviewed and discussed by the
Commission and provides Commissioners easier navigation of their agenda items,
which were previously typically sent out via email. Staff can provide assistance if
there are any difficulties accessing the documents or the agenda. Bostick followed
with a brief update on the draft Design Guidelines documents for Oak Grove, and let
Commissioners know that staff is still working with the Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program and the City Attorney’s office on how to best establish the
guidelines, and since this is a new process for Fayetteville staff wants to make sure
the process is correct. Bostick asked Commissioners to take the next month to
review the documents and think about them in terms of whether the documents
provide the Commission with sufficiently clear guidance to make determinations on
applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness. Commissioner Mahan asked if staff
are working with the Oak Grove property owners through this process, and Bostick
affirmed they are. Vice Chair Coley asked about demolitions and Bostick showed
several pages on demolition requests in the mandatory guidelines document to make
sure Commissioners knew where to find that information. Demolitions were a priority
concern to the neighborhood and Cole has worked with the petitioners to capture a
number of demolition situations and information that would be needed for HDC
review.
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2. Downtown Design Overlay District Review: This item was tabled to the April 9
meeting by consensus at the request of staff.
3. Citywide Survey Ph. 1 Update: Bostick showed the final Phase 1 survey document
with assessment and recommendations and noted that there is an extensive set of
photos for the survey not included in the document posted online. Staff is working to
make the document available online but due to file sizes may need more time to do
that. Phase 2 of the project is expected to begin next week with the City Council
approval of acceptance of the 2026 grant. Commissioner Mahan asked what part of
Fayetteville the 2026 grant will cover. Bostick said generally Downtown and
southwest Fayetteville, but staff will need to put the project out for competitive
proposal to see what area can be covered with the funds available. Commissioner
Mahan asked if Post Oak will be hired for Phase 2. Bostick replied that she did not
know as staff will need to put the project out for competitive proposal.
New Business:
1. Proposed Southeast Fayetteville Local Historic District: Bostick shared the draft
report from Cole on the next petition initiated local historic district, Southeast
Fayetteville. She showed a map of the proposed district and noted that it is larger
than Oak Grove and staff needs more time to review and present a final report to the
Commission as there is a lot of research needed to properly review the proposal,
including Cole’s research into property ownership as the petition specifically requests
a historic district centered on the area’s Black history. Staff will be meeting with the
neighborhood at two scheduled meetings, March 18 at 6:00pm and April 12 at
2:00pm, both at the Yolanda Richardson Community Center (YRCC). This is an open
house meeting to meet with staff and ask questions and for staff to make sure they
understand the neighborhood’s goals.
2. Oak Grove Local Historic District Amendment: Staff has received the first formal
request to add the property at 515 N. Park Ave to the Oak Grove district. Bostick
showed the draft report and noted the process would follow that already established
for the creation of the Oak Grove district, and mentioned staff is presently expecting
to bring the report with their recommendation to the Commission with the Southeast
Fayetteville district so that the two can go through the process concurrently.
Commissioners were generally agreeable to that proposal.
3. May Historic Preservation Month Planning: Bostick asked Commissioners if they
would prefer to host their annual awards in City Council Chambers like last year or
explore other venues. Commissioners generally wished to hold the awards with their
May meeting in Council Chambers. Chair Myres asked Bostick to update the
Commission on the Bicentennial Planning. Bostick replied to her knowledge the
Mayor is forming a committee now.
Announcements:
1. Staff is hosting two Memory Lane events with the Downtown Fayetteville Coalition at
George’s Majestic Lounge on Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22 from 2-4pm.
Adjourned: 6:21 PM