HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-11-06 - Minutes•
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PRAB
REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 6, 1995
The meeting was called to order by Susan Driver at 5:30 pm
in room 219 of the City Administration Building.
Members Present: Driver, James, Knight, Mackey, Richard,
Savage, Waite
Members Absent: Stone
Staff Present: Clark, Cox, Dugwyler
Media Present: Rusty Garrett, Jennifer Pinkerton
Guests Present: Patsy Brewer
II.
I MOTION:MACKEY/WAITE
The minutes from the October 2, 1995 PRAB meeting were
approved unanimously 7-0.
II. PROPOSED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR NAMING PARKS
Knight: We looked at criteria. There is a valid
request to name a park Veteran's Park to recognize all
veterans. We thought of the area north of Crossover by
the United Way office and the proposed Babe Ruth
fields. It is great to recognize veterans and veteran
organizations might help us develop that park.
Driver: Do you need motion?
Mackey: Do you see putting a monument to have names
added as recognition comes due?
A motion will be made at the next meeting.
LEWIS STREET LEASE
Driver: Habitat for Humanity would like us to have
the U of A change our lease on the Lewis street
property to free up some land so they can buy it.
Clark: It is south of Mt. Comfort. They want us to
release our lease so they can pursue this wooded area
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IV.
across from the soccer complex. The only thing it
might help us with is parking. I don't see us putting
parking across the street unless we had to. Right now
it serves as a buffer zone between soccer fields and
the residents. I don't have a recommendation now. It
was part of the entire lease but I don't see us using
the land.
Richard: If we don't have a use for this I think this
makes sense.
Waite: We need to recommend to the City Council.
MOTION:RICHARD/WAITE
The PRAB recommends to the City Council to release the
southeast portion of the Lewis Street lease from the
University of Arkansas. The Parks Department has no
plans to develop this piece of land.
MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 7-0
Patsy Brewer: I am the Director for Habitat for
Humanity. Manny Hardaway found this property. It is
very difficult to find flat property and this appeals
to us. It would allow nine families to become
homeowners that would not otherwise due to income.
They have to work with us by building their own home
and helping with another. It costs $42,000 to build
with a market value of $62,000. We want to leave
wooded buffer behind this. We would ask U of A to
donate first. We have already talked to University.
Savage: Isn't there a ditch on the North side? Is
this where you will put access?
Brewer: Yes
Green Space
Marvin Gardens
Owner/Developer: Robert Westpahl/Jorgenson
Location: South of Mission, West of Hwy 265
Park Dist: SE
Units: -25 �,1-e—f cinrt
ami
Acreage: 10 acres
Land Ded: .63 acres
Money in Lieu $7,50-0 4qp 00- \14t1)400
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Master Plan: Priority 1, neighborhood 4; existing
acres -7; 1990 needs 22 to 45; 2010 needs 25 to 50 acres
Clark: This is close to Park Place, lot of open land.
MOTION•WAITE/KNIGHT
The PRAB recommends to the Planning Commission to
accept money in lieu, $7,500, for the green space
requirement for Marvin Gardens.
MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 7-0
Bois d'Arc Phase I
Owner/Developer: Richard Bundrick
Location: S of Cleveland, E of Sang
Park Dist: SW
Units: 10 single family
Money in Lieu: $3,000
Land Dedication: .25 acres
Master Plan: Priority 1; neighborhood 10; 38 existing
park acres; 1990 needs 54.5 to 109; 2010 needs 57 to
114.
Jorgenson: This has been before you. This is only part
of all of it. There are ten lots in phase I. The total
will be 20 or 25 single family units There is a
temporary cul-de-sac on east.
MOTION:KNIGHT/WAITE
The PRAB recommends to the Planning Commission to
accept money, $3,000, in lieu of a land dedication on
Bois d' Arc Phase I.
MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 7-0
V Mud Creek Discussion
Laura Andres: I am the lawyer representing the property
owners. We want to make everyone happy. The property
owners had the right of first refusal. Jack Butt,
Sweetser, and I have found a way. There is a detailed
settlement agreement. The City will get $8,000 from
the property owners to buy back a buffer zone. This
• will leave a 25 foot strip on south side of creek for
park. The Thompson/Sweetser will go to court with a
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January 1996 court date.
Driver: Was right of first refusal if he sold the
land?
Andres: He said if he did anything with the land best
as I recall.
Driver: The letter from Butt says sell.
Andres: I will mail you deposition. If don't accept
settlement could go on for years. City will end up
deciding if they want to condemn the property
eventually and take the land. Who would take care of
this property in the meantime. The value would
probably go up. This is a win win situation. The city
get the trail, money for the trail, and the neighbors
are happy.
Richard: According to this letter from Sweetser's
lawyers, I think basically he wants to wait until the
Thompson case is settled.
Driver: Read the letter. It appears that the wishes
of Mr. Sweetser are that the lawsuit be settled before
we decide.
Anders: Last I heard it was okay. I think there are
lots of hard feelings. If we don't stop this now,
everyone will have to keep paying lawyers.
Richard: Every property owner has agreed?
Anders: From lots 5 to 21.
Mackey: Would this document signed by property owners
be included with deed?
Rose: Yes the deed has already been accepted.
Mackey;; I think this is a good idea.
Neighbor: We have come together as a neighborhood. We
do not want to fight anymore. It would be all over
with your vote. We would keep paying money for a
lawyer though if we have too.
Waite: This won't solve the Thompson case?
Driver: Mr. Sweetser's lawyer asked no negotiation
until Thompson case is over.
Neighbor: You have the authority to end this now.
Little: I think PRAB and City Council need more
information. 1. total acreage on south side, 2.
Amount of acreage owners are wishing to purchase 3.
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What would be left for the city, is this enough land
for a trail? Also address the credit.
Driver: He denied the credit.
Mackey: If the settlement were accepted, would there
would be new deeds issued?
Rose: Yes because you would be selling them land.
Waite: You want to sell the park land?
Richard: I never thought it was a good idea to accept
this. I do agree on trails, but.
Rose: I thought when Jack Butt presented this that Mr.
Sweetser had decided he did not want to sell this. I
don't think the City Council expected the PRAB to make
votes on the merits of the lawsuit. They were
interested in your advise if it would be a good idea
park wise to extend their land into the park land. The
purchase price is important and would this leave the
city sufficient land for what is intended? Would it be
a good thing from a Parks and Recreation point of view?
Their emphasis was not for you to make a legal opinion.
etc.
Richard: Sweetser is also
Mackey: We left this as no
see us needing a trail this
proposal, I said great, we
get their yard back.
Waite: If we go down to 25 feet, I am not sure this is
the optimum place for a trail.
donating $10,000.
vote last year. I did not
size. When I saw this new
get a trail and the people
MOTION:WAITE/KNIGHT
The PRAB recommends to the City Council to take no
action on the Mud Creek property until the pending
lawsuit of adverse possession by Michael and Linda
Thomson has been settled.
MOTION APPROVED 4-2-1
Mackey no; Richard no; Waite yes; Driver yes; Knight
yes; Savage abstain; James yes
Neighbor: This is really getting out of hand. This
was originally planned as a trail and now it is a lot
more. This is childish and getting out of hand.
Man: Who actually owns the land?
Rose: The city is the record owner.
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VI:
McCann: Why are you putting this back to Sweetser?
Driver: You know I have been a proponent of this
trail. I have visited with other cites with trails.
It is an asset to property value, I would not
recommend tying the City's hand in this matter. I
think that at the present moment we would not want to
develop the trail aesthetically prohibiting to anyone.
I think Sweetser has given a gift that will be
rewarding in years to come.
McCann: It will devalue the property without buffer
zone.
Driver. We have repeatedly voiced our concerns to help
with a buffer zone.
McCann: This was not donated for park land just to the
city.
Ed Hogan: Do what you want to do because that is what
you want to do from the start.
HMR TAX
Driver: One week and one day until vote. What is the
approval for expenditures?
Waite: This can be used for promotion and development
of parks and recreation areas. Money will be deposited
into a special fund for parks and dispersed by the
Mayor upon approval by the City Council.
Driver: That answers the maintenance question that it
can. There were about 4,000 voters in the last special
election. I hope we can get a big turnout.
VII. CIP Report
Clark: Walker Park beginning to take shape. The
lighting will come later. Our push was to get it going
for this year. Lewis restrooms had $75,000 budgeted
and came in at $125,000. The restrooms is what cost so
much. I have a meeting with the architect and the
bidders tomorrow. The Lake Fayetteville South pavilion
is 40 x 60. We were trying to go with a laminated
beam. We had $50,000 budgeted and it came in at
$60,000. Both have to be handicap accessible.
Driver: What response from City Hall did you get to
have one engineer for our projects?
Clark: Very positive. The RFQ's for engineers are
out. They are working on the trail at Wilson and
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bridge being designed.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Knight: I talked with Sweetser on the property south
of Zion. It is very valuable property and he wants to
develop it. He said there is a creek and maybe give us
some land someday.
Driver: If you put the trail in at time of development
then it would be okay.
Meeting adjourned 6:40 pm.
Minutes Approved:
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