HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-07-15 MinutesCITY OF FAYETTEVILLE
TOWN AND GOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF JULY 15, 2013, MEETING
The Committee was called to order by Chair Tommy Deweese at 3:00 p.m. Deweese informed
the Committee that his and Barry Herzog's terms are up for renewal if they choose to reapply for
appointment to the Committee, as are other residents from the wards they currently represent,
with such appointment being made by the Fayetteville City Council.
Chair Deweese announced that at the September 16, 2013, meeting the Committee will be
conducting elections for the year for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair/Secretary.
Vice Chair Diana Warren called the roll. Members present were Don Marr, Jeremy Pate,
Yolanda Fields, Casey Jones, David Jurgens, David Dayringer, Terry Gulley, Richard Hudson,
Mike Johnson, Mark Kinion, Barry Herzog, Diane Warren, Tommy Deweese, Ryan Miller,
Steve Clark, and Gary Smith was represented at the meeting by proxy. Danny Pugh, Melissa
Harwood Rom, Bev Lewis, and Bo Renner were absent. Will Hansen is no longer a student
living off campus in Fayetteville (that position is set for nomination and vote by the Fayetteville
City Council to be filled).
Chair Deweese presented the minutes of the last two meeting (March 25 and May 20) for
consideration and a vote, which received a motion, second, and unanimous approval.
New business was entered into with the presentation of Subgroup A, led by Subgroup A member
David Jurgens. The presentation covered issues of where the city and campus come together. A
perimeter was developed where interaction between the city and university happens on a daily
basis and factors for consideration, including overall traffic considerations, parking, residential
parking permits, sidewalks, bike lanes, scooter traffic, speed limits, trail connectivity, transit
stops, and multiple boundaries. A Campus Proposed Boundary was presented, with frequent
issues of concern being a focus and with university and city perspectives considered. The
proposed map was then opened for Subgroup A clarification and the Town and Gown Advisory
Committee's discussion, as well as the taking of comments and questions from the public about
the boundary map and related Committee considerations under discussion and review.
Vice Chair Warren inquired as to the action being requested of the Committee related to the
discussed boundary map presented by Subgroup A. Subgroup A member Don Marr remarked
that the action requested of the Committee is for adoption of the proposed boundary map as the
selected map to review or change and determination of whether the items considered by
Subgroup A move to full review by the Committee as a whole since the subgroups are temporary
and Subgroup A considers that with its completion of the presented draft boundary map that their
appointed tasks have been addressed and ready for full Committee determination. Jurgens
informed the Committee that he would send the proposed map to the Committee and that there
was no expectation for the Committee making a final decision on the proposed map at this
Committee meeting. Mark Kinion commended Subgroup A for their work to narrow down the
primary considerations in the creation of the proposed boundary map. Chair Deweese stated that
the Committee should spend time reviewing the proposed boundary map and continue to take
input on it before making a decision, but to have it on the agenda for review and
recommendation at the next meeting. Marr asked if there were any additional thoughts at this
meeting about recommended changes and encouraged feedback. Discussion continued with
thoughts and recommendations for consideration from Committee members on boundary line
placement. Marr commented that Subgroup A has completed their meetings and noted that
public comment and questions on the proposed boundary map should from this point on be
directed to all of the Committee members before the next meeting instead of to only Subgroup A
members. This item will be added for consideration to the agenda of the next meeting.
Subgroup B was recognized by Chair Deweese for their group's presentation, which was
presented by Subgroup B member Diane Warren. It was reported that Subgroup B reviewed
campus and vicinity safety issues and determined that there is a good collaboration between the
University of Arkansas and the City of Fayetteville and there are plans in place for their work on
emergency response maps over the summer. There is a mutual aid agreement that previously
was in negotiation, but has not been finalized. Subgroup B made the recommendation to the
Town and Gown Advisory Committee to advise that the University and City should revise and
finalize a mutual aid agreement that denotes emergency response zones and responsibilities. The
floor was opened for Committee discussion. After comments from the Committee, Deweese
requested whether Subgroup B was requesting a motion, and Warren responded that the
Subgroup would take guidance on that whether to move to recommend advising a finalization
of a mutual aid agreement or whether Subgroup B should look further into it and report back to
the Town and Gown Advisory Committee. After additional discussion, Marr noted there is
support in the Mayor's Office for a finalized mutual aid agreement if one can be reached. Steve
Clark made the motion for the Town and Gown Advisory Committee to recommend to the City
of Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas that they should revise and finalize a mutual aid
agreement, which received a second by Jeremy Pate. The motion passed unanimously.
Subgroup B then presented information about their review of trail safety, with the Subgroup
recommending to the full Committee for it to advise the City Council and University of Arkansas
to work toward a coordinated system of numbering light poles on trails on and around campus.
A motion supporting that recommendation was made and received a second. After Committee
discussion, the motion passed unanimously. The third recommendation of Subgroup B is for the
Town and Gown Advisory Committee to consider advising the City of Fayetteville and
University of Arkansas to engage in conversations about possible collaboration for planning a
fire station on or near the University of Arkansas campus that can handle an ambulance service
and hazardous materials response team. Upon motion and second, the motion passed. The
fourth item of Subgroup B was not a recommendation, but the encouragement of the public to be
aware of crosswalk safety and encouraged the public to take greater caution in crossing the
street.
Casey Jones made the presentation for Subgroup C, which addresses the constantly -changing
factors related to their areas of review, the importance of continued communication between the
University of Arkansas and City of Fayetteville and getting City information to students, and
rental property issues. Yolanda Fields stated that the University of Arkansas Off -Campus
Connections has a website that provides a link to City Ordinances to help educate students about
City Codes, and it appears that the primary and recurring problems are linked to the same
landlords. No action from the Committee was requested.
Subgroup D was recognized for a presentation, which was made by Jeremy Pate. Pate discussed
issues of growth, transportation, the campus core boundary, intact single family zoning, overlay
district and what it might contain, and on-site parking requirements. Subgroup D presented to
the Committee three action steps that it developed for recommendation: (1) for the City of
Fayetteville to work with the University of Arkansas on its transportation plan and possibly
partner with them on a citywide transportation study; (2) determine if there is a wide interest or
consensus in researching architectural design standards that address matters of neighborhood
transitions, scale, massing, etc. for private development around the University within or adjacent
to single-family neighborhoods or citywide and should that be a citywide discussion or just in
this focused area; and (3) research parking requirements in college towns such as ours to
determine best practices to mitigate those impacts. The floor was open for Committee
discussion. Mike Johnson noted that the University, with work with the City of Fayetteville, is
updating its parking plan and did not follow-through on policies that could, through working
together, be updated, including remote freshman parking. Pate stated that no request for action at
this time is being made on these three points, but that he would be looking further at them and
Subgroup D is still reviewing these issues.
The Committee engaged in a discussion of the role of the Committee, its progress, and where it
goes from here, its beginning with the development of major issues to address and prioritize, and
public expectations for the Committee. Mark Kinion stated that perhaps it is time for the
Committee to take another look at the original issues established by the Committee and results of
the survey in which the Committee prioritized its list of primary issues, asking staff Dede Peters
to resubmit the survey to members so that current members retake it to determine if the priorities
set are still the priorities. Upon motion from Kinion to initiate a survey based on the initial one,
with a second and unanimous vote, the Committee voted to take the survey prior to its next
meeting in September.
Mike Johnson proposed to the Committee the use of entity list serves to transmit information to
help get both City and University information out a broader audience and determine how that
should be done for greatest effectiveness. After discussion, Deweese called for this issue to be
added to the agenda of the next meeting as a separate item along with the review of the Core
Campus Proposed Boundary Map and survey analysis.
Public comment was provided at the end of the meeting, and the meeting was called adjourned
by the Chair.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lindsley Smith, Committee Staff
This meeting was recorded by the City of Fayetteville Government Channel and available in full
on the City of Fayetteville website at:
http://accessfayetteville.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view id-2&clip id -2612
