PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove City Council last week approved preliminary plats for two new residential subdivisions, one off Wayne Villines Road and the other off Mock Street, that will provide lots for 87 new single-family homes.
The council also considered a request to rezone 29 acres from agricultural to residential for the possibility of a third new subdivision in the future. This ordinance was left on first reading. The city had expected to receive an amended legal description of the property that day but did not receive anything before the meeting.
The council met May 4 in the center of Prairie Grove Public Library, an open area that gave space for everyone to safely distance themselves because of concerns over covid-19. Most council members attended the meeting in person, except Ray Carson who used the Zoom app.
The meeting in the library was open to the public but it was not opened to the public through the Zoom app.
The council took up some old business first and approved an ordinance to increase its own pay and a second ordinance to compensate Planning Commission members. Council member Rick Ault voted against both ordinances. City Council member Brea Gragg was absent.
City Council members will receive $100 for each regular, special or committee meeting they attend. Previously, it was $50 for a meeting. Planning Commission members will receive $50 for each meeting they attend. If a City Council member is also a member of the Planning Commission, they will receive $50 for attending a commission meeting. Currently, only Gragg is a member of both public bodies.
The two new subdivisions approved will be called Wakefield Park and Wagnon's Springs. The Planning Commission gave its OK to the preliminary plats at its April 30 meeting.
Wakefield Park subdivision, located off Wayne Villines and Park Street, will have 26 lots on about 9.5 acres. This land is zoned R-1, which requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet. According to the preliminary plat, most of the lots will be about .25 acre, with two half-acre corner lots.
The development will have three entrances off Wayne Villines Road.
The second subdivision, Wagnon's Springs, is off Mock Street, south of Cedar Springs Independent Living Community. Wagnon's Springs has about 17 acres and has a higher density residential zone, R-1.75, which calls for a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet.
The preliminary plat shows the development is owned by Sycamore Investments and will have 61 lots. Each lot is .14 acre in size, according to the preliminary plat.
Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, said Wagnon's Springs' preliminary plat includes a lift station for sewer service. This is under capacity review. It's possible, Oelrich said in his committee reports, that the council may be asked to help with costs to increase sewer capacity in this area for developments along the highway corridor.
The rezoning request left on first reading was a request from Linda Dizney Revocable Trust to rezone 29 acres from agricultural, A-1, to a higher residential density R-1.75. The land fronts U.S. Highway 62 and goes back toward Richardson Road. The Planning Commission did not want to rezone the highway frontage as residential but wanted to keep it commercial.
An amended legal description would have left out highway frontage in the rezoning ordinance. The City Council decided to leave the ordinance on first reading until it received an amended legal description and take up the measure in May.
The council also approved a second rezoning request from Mark Silva with Silva Properties to rezone 13 acres from agricultural to commercial, B-1. This land is along Heritage Parkway, near One Day Fitness.
In other action, the council approved an agreement to assist with a walking trail behind Prairie Grove Elementary School. The school has received a grant for the trail. The city has agreed to build the trail and be reimbursed with the grant monies.
General News on 05/20/2020