LIVE UPDATES: City Council recap: Jan. 6, 2015

A meeting of the Fayetteville City Council began at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 inside room 219 of the City Administration Building, located at 113 W. Mountain Street in Fayetteville.

Listed below are the items up for approval and links to downloadable PDFs for more information on each item of business.

Roll Call

Present: Adella Gray*, Sarah Marsh, Matthew Petty, Mayor Lioneld Jordan, Martin Schoppmeyer, John La Tour, Alan Long
Absent: Mark Kinion, Justin Tennant

* Alderwoman Gray arrived at 5:39 p.m. during the Firemen’s and Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund report.

Call to Order

1. Oaths of Office: City Attorney Kit Williams; Adella Gray, Alderwoman Ward 1; Mark Kinion, Alderman Ward 2; Justin Tennant, Alderman Ward 3*; John S. La Tour, Alderman Ward 4

* Aldermen Gray, Kinion and Tennant were absent during the swearing in ceremony. Tennant’s absence was expected, and he was sworn in Monday morning at the Washington County Courthouse by Circuit Judge Beth Storey Bryan.

City Council Meeting Presentations, Reports and Discussion Items

1. Election of Vice Mayor
– Tabled*

* With several aldermen not present at the meeting, council members decided to wait until the next meeting before electing a Vice Mayor.

2. Report on the Firemen’s and Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund

3. Housing Authority Board Commissioners Appointment (PDF) – Christopher Terry and Christopher White*.

* Terry was re-elected to another term, while White was elected to replace Leon Jones Jr., who resigned in December. Jones Jr.’s term was set to expire in Dec. 2018.

4. Ozark Regional Transit – Semi-Monthly Report

5. City Council Committee Appointments (PDF)

Consent items

Consent items are typically approved in a single, all-inclusive vote.

1. Approval of the December 16, 2014 City Council Meeting Minutes
– Pass 6-0

2. Overlay/Sidewalk projects (PDF): A resolution to approve the Transportation Division overlay/sidewalk projects list for 2015.*

* Item No. 2 was pulled at the request of Alderman John La Tour.

3. Hazmat services revenue (PDF): A resolution to approve a budget adjustment recognizing hazmat services revenue received by the Fire Department from Washington County in the amount of $5,180.00 and increasing the related expense budget.
– Pass 6-0

4. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program grant (PDF): A resolution to authorize acceptance of a non-matching continuation subgrant from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program in the amount of $14,976.78, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0

5. Rezoning in cities of Johnson and Fayetteville (PDF): A resolution agreeing to the change in zoning from R-1, Single-Family Residential to R-O, Residential Office for property located in the City of Johnson that adjoins parcels in the City of Fayetteville.
– Pass 6-0

6. Lake Sequoyah property lease agreement (PDF): A resolution to approve a five-year lease agreement with an option to renew for an additional five years with Dan and Anita Spencer for approximately 18.18 acres of unused city property on the west side of Lake Sequoyah in exchange for the Spencers conveying additional easements to the city that are necessary for construction and operation activities pertaining to the Lake Sequoyah sediment removal project.
– Pass 6-0

Unfinished business items

1. Overlay/Sidewalk projects (PDF): A resolution to approve the Transportation Division overlay/sidewalk projects list for 2015.
– Pass 5-1*
*La Tour voted against. He said he’d like to see the plan amended to include a sidewalk built along Halsell Road instead of Markham Road to the south. Other council members said while they are committed to making Halsell a priority in the coming years, they preferred to stick to the original plan, partly because residents have for years requested the southern route, and also because the city doesn’t yet have the necessary right-of-way for a sidewalk on Halsell.

2. Insurance for motorized bicycles, motor scooters and mopeds (PDF): An ordinance to amend the Fayetteville Code by enacting § 71.016 Insurance Requirements for Motorized Bicycles, Motor Scooters and Mopeds.
– Tabled 6-0 until Feb. 17

3. RZN 14-4589 – Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard – Mixed-use (PDF): An ordinance rezoning that property described in rezoning petition RZN 14-4859, for approximately 1.9 acres, located at the 300 & 400 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard from NC, Neighborhood Conservation, to DG, Downtown General.
– Pass 6-0

New business items

1. NWA Regional Planning Commission contract – $40,018 – (PDF): An ordinance waiving the requirements of formal competitive bidding and approving a one-year contract with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission in the amount of $40,017.86 for a Stormwater Education Program for 2015.
– Pass 6-0

2. RZN 14-4684 – 232 West Ash Street (PDF): An ordinance rezoning that property described in rezoning petition RZN 14-4864, for approximately 0.26 acres, located at 232 West Ash Street from RSF-4, Residential Single Family, 4 units per acre, to RMF-24, Residential Multi-Family, 24 units per acre.
– Left on the first reading

3. RZN 14-4894 – 3525 South School Avenue – Razorback Ironworks (PDF): An ordinance rezoning that property described in rezoning petition RZN 14-4894, for approximately 3.78 acres, located at 3525 South School Avenue from C-2, Thoroughfare Commercial, to I-1, Heavy Commercial/Light Industrial.
– Pass 6-0

4. Amending Title IV: Unified Development Code (PDF): An ordinance amending Title IV: Unified Development Code of the City of Fayetteville, to amend Chapters 151, 161, 162 and 166 to create a new use unit for small scale production including boutique and specialty manufacturing and to place this new use unit in appropriate zoning designations.
– Left on the first reading

Announcements

– Christmas tree recycling is available throughout the month of January. Just place a live tree by the curb on your regular trash pickup day.
– Marinas at Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah re-open on Jan. 14.

Adjourned

This meeting was adjourned at 7:06 p.m.