The Planning Commission approved the RV Park on the river with the waivers from the subdivision committee shown here.  An additional waiver was granted so the RV's could park within 10.0 feet of each other.  The additional waiver actually allows the RVs to park so close to each other thier awnings could overlap.  Mr. Joe Smith with the City explained that this would only be for a few days a year when the Park was sold out.  Problem is though, that is true of almost all RV parks public or private.

There were three other items in the zoning requirements that the City did not meet or grant waivers for despite a specific request by me. Those items are:

1. An RV park cannot be located within 200 ft. of a residential district
2. The ground surface must be grassed or covered with other materal  to prevent erosion or dust
3.  No RV may be used for a permanent place of abode

The pages from the zoning regulations are shown here .  Those items the City chose to ignore are shown with an asterik and those granted a waiver are shown with a box.  Mr. Voyles made exceptions for the residential 200 feet requirement talking about the flood wall and commercial distrct in between the RV Park and residential district. Mr. Smith demurred on the request for the wiavers on the other two items, saying the Park was temporary.  A specific request to include a time limit consitent with Mr. Smith's temporary limits for the RV Park was ignored by the Commission and a vote occurred on the RV Park.  All of the votes on the RV were unanimous with possible only one or two questions and no real discussion.

The City appears to be now violating it's own zoning ordinance despite Item 1a in the Planning Commission Subdivision Committtee  recomendations shown here , which requires the City to "Provide the standard requirements of Zoning and Development Regulations".  This was voted on and approved unanimously by the full Planning Commission Tuesday.  Now someone please tell me now with no waivers granted on the three items above, how can the City comply with thier own regulations? 

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This apartment for rent at 810 Willow Street in the historic Leonard Building.  Fully renovated, efficiency style apartment with appliances furnished and central heat & air.  $425 per month with $200 deposit and six month lease

Quiet, secure building located within the Argenta Historic District of NLR. Call 766-0726 (leave message).

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The NLR Planning Commission will hold their regular monthly meeting this afternoon Tuesday July 8th at 4:45 pm.  The commission meetings are held in the City Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 300 Main Street. These meetings are open to the public.

  One item of interest to Argenta on the agenda this afternoon.

1. Site Plan Review of RV Park along River

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Many people have been wondering why the Mayor is pushing an RV Park down along the River.  There have been very few people who think the RV Park is a good idea along the River.  So why?  Last October, the Mayor met with members of the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA).  At that time certain committments were made to the FMCA if they would hold a regional rally in NLR.  Those committments included a specific number of well equipped RV spaces for the officers and committee members of the FMCA who will be corrdinating the regional rally.  Hence the urgent need for the RV Park before the rally ths Fall. This was reported in Dogtown Wire recently. 

But there is even something bigger going on here.  THE FMCA and Mayor have talked about even larger rallies and the need for more space.  Currently the FMCA has many regional and national rallies in Georgia outside Atlanta where a large RV Park exists in coordination with a lage fairground.  This provides year round activities for the faigrounds.  In addition, Central Arkansas lacks good space for events like the gun and knife shows, flea markets etc.  And NLR has the Deluxe Video building off I440 sitting empty.  Now remember a few months ago, when it leaked out that NLR was talking with the State Fairgrounds people about moving the State Fairgrounds from Roosevelt to out near the I440 corridor near Deluxe Video?  You can bet, the Mayor is likely looking at that and courting the FMCA and keeping them happy and committed to Central Arkansas so that they can be considerd in part of the revenue stream to fund the new fairgrounds.  

Big Plans, Big Money and the Riverfront RV Park is likely jsut the beginning.  

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There have been many people and groups working hard to make Argenta great over the years.  They have worked very hard to improve Argenta's reputation since the dark days of the early 90's.  Repuations are easy to ruin and very hard to change in people's minds, once it is bad.  The ADC has been been helping improve Argenta's reputation most recently with the flowers, ambassadors and marketing of Argenta.

Now as residents, business owners and employees it is our turn.  Every resident, business owner and employee who works in Argenta should fill out the "Best of Central Arkansas" ballot on page 6B of  Sunday's Dem/Gaz.  Business owners can pick up additonal ballots at the Dem/Gaz office at 121 East Capitol and give them out to their employees.  We can vote for Argenta busineses in the following best of categories:  bar, busines lunch, fine dining, hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian Food, Patio/Outdoor, Wine selection, seafood. steakhouse, sushi, bank, furniture store, pharmacy, sports team, place to ride a bike, walking trails, bed & breakfast, hotel, library and Park

It does not take a lot of votes in most of these categories and we can get several Argenta businesses voted the "Best of".  I've got my ballot, get yours!!! 

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We made great progress in the Community Garden in June.  The herb bed is established, crops are growing in the Back-40, and there are colorful flowers to welcome visitors to 216 W. 4th Street in Argenta.  By October the second phase of bed construction should be complete.

Here are some photos from a recent workday -- beginning with a truckload of flowers and foliage recycled from planters on Main Street.  One of the coolest things about the Community Garden is that almost all the plants came from the neighborhood, and residents have been steadfast in giving their time.

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The Argenta Branch Library has managed to create a mini-neighborhood community center for Argenta with all thier programs and activities.  And this summer they have outdone themselves with something almost every day.

Here are the activities at the Library, for this week

Tuesday, 8th at 11:00 am, Bumblebee Storytime & Craft

Wednesday, 9th at 1:00 pm, Chess Club

Thursday, 10th at 11:00 am, Board Game Day

Friday, 11th at  2:00 pm, Board Game Day

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Apparently the streets and public parking spaces on the streets do not belong to the public, at least as far as the City of NLR is concerned.  Valentines Restaurant has continued to block the public parkiing spaces on the public right of way along Willow Street for their valet parking every home game since my last post on this issue three weeks ago.  The NLR police are aware of this illegal use of public parking spaces and have elected not to enforce this violation as they probably believe a special arrnagement exists between the the Travelers and the Mayor's office. 

This is how things happen with public officials who may worry more about friends than the general public who they serve..  This way works well, because the Mayor's office can say they never authoirized such a deal and it can keep going on because the Mayor's office doesn't specifically direct the Police to enforce the law.  Plausible deniability....it is wonderful thing for an elected official. Problem is the public gets screwed, seeing things going on in the City that they couldn't get away and they lose faith in government and we all lose.  

But this situation took a turn for the worse over the weekend.  It is one thing to block public parking when the only people who might be affected are patrons of the ballpark on game nights.  However, on the 4th of July, Valentnes was blockng the parking spaces so people who wanted to watch the fireworks could not park along Willow Street as shown in the photograph above. .  There was no ballgame at the ballpark on the 4th.  

If the Mayor does not make the phone call to makle sure the parking ordinances are enforced at the ballpark, it will send a message.  That message is any business can block the public street parking daily for the convenience of their business.   I would really like to see Cregeens block the Mayor's parking spots on Main Street for Cregeen's patrons.  Anyone want to bet how long that would last?  So how would you justify selective enforcement?  

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