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HDC_05 14 1987City of Little Rock HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MAY 14, 1987 4:00 P.M. The meeting was called to order at 4:05 P.M. A quorum was present for the calling of the role (Mr. Sam Strauss, Jr., Ms. Cheryl Nichols, Dr. Dan Cook and Mr. John Jarrard). Mr. Bill Kennedy, III arrived at 4:15 P.M. Mr. Stephen Giles represented the City Attorney's Office. Mr. Sam Strauss, Chairman, asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting which was moved and passed. The first item on the agenda was a presentation by Mr. Julius Breckling, Director of the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. He explained the proposal of a " Quapaw Trail" that would run from Riverfront Park to MacArthur Park passing various sites of an historic or architecturally significant nature. He suggested that the route could be identified by certain types of landscaping, signage or surface treatment that would be distinctive but also compatible to adjacent surroundings. He agreed to work with the Quapaw Quarter Association, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Territorial Restoration, Arts Center and other interested parties. Mr. Townsend Wolfe, Director of the Arkansas Arts Center spoke in favor of the plan. The Commission requested to be informed of the plan elements when they are prepared and requested that Ms. Nichols be the Historic District representative to review work on the plan. The second item was the reconsideration of a parking lot request by the American Legion Post #1. This item had previously been approved by the Historic District Commission with a number of conditions. The Legion requested and was granted this reconsideration due to the fact that they had addressed those conditions with a plan that was not exactly the same as those previously approved on March 5, 1984. The Commission voted to rehear the case and scheduled it for this, the May meeting. Ms. Darcia Norwood spoke representing the American Legion and presented two options which were described in detail. Specifically, she identified all plant materials, the 12 ft. setback on Rock Street, the sprinkler system, the total area of landscaped islands, location of curb cuts, number and size of parking spaces and explained how each related to the previous approval. She presented a letter of support from Mr. W. J. Walker whose attorney's office is at 601 Rock Street. Ms. Pat Minton, representing the Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas located at 409 E. 6th Street, spoke in favor of the application noting that, in their opinion, either plan would be preferable to the vacant gravel lot. Mr. Kennedy asked Ms. Norwood which option was preferred by the American Legion. Her response was that they did not have a preference toward either option, but that they had approved budget criteria to be used for the plan. In response to Mr. Kennedy's request about a warrant on the life of the plant materials, Ms. Norwood said that the law required at least one year. Mr. Jarrard asked for the mature height of an arena, to which Mr. Bill Hall responded 8 to 10 feet. Referring to questions regarding Option II, Ms. Norwood explained the sprinkler system, railroad ties, dumpster location, pine mulch ground cover and signage. She stated that the American Legion was requesting two years to bring the signage into compliance. Mr. Bill Hall, representing the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, recommended that the Commission approve either option, and that Option II was their preference. He explained that he had visited the site at night and, in his opinion, there was adequate lighting. When asked by Mr. Kennedy if a board fence was not appropriate, Mr. Hall responded that he preferred the sprinkler system in lieu of the fence. Ms. Jeanette Krohn, Executive Director of the Quapaw Quarter Association, stated that the QQA Board of Directors recommended that Option II be approved, that lighting was adequate and that the sprinkler system was preferable to the board fence. Mr. Jarrard asked if the plan would return to the Historic District Commission if it was not approved by the Public Works Department. Staff responded that it would. When questioned about the driveway on East 6th Street, Ms. Norwood explained the 19 foot curb cut would be expanded to 20 feet. Dr. Cook, in response to the Chairman's request for a motion, moved to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for Option II with the extended 20 foot curb cut on East 6th Street and an understanding that signage would conform in two years. Mr. Jarrard seconded the motion. Mr. Kennedy requested an amendment to the motion that would Am%% require a board fence on 6th and Rock Streets, stating that he did not agree that there was adequate lighting and he did not think the Legion would maintain the plants or sprinkler system. Ms. Norwood stated the Legion would maintain the plant materials, that others on the property were not allowed to die and that a board fence would not be acceptable to the Legion. A vote on the amendment failed by a vote of 1 for (Kennedy), 3 against (Cook, Jarrard, Strauss) and 1 abstaining (Nichols). A vote on the original motion for approval passed by a vote of 3 for (Cook, Jarrard, Strauss), 1 against (Kennedy) and 1 abstention (Nichols). Other business included a staff report that the brochure requested to be prepared and mailed to property owners within the district will be accomplished in July and August. The calendar was approved which continues meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 4:00 P.M. A request was made to draft a letter of appreciation to Mr. Tom McGowan with the Youngdahl and Larrison law firm thanking them for the amicus curiae brief he prepared for the Supreme Court appeal on the Second Baptist Church case. There being no further business, the Commission adjourned at 5:10 P.M. Sam Strauss, Jr., Chairman