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