HDC_05 20 1996LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
MINUTES
20 May 1996
Commissioners Present: John Bush Tommy Jameson
Carl Menyhart Julie Wiedower
Commissioners Absent: Bob Roddey
Staff Present: Anthony Black V. Anne Guthrie Shawn Spencer
The roll for the Little Rock Historic District Commission (LRHDC) was called, and there was a
quorum; as this was a continuation of the 2 May meeting, there were no minutes.
The meeting started with a brief statement regarding the purpose of this special - called meeting,
which was to decide on the application made by the Hillcrest Resident's Association's (HRA) for
local designation of a historic district for portions of the Hillcrest neighborhood. The meeting's
purpose also was to discuss draft design review guidelines, which were revised after the 2 May
public hearing.
A staff presentation, on design guidelines and its general approach, was demonstrated with
overheads from the text. It was stated, for the record, that at the previous meeting and in the
legal ad copies of the design guidelines were available in the city's Neighborhoods and Planning
office after 16 May. The original design guidelines were available months prior to this meeting.
After the presentation, Chair Bush opened the floor for comments regarding the proposed design
review guidelines. Questions were asked about the guidelines and: their legality; the city
process; compliancy; amendment and appeal processes; particular improvements or issues about
home repair; making them user - friendly; as a violation of property rights; etc. The main thrust of
the discussion was that the design review guidelines needed to be improved and clarified. There
was discussion about their being in conflict with the state enabling legislation and that they
needed refining and, more importantly, the support of neighborhood residents. All said, there
were six for and seven against the design review guidelines.
Chair Bush then opened the floor for discussion regarding the local historic district designation
of Hillcrest. Several public comments were critical of the designation process and stated that it
was a violation of property rights. There was discussion regarding the proposed local district
designation and: contributing and non - contributing structures of the Hillcrest architectural
survey; there needed to be another sort of designation other than as a local historic district; it did
not allow for property owners to improve their properties without being fined. Members of the
LRHDC and staff responded to these comments and how the designation related to property
rights, zoning and land use. Jim MacKenzie commented that local designation is a tool utilized
to preserve neighborhoods and, primarily, to protect property from demolition; it is only under
local historic district designation that allows the opportunity to review demolition permits. Many
people either favored or opposed designation; a brief review of the speakers revealed that were
eleven for and thirteen against the local historic district designation of Hillcrest.
Discussion focused on the next step of the process, i.e., the Board of Directors vote on the local
district designation and the accompanying deadlines. Black reiterated that there are three choices
available to the Board: accept the LRHDC's recommendation; reject the recommendation; or
send it back to the LRHDC.
Commissioner Jameson made the motion "to recommend to the City Board of Directors the
approval of HRA's (Hillcrest Resident's Association's) application for Hillcrest as a local
historic district; and for there to be a modification of the Historic District Commission
composition (i.e., to drop the second MacArthur historic district's property owner and substitute
it for a Hillcrest district property owner). There was discussion of the board's composition,
which is the following: one architect; one at-large; one Quapaw Quarter Association
representative; one resident/property owner from MacArthur district; and one property owner
from the MacArthur district. Commissioner Wiedower seconded the motion. A vote was taken
and it was unanimous: to recommend approval to the City Board of Directors of the application
by the Hillcrest Resident's Association (HRA) for the outlined areas of the Hillcrest
neighborhood to become a locally designated historic district.
The LRHDC public hearing adjourned at 7:30 p.m.