21922ORDINANCE NO. 21,922
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AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND § 1 (2) OF LITTLE ROCK, ARK.,
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ORDINANCE NO. 21,561 (MARCH 20, 2018),
TO REMOVE
THE
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PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2901 DR. MARTIN
LUTHER KING,
JR.,
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DRIVE FROM THE DEMOLITION LIST;
TO DECLARE
AN
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EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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9 WHEREAS, the Board of Directors, after proper notice, determined that the property at 2901 Dr.
10 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive was run-down, dilapidated, unsightly,dangerous, obnoxious, and detrimental
11 to the public welfare and, despite a request to permit the structure to continue to stand, found that demolition
12 of the structure was appropriate; and,
13 WHEREAS, on April 3, 2019, the property was listed in the Arkansas Register of Historic Places; and,
14 WHEREAS, among the significant historical aspects of the structure are the fact that it was built in
15 1929, and later acquired by Mr. Andrew Jeffries, Sr., who was the first African-American realtor within the
16 City, and was used for several purposes until September 1, 2016; and,
17 WHEREAS, the structure was also the location of the law office of Christopher C. Mercer, one of the
18 six (6) pioneers as the initial African-American students at the University of Arkansas School of Law, and
19 who during the 1957 Central High Crisis was responsible to drive the Little Rock Nine; and,
20 WHEREAS, the property is currently owned in a Trust; however, the Trustees wish to renovate the
21 structure and restore it to its status when Mr. Jeffries first purchased the building.
22 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY
23 OF LITTLE ROCS, ARKANSAS:
24 Section 1. Section 1 (2) of Little Rock, Ark., Ordinance No. 21,561 (March 20, 2018), is hereby
25 repealed to the extent that the property located at 2901 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive is removed from
26 the list of demolitions of property because of their threat to public safety.
27 Section 2. This repeal is made at the request of The Helen Williams Jeffries Revocable Trust, the
28 owner of the building, but will be reviewed by the Board of Directors no later than the meeting on August
29 18, 2020, to determine what progress has been made on the restoration of the structure, and of the
30 acquisition of sufficient resources to complete the restoration project.
31 Section 3. The Helen Williams Jeffries Revocable Trust shall execute an appropriate document that
32 waives notice of further action of the City to demolish this s[mctwe, except for one (1) mailed notice to the
33 trust, if both restoration and finances for the restoration are not provided; further, substantial restoration
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I needs to be completed before August 27, 2021, which at a minimum brings the structure into compliance
2 with all relevant City Building, Fre and other Code Provisions.
3 Section 4. The Helen Williams Revocable Trust shall take all actions, and execute all documents,
4 deemed necessary by the City Attorney to permit inspection upon reasonable notice of all parts of the
5 building during the restoration work allowed by this ordinance.
6 Section 5. To accommodate the work called for in this ordinance, the City shall provide appropriate
7 permits for this restoration work which will expire no later than August 27, 2021, and shall remain in effect
8 while work is underway and, as necessary, inspected and approved by City Staff.
9 Section 6. If at any time after March 26, 2021, work on the restoration of the structure at 2901 Dr.
10 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive ceases for a continuous period of ten (10) calendar days, then any other
11 provisions of this ordinance notwithstanding, this matter may be placed back on the agenda for the Board
12 of Directors to approve demolition of this structure.
13 Section 7. Severability. In the event any title, section, paragraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or
14 word of this ordinance is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or
15 adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of the ordinance which shall remain in full force and
16 effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional was not originally a part of the
17 ordinance.
18 Section 8. Repealer. All resolutions, bylaws, and other matters inconsistent with this ordinance are
19 hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency including, but not limited to, Section 1(2), Little Rock,
20 Ark., Ordinance No. 21,561 (March 20, 2018).
21 Section 9. Emergency Clause. The possibility ofrestoration ofa structure that has some historic value
22 to the City, but which is currently set to be demolished pursuant to law, would be essential to the public
23 health, safety and welfare; an emergency, is therefore, declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full
24 force and effect from and after the date of its passage.
25 PASSED: November 17, 2020
26 ATTEST: APPROVED:
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29 Allison Segars, Deillity City Clerk Frank Scott, Jr., Mayor
30 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
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33 Thomas M. Carpenter, City Attorney
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