CBC 04-02-1998CITY BEAUTIFUL
C O M M I S S I O N
500 WEST MARKHAM The Little Rock City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday,
April 2, 1998 in the Advertising and Promotion Conference Room located in
the Robinson Center. The meeting was called to order at 8: 25 a.m. by
ROOM 108 Chairman Frank Riggins.
Members Present: Lin Blair Dottie Funk
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 Frank Riggins David Roberts
Randall Stocks Pat Torvestad
(501) 371-4770 Carolyn Lawrence Mollie Satterfield
Nash Abrams
Also Present: Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist, Planning &
Development
Bryan Day, Asst. Director, Parks & Recreation
Gayle Owens, Admin. Asst. I, Parks and Recreation
Minutes: Chairman Riggins asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the
March meeting. Motion was made and seconded to accept. Motion carried.
Treasurer's Report Randy Stocks reported that we now have the Entergy
deposit of $1,000 in the account. There was a payment for the rocks of
$138.51. Balance is $1,296.77, does not include interest.
Re ❑rts of Committees:
The letter members received at the March meeting has been revised and
reviewed by Bob Brown. The letter was approved by Director Joyce and is
ready to be signed. Members signed the letter. Dottie Funk said that
Neighborhood representatives of St. Charles, the Rock Creek Task Force
and River Mountain will attend the Planning Commission meeting this
afternoon and, hopefully, present their recommendations. Dottie and Frank
will attend the meeting. This will be Item No. 5 on the agenda under the
River Mountain Neighborhood Association. They hope to get an
endorsement for their recommendation from the Planning Commission.
They want to take the endorsement to the Board of Directors and hope to
get on the Board Agenda. It will be important for members of the City
Beautiful Commission to attend this Board Meeting.
2. Financial Committee - Randy Stocks said he was not present at the meeting when committee
assignments were made. He wondered what that meant. Frank said that since Randy is the
treasurer, he should just look after financial matters for the Commission.
3. Dottie Funk said she represented City Beautiful at the last Planning Commission meeting
when Home Depot wanted the outdoor display. Originally, (a year ago) Home Depot
wanted a 45,000 sq. ft. exterior seasonal display area. The City did not approve this. Home
Depot came back this year and requested a 6,000 sq. ft. outdoor display area. The Rock
Creek Neighborhood group spoke to the Planning Commission. An agreement with Home
Depot which contained a concession to upgrade landscaping was reached. If you don't see an
upgrade of landscaping in front of Home Depot, we need to talk with the manager.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Letterhead. Discussion was held regarding samples of letterhead. It was decided that the
address should be at the bottom of the page with logo centered at the top. The design for
note cards were shown to the commissioners.
2. Billboards. Pat Torvestad asked about when the billboards are coming down. Money
($1,000,000.00) has been set aside for billboard removal, when are they coming down and
who's in charge of it. Bob Brown said that billboards fall under Van McClendon. Bryan Day
said that the last he had heard the City Attorney's office had decided not to make the
challenge. They had targeted a billboard at the bottom of Cantrell Hill as the first one. We
should get someone from the City Attorney's office too. Frank said he would invite Stephen
Giles to the next meeting.
3. Landscape Awards Plaques. Discussion was held regarding the replacement of the
certificates that were presented in 1997 with plaques. Frank said that if the members want to
do plaques, then we should start with this year and not try to go back and make amends. It
was also pointed out that the wording should reflect that the awards are from the City
Beautiful Commission.
4. Letter to Former City Beautiful Commissioners. Dottie Funk asked if we should send a
letter to former Commissioners asking for support on our issue. A discussion followed and it
was decided to take a wait and see attitude at this time to better determine what action is
needed, if any, by the former commissioners. The discussion then turned to the method of
presentation to the Board of Directors. Brian Day was asked to get the item on the Board of
Directors' agenda.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
1. Parks and Recreation. Brian said he wanted to brief everyone about something we are
doing at Boyle Park that will involve cutting down some trees. For the last three years we
have been working with the neighborhood associations around Boyle Park trying to develop a
plan that will place new emphasis on Boyle Park. The plan involves, a lot of things like
bikeways, and the restoration of some historic structures. It will also involve some significant
clearing in a couple of areas. We've designated about 165 acres as an undisturbed natural
area. We are going to clear about 30% of the trees out along the main corridor along Boyle
Park where the bike path will be and where the existing trail network is located. We've hired
a timber cruiser to give us his recommendation and a wildlife biologist to make sure that we're
doing everything right, and we've worked with the neighborhood associations. Everybody at
this point has said they like the plan. It will make the park safer and it will return the park to
the glade like setting that it was when it was built. Cutting trees is a very sensitive issue to lot
of people. Brian said he would make a Boyle Park presentation at the next meeting.
2. Molly Satterfield said that the McArthur Park Neighborhood Association has a problem with
trash. She passed around photos. Molly said she sent a letter to the Board of Directors as
well as the property owner regarding the trash in the photos. The trash was removed that day.
Molly said that a Code Enforcement person told these people to put the trash on the street.
She said that it would have been on the street for two weeks before it was picked up and that
is unacceptable. Brian said that the City is putting together legislation to present to the
legislature next year that will help stop this kind of thing.
3. Carolyn Lawrence said that we really need someone from this commission to go to Ft. Smith.
Dottie is going, but she is really going representing her antique club. We need someone that is
not a member of that antique club to represent City Beautiful or Parks. It is Saturday, April
18. Brian said that if absolutely need be, we could send someone from Parks
4. Nash Abrams asked if anyone knew what was going on at the vacant lot across from the
Federal Building at 5`h and Gaines or State. Nash said they were moving ahead with
something, looks like it might be going to be a parking lot.
5. Dottie asked about the property across from Christ The King. She said she had heard it was
not supposed to be developed that way. Bob Brown said part of it is cleared and part of it
isn't. Bob said the owner hasn't cleared anything that wasn't approved. Bob said the biggest
flaw is not the Landscape Ordinance but the Buffer and Tree Clearing. Frank said that we
need to make everyone understand that it is not the Landscape Ordinance, but the Buffer and
Tree Alteration Ordinance.
6. Nash Abrams asked about Pick Up Arkansas Month. He wanted to know if the City Beautiful
Commission gets involved. Frank said, no, we haven't been involved about this year. Nash
said he would keep the Commission notified of these kinds of activities.
7. Gayle Owens requested that the manila envelopes be returned to her so that could be reused.
Frank asked Gayle to check on his term. She said had already checked. Dottie told Gayle
that for a few years, quite a few people never received their letter telling them they were
appointed to the Commission. Gayle said that is a function of the City Clerk's office,
however, in the past, as soon as she found out about a new appointment, she gave the person
a call. Gayle said she has a list of all the past chairmen with the exception of the past six
years, and a list of all previous landscape award recipients with the exception of those
awarded during the last six years.
8. Dottie asked if anyone was going to the City Planning Commission Meeting this afternoon.
ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
CITY BEAUTIFUL
C O M M I S S I O N
500 WEST MARKHAM
ROOM 108
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201
(501) 371-4770
Treasurer's Report
April 2, 1998
Checking account balance:
Less contributions for fountain:
Arkropolis
Wildflowers
Antique Club
Net balance
$ 1,296.77 *
$ (150.00)
$ (50.00)
$ (10.00)
$ 1,086.77
* Does not include interest from June 1997 through March 1998
CITY BEAUTIFUL
C O M M[ S S 1 O N
500 WEST MARKHAM
MEETING NOTICE
ROOM 108 The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 8:15 a.m.
on April 2, 1998 in the Conference Room Advertising and Promotion
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 Office Conference Room in the Robinson Center.
(501) 371-4770
AGENDA
I. Approval of Minutes of the March Meeting.
II. Treasurer's Report.
III. Reports of Committees.
IV. Old Business.
V. Miscellaneous Business.
VI. Adjournment.