CBC 05-07-1998CITY BEAUTIFUL
C O M M I S S I O N
500 WEST MARKHAM
ROOM 108
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201
(501) 371-4770
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, May
7, 1998 in the Sister Cities Conference Room. Chairman Frank Riggins
presided.
Members Present
Also Present
Lin Blair
Frank Riggins
Randall Stocks
Carolyn Lawrence
Dottie Funk
Dave Roberts
Molly Satterfield
Nash Abrams
Director Paul Kelly, Position 9
Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist, Planning
and Development
Bryan Day, Asst. Director, Parks and Recreation
Gayle Owens, Admin. Asst., Parks & Recreation
Approval of Minutes: Motion made and seconded to approve the
minutes of the April 2, 1998 Minutes with no corrections. Motion
carried.
Special Presentation: Chairman Riggins introduced Director Paul
Kelly and asked him to give us an update on the Sign Ordinance.
Director Kelly has asked the City Attorney's Office to draw up an
ordinance to make billboards illegal non conforming in the city of Little
Rock and would make this enacted by a vote of the people in
November. It will be a tough battle and Stephen Giles is doing his best
to write an ordinance that will stand up to whatever challenges that we
know will start if it's passed. Director Kelly said he felt the City
Beautiful Commission would be sympathetic to this idea and would help
him promote this idea. He said he knew that they would want to see the
specifics of the ordinance. Director Kelly said that his father was on the
City Beautiful Commission.
Lin Blair moved that the City Beautiful Commission support in principal
the proposed ordinance to remove billboards in the City of Little Rock
contingent upon final review of the ordinance. Dottie Funk seconded
the motion. Motion Carried.
City Beautiful Commission Minutes
May 7, 1998 Meeting
Page 2
Dottie asked how the Commission would let the board know that we support this. Frank said we
would write a letter and then go to the Board. Bryan said he thought that the Hillcrest Residents
Association would support this.
Chairman Riggins thanked Director Kelly for visiting with the commission and welcomed him
back any time.
Treasurer's Report: Randy Stocks distributed treasurer's report. Checking account balance is
$1,053.72. Dottie Funk said that we are getting ready to expand the treasury by maybe $700.
Reports of Committee:
1. Education Committee: Dottie Funk distributed copies of recent newspaper articles. One
article in particular "How should Little Rock look in years ahead" is the one the CBC needs to
be aware of. There are several meetings set up by the Planning Commission, we need to find
out when they are going to be. We need to attend these meetings. Dave Roberts commented
about the article "1913 city plan was way ahead of its time" by Bob Sallee. The exhibit
mentioned in the article was put together by the American Society of Landscape Architects
and is now hanging in the Museum of Discovery.
A. Dottie asked if it would be appropriate to ask Director Kelly about the status of
studying the ordinances. Director Kelly said he thought that the Board had passed
it. Dottie said she didn't know it was passed. Director Kelly reiterated that the
involvement of City Beautiful Commission in the sustainable growth idea is critical.
Unless someone gets involved, we are not going to see the kind of change that has
to occur.
B. Kanis Road Project. Director Kelly said he would like to have the Commission
members view on the Kanis Road Project. Frank Riggins said he thought a
presentation on what has gone on with Kanis Road is needed. There have been
some studies done, some options put on the table on how it should be designed.
Lin Blair said she would ask Rusty to come to our next meeting. Director Kelly
said the Board would soon be voting on this.
2. Polish the Rock. Lin Blair asked Bryan Day if he had gotten the rocks cut. Bryan said he
had and that bases were on their way. Frank asked if there were nominations for Polish the
Rock. Frank told the commissioners to be thinking about nominations, we haven't awarded
any for a while. Frank explained that Polish the Rock is a spontaneous award given to citizens
City Beautiful Commission Minutes
May 7, 1998 Meeting
Page 3
who go above and beyond the call of duty in contributing to the beautification of Little Rock.
Need to start a running list of who has received awards or we will lose track.
NEW BUSINESS:
Landscape Awards. Bob Brown asked when he should start working on the nominations. Bob
said he would try to have the list for the next meeting (June), that way the commission can visit
the sites and take pictures. Discussion followed regarding date of the presentation. It was
decided to shoot for a July awarding and the presentation or as soon as we can get on the agenda
thereafter. A question was asked if we were going to do plaques this year, Frank said yes we will
give plaques. Bob Brown said there would be three categories: good projects that have gone
have gone above and beyond the ordinance requirements; projects that have voluntarily upgraded
their sites; and past award recipients for continued excellence. There will be no 1", 2" or 3`d. A
discussion followed regarding the cost of plaques.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
1. Nash Abrams reported on the happenings of the Environmental Task Force. They publish a
schedule a year in advance of 26 neighborhood cleanings a year. They use juvenile offenders
and supervisors every two weeks. They sponsor the Paint Your Heart Out project in April,
usually about 60 home. Also they put out about 10 large dumpsters around the whole area
which were quickly filled up. They have worked with Jennings Osborne, according to their
report he fed 1500 people.
2. Nash said that Little Rock used to be called the City of Roses. He wondered why it was
dropped and if is there is anything we go by now. Frank said that "City of Roses" had fallen
out of vogue and he did not know if there is anything else that could be picked up. Bob
Brown said the last time the Landscape Ordinance was redone he suggested that something be
said about roses. Nash said he thought the leadership needs to come from somewhere and
maybe since this board is the City Beautiful Commission we ought to take it upon ourselves to
adopt a resolution like that and send to the Board of Directors. Frank said he thought it was
worth giving some thought.
3. Dottie Funk asked how to approach the airport about the lack of landscaping in the parking
lots. Is there anything we can do as the City Beautiful Commission to recommend that the
landscaping around the airport be upgraded. It was suggested that the Commission write a
letter to the Airport Commission. Frank said he would be glad to draft a letter to the Airport
Commission encouraging them to develop a landscape master plan, hire a landscape architect
and go through that process and then make a presentation to us.
City Beautiful Commission Minutes
May 7. /998 Meeting
Page 4
4. Dottie Funk asked about the tree cutting around pavilions 1 and 3. Bryan Day said we've
started cutting around 3. We are not cutting anything around the two in the middle. We've
started cutting along Boyle Park Road to the 12' pedestrian bikeway, but we're only cutting
the trees out for the path.
5. Dottie asked if we want to invite former commission members who went through all the
landscaping and ordinance plans to attend a meeting and talk about what happened with them
and what we're going to encounter and any kind of suggestions that we might glean from
them. A suggestion was made that the Commission host a reception and all the former
members. Commission members discussed the possibilities, they decided it should be in early
June in one of the pavilions at the River Market. The first Thursday that is available in June.
Invitations should be sent to former Commission members, Board of Directors, Planning
Commission, Parks and Recreation, Julius Breckling. and Planning and Development staff. A
discussion followed regarding changing the logo to a rose instead of a tulip. Also
refreshments were discussed.
ADJOURNMENT: 10:30 A.M.