CBC 04-05-2001The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Tuesday, April 5, 2001 at 11:30
a.m. in the Sister Cities Conference Room at City Hall. The meeting was called to order
by Chair Dottie Funk.
Members Present: Nash Abrams Tim Heiple
Dottie Funk Troy Laha
Ann Ivey Randy Stocks
Karol Zoeller
Also Present: Bob Brown, Plans Development Administrator, Planning Dept.
Gayle Owens, Admin. Asst., Parks and Recreation
City Director Johnnie Pugh
Approval of Minutes: March meeting minutes approved with the following corrections.
1. Public Hearing. Motion. Tim Heiple moved to deny variance request with
the exception of staff recommendations.
2. Under Discussion of Commission Merger. Change the word "Board" to
"Committee".
3. Polish the Rock. Add Karol Zoeller and Dottie Funk to the committee.
Treasurer's Report: No report.
Old Business.
Mt. Holly Fountain Dottie gave a brief history of the fountain. She announced that the
dedication of the newly restored fountain would be April 9 at 10:00 a.m. where we would
present the Association a check for $1,100 for the maintenance and upkeep of the
fountain. Dottie invited Commission members to attend. Karol Zoeller moved to make
the $1,100 donation to Mt. Holly Association for maintenance and upkeep of the
fountain. Motion seconded by Troy Laha. Motion carried.
Discussion. The discussion then turned to the disposition of the remaining funds in the
bank account. Tim Heiple said that he thought an attempt should be made to return the
$1,000 to the Visitors and Convention Bureau. This donation was made in good faith and
we were unable to pull off the festival. Dottie thought that some of the money should be
used to publicize the Landscape Award winners. It was also suggested that the money be
used to pay for the Polish the Rock plaque that is to be awarded for the River Market..
City Beautiful Commission + 500 West Markham, Room 108 + Little Rock, AR 72201 + (501) 371-4770
Gayle reminded the members that they have six Polish the Rock rocks and bases at
Custom trophy. The cost for these are $45.00 each. Discussion then took place as to
whether to go ahead and pay Custom Trophy. Dottie said that she hopes that the new
commission holds on to Polish the Rock. Tim said that the way the ordinance is written,
we will have no say, it could be all new people, so we won't have any say. Tim said that
the Board will nominate the members of the new commission and we will not have
anything to say about it. It is highly possible that it will be an entirely new group with
entirely new ideas.
Dottie said she doesn't think there has been any communication between Parks and the
Board of Directors. She said she tkiou,lit that Parks is crafting this the way that Parks
wants it.. Troy Laha said that none of the other directors that he has spoken too knew
anything about it. Dottie said that Director Kumpuris didn't know anything about it.
Troy suggested that when this comes up in front of the Board that a spokesman for this
group get up and say that we did not start this movement. Karol Zoeller asked if we had
gone back to the Arts and Humanities Group and asked them about agreeing to the
money and the members from both groups being on the new Commission. Tim Heiple
said he had tried to call Bill Gaskin a number of times, but he never returned the call.
But he did talk to a couple of other members and they said that they felt very strongly that
$10,000 was limiting and they agreed that the original nominating committee was a City
Board of Directors function and that we shouldn't be telling them how to nominate
members of this new commission. Gayle told the members that the ordinances will not
go to the Board on April 17, but the first meeting in May instead.
Director Pugh asked what the difference was in what the City Beautiful Commission is
already doing and what the new commission would do. Tim Heiple said that the general
idea is to broaden the scope of the commission that will address things like public art,
sidewalk trees, etc. Nash Abrams said that the regulatory aspects of the City Beautiful
Commission posed a problem for Bryan Day. Randy Stocks stated that Cy Carney had
stated he wanted to streamline the Boards and Commission and reduce their numbers.
Dottie said that the Commission had two concerns; 1) we understand that Director
Adcock is thinking about asking to elevate her Environmental Task Force to commission
Status. They would actually be taking over part of the duties of the City Beautiful
Commission. Director Pugh recommended that the Commission members get a list of
people and submit with recommendation for appointment to the new commission. Tim
said he thought the Commission should make a statement to the Board that if anyone
from the old commission should apply, they should be given first consideration for the
new commission. 2) We want to make sure that there is a board or commission, not just a
committee who hears requests for variances because if there is no interest in preserving
the intent of the ordinances, variances will be granted all the time. The Planning
Commission is not interested doing it. Director Pugh said, "Maybe they should be
questioned to remind them, because after all why go through and get all these ordinances
if there is nobody to do anything about them once they're there. So a lot of times there
may be a lot of questions that need to come out that need to be answered. " Dottie said
that, "We don't know who to ask, we've asked this among ourselves for six months."
Director Pugh recommended that the Commission write the City Board of Directors and
ask them if our Commission goes away, whose going to take these up. Let people start
thinking in that direction. Ann Ivey said, now the Landscape Review Board will address
the ordinance right? Dottie answered with "If the Board is created by Ordinance. It has
to be created. It has to be created. If City Beautiful is terminated, there will be no board.
Tim Heiple said that the way it's written now it will happen in one step. Dottie said,
"No, it is two separate ordinances." Tim asked if the ordinances were linked. Dottie said,
No." Tim said, "You mean one could happen without the other." Dottie said, "Yes."
Tim said, "There is still an entity listed in the ordinance (Dottie said, "City Beautiful
Commission") Right if that doesn't exist, then, I don't think that's true, there's something
wrong, something's got to be fixed here. If the City Beautiful Commission is gone away
and nothing replaces it. You've got an ordinance for the landscape review, whatever
function this commission now has is stipulated within the landscape ordinance, there's
nobody to do that. Director Pugh said, she didn't think the ordinance would die because
you go away, Dottie said she didn't believe the ordinance would die either, but, I've
asked Jim Lawson what he thinks should be done as far as addressing any kind of
variance requests, he says give it to the Planning Commission. Planning Commission
says, we don't want it, we've already got too much. We're saying there needs to be a
separate board, not a committee, that is going to hearing this. Tim said, he thought we'd
tied these things together. Dottie said the only way we tied them together was if there is
a variance request given by this new board, that information be forwarded to the newly
formed commission. Director Pugh said, that is one reason you need to ask the City
Board and everybody get a lot of people thinking. Because if they said, they don't want
to be bothered, they'll tell you what they don't want to do, I think you need to stir up
everybody and get it in everybody's mind then everybody will start asking questions
about it ? Dottie said, so we need to go to the City Board of Director's meeting next
month before this comes before them to be voted on and address them on this issue.
Director Pugh said, "I would address them and I would tell them that what my fears are
and what we have done. I would tell them all of my concerns. And, then too I would do
some writing, Troy Laha asked Director Pugh what she would think about us preparing a
history and presenting it to the Board at the meeting, say Citizens Communications?
Director Pugh said that she could do that and then just hand them to everybody. She
could give it to them right then and they would have it while she was talking to them.
Tim Heiple said, somehow the City Beautiful Review Board needs to be tied back into
the first statement where it says they are abolishing the two boards. The understanding
was that the duties of the City Beautiful Commission would be divided between the new
commission and the review board. Randy Stocks read portions of memorandum from
Bryan Day to Steve Giles that the actions that need to be taken: 1) the abolishment of the
City Beautiful Commission; 2) the abolishment of the Arts and Humanities Commission;
3) the creation of City Beautiful Review Board; and 4) the establishment of the Little
Rock Natural and Cultural Resources Commission. Staff will defer to your
recommendations on this issue. Dottie said but the sentence before said, should there be
four separate ordinances or can this be done in one ordinance. (change of tape). Tim said
that our approval of this is not correct. We did approve based on all this happening in
one ordinance. If it is broken into four actions, which might not be approved, then we as
a commission are not going to go away without somebody to replace us. I think we had
some words that fit it together if you want me to send it to Steve. Tim Heiple said he
would send City Beautiful recommendations to Steve Giles with a copy to Bryan.
Dottie asked Commission members if it is possible for them to attend the April 17 Board
Meeting.
Dottie asked Tim Heiple to meet with Steve Giles.
Dottie asked Gayle and Bob to work on the City Beautiful History.
Dottie asked if the Commission wanted to go to the Board. Discussion followed as to the
pros and cons of going to the Board. Dottie said that she is understanding the members
only want a letter written that outlines past accomplishments and put it in their packets.
Tim Heiple moved that Dottie as Chair make a short verbal presentation to the board as a
citizen making them aware of the impending abolishment of the City Beautiful
Commission at the April 17 meeting.. Karol Zoeller seconded the motion. Motion
carried 4 — 3.
Discussion of pros and cons of going to the board continued.
Polish the Rock. Dottie reported that the committee had met and that the a Polish the
Rock Award will given to the River Market Committee. Karol Zoeller moved that the
balance of the money in the checking account be used to pay for a plaque to be placed in
the River Market. Motion seconded and carried.
Adjournment: 1:45 p.m.
MEETING NOTICE
The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday,
April 5, 2001, in the Sister Cities Conference Room on the second floor at City Hall.
This will be a brown bag lunch meeting.
AGENDA
Call to Order — Dottie Funk, Chair
Roll Call
Approval of the Minutes — March 1, 2001 meeting
Treasurer's Report - Randy Stocks
Committee Reports
• Merger Revision Committee
10 Polish the Rock Committee
Old Business
• Mount Holly Fountain
New Business
• Disposition of Bank Account Funds
Miscellaneous Business
• Parks & Recreation Report — Scott Carter
Adjournment
City Beautiful Commission + 500 West Markham, Room 108 + Little Rock, AR 72201 + (501) 371-4770