10054402
2 I RESOLUTION NO. 10,054
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO DEVELOP A CITY OF LITTLE ROCK
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH STRATEGY AND ACTION
PLAN FOR EVALUATING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
AND REVITALIZATION PROPOSALS.
WHEREAS, the potential for expansion of the City's corporate boundaries through
annexation makes it essential for the City of Little Rock to have a strong and sustainable
urban growth strategy, as well as an openness to regional planning, which will balance
orderly expansion of the corporate limits with the active revitalization of older incorporated
areas; and
WHEREAS, the City Board of Directors desires that the Little Rock Planning
Commission, City Manager, staff and other appropriate departments take an active role in
developing the sustainable growth strategy, to include careful evaluation of successful
strategies used by other jurisdictions throughout the country, so a thorough review of these
issues can occur before an annexation issue is presented to the City Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, citizens and neighborhood associations, in both proposed expansion
areas and in existing portions of the city, should be actively involved in crafting the
sustainable growth strategy; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the successful sustainable growth strategy is to achieve
maximum growth potential through both redevelopment of existing areas and through the
addition of newly developing areas; and
WHEREAS, a sound sustainable growth strategy includes key elements such as the
impact of expansion upon the quality of existing city services; a review of the effects that
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2 expansion can have upon both public and private school systems; a review of utility and
3 other infrastructure issues; a review of public transportation needs; and consideration of
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5 issues such as urban design, parks, open space and beautification plans, affordable housing,
6 and the existence of a structure for effective communication between citizens and local
7 government.
8 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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10 OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
11 SECTION 1. The City Manager is directed to develop a plan for an growth strategy
12 for the City which will include active plans for revitalization of existing neighborhoods
13 together with additional annexation growth plans in newly developing and extraterritorial
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15 areas, and which assures that the initial review of any annexation request will be conducted
16 by the Little Rock Planning Commission.
17 SECTION 2. A key element of the growth strategy will be a complete examination
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19 of city-wide housing needs especially in existing neighborhoods; consideration of mixed use
20 housing development in new areas will include all income levels as part of the overall
21 community housing strategy.
22 SECTION 3. The overall plan shall include an economic development vision and
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24 revitalization strategy for both existing neighborhoods and the newly developing areas
25 through appropriate zoning, commercial retail and office growth development strategy.
26 SECTION 4. This development process should include dialogue with citizens,
27 neighborhood leaders, other public officials; this dialogue should be orchestrated, and overall
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29 leadership should be provided, by the Little Rock Planning Commission with the assistance
30 of the City Planning staff.
31 SECTION 5. An element of this plan must include an express by the Little Rock
32 School District, the Pulaski County School District, the Office of Desegregation Monitoring,
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34 and the private school systems within the City, shall be held to determine the best means of
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getting input from these entities, or their legal counsel, on relevant education and
desegregation issues that arise when an annexation is proposed.
SECTION 6. Evaluation and recommendations are to be finalized after a thorough
look at other sustainable growth strategies successfully initiated by other cities and should
incorporate the best elements and practices of those communities which have achieved
positive success. The Tischler report shall be considered in full before any other actions are
undertaken.
SECTION 7. The City Manager is directed to set forth the sustainable growth
strategy format and timetable within the next ninety days with the full process to be
completed within the next eighteen months. Prior to the adoption of this growth strategy
plan, any individual request for annexation shall be considered only after a detailed review
by the Planning Commission.
ADOPTED: AUGUST 19, 1997
ATTEST: /
ROBBIE HANCOCK
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
a4 PA.
THOMAS M. CARPEN R
CITY ATTORNEY
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APPROVED:
qdAW
JIM ILEY
MAYOR