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ORDINANCE NO. 9669
AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CITY PLANNING
COMMISSION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF ACT NO. 108 OF THE ACTS OF 19299
AS AMENDED BY ACT NO. 295 OF 1937; TO PRESCRIBE THE POWERS AND
DITTIES OF SUCH COMMISSION; REPEALING CERTAIN OTHER ORDINANCES; AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK ARKANSASs
SECTION 1. PURPOSE. In order to direct the future physical develop-
ment of the City and encourage its social and economic improvements in accord-
ance with modern city planning principles and to insure the orderly, efficient,
and economic arrangement and development of future public works projects,
there is hereby created a commission to be known as the City Planning Commission.
SECTION 2. MEMBERS. The City Planning Commission shall consist of nine
(9) members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, except
those members who serve by reason of other office. All members shall serve
without compensation. Said Commission shall be composed of six (6) citizens
of Little Rock who hold no appointive or elective public office, qualified by
knowledge or experience to act upon matters pertaining to the physical, social,
and economic development of the City. One (1) member shall be a member of the
Little Rock School Board who shall be selected by the Little Rock School Board
and approved by the City Council; one (1) member shall be the Chairman of the
Public Works Committee of the Council of the City of Little Rock; and one (1)
member shall be a citizen of Little Rock, but may hold an elective or ap-
pointive municipal. office.
SECTION 3. TERM OF MEMBERS. Members of the Commission shall each be ap-
pointed for a term of three (3) years; provided, however, that the members
first appointed after the enactment of this ordinance shall serve for initial
terms of shorter duration in that two (2) members shall be appointed initially
for one (1) year; two (2) members shall be appointed for two (2) years, and
three (3) members shall be appointed for three (3) years. Appointments to
fill vacancies shall be for unexpired terms only.
SECTION L,.. ORGANIZATION AMID RULES. Within thirty (30) days after the
effective date of this ordinance, the Mayor shall designate a time and place
for the first meeting of the Commission, at which time the Commission shall
elect a Chairman and Vice - Chairman, neither of whom shall hold any elective
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or appointive public office. The Commission shall adopt rules and regu-
lations to govern its proceeding and provide for a regular meeting date, at
least once each month; create such committees as may be necessary to the
proper exercise of its functions; and prescribe the duties therefor. Special
meetings may be called from time to time by the Chairman. Five (5) members
shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 5. STAFF. The Commission shall appoint a full time Planning
Director to serve at the pleasure of the Commission. A staff shall be pro-
vided to serve under the direction and supervision of the Planning Director,
employed on recommendation of the Planning Director and in conformity with
the Civil Service rules and regulations.
The Planning Director shall serve as Secretary of the City Planning Com-
mission and shall maintain a record of the minutes of the Commission in his
office. The Secretary of the Commission shall maintain in his office a
record of the current membership, organization and rules and regulations of
the Commission.
SECTION 6. DUTIES. The Commission is vested with the powers and charged
with the duties prescribed in Act No. 108 of the Acts of 1929, as amended by
Act No. 295 of the Acts of 1937. Particularly the Commission is charged with
the duty of making a comprehensive study of present conditions and probably
future growth of the City of Little Rock and its environs, for the purpose
of planning a coordinated, adjusted and harmonious development thereof, in
accordance with the present and future needs and general welfare of its
citizens, efficiency and economy in development, convenience of traffic,
safety from fire and other dangers, adequate light and air, helpful and con-
venient distribution of population, proper civic design and arrangement, pro-
vision for public utilities, parks and recreational facilities, location of
schools and other public institutions, and other matters pertaining to public
requirement.
The City Planning Commission shall formulate and maintain a plan of the
territory within its planning jurisdiction in accordance with said Act. No.
108 of the Acts of 1929 as amended by Act. No. 295 of the Acts of 1937, which
plan shall at least embrace the subjects prescribed in said Acts and which
shall be adopted by the Commission by resolution after public hearing and
notice as provided in said Acts.
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When the City Planning Commission shall have approved any such plan or
plans, the same shall be certified to the City Council and shall be filed in
the office of the City Clerk, and a certified copy thereof under the seal of
said Clerk shall al so be filed in the office of the Circuit Clerk of Pulaski
County.
The City Council of the City of Little Rock, on receipt of a certified
copy of a plan or plans, may accept, amend, modify or reject the plan or
plans in whole or part. On acceptance of a plan or plans by the City Council
of the City of Little Rock, they shall be and become in full force and effect
binding upon all persons with the force of law.
SECTION 7. REPORTS. On or before each September lot the Commission
shall prepare and submit a recommended program of public improvement to the
Mayor and City Council including the program for the succeeding year. Each
City department or agency shall furnish the Commission, on request, any in-
formation or documents in its possession or under its control and shall co-
operate with the Commission in preparation of the program of public improve-
ments.
SECTION 8. SUBDIVISION OF LAND. Whenever a plan has been adopted by
the City Planning Commission, filed for record and accepted by the City
Council, the same shall not be changed, altered, or amended except by the
procedure required by said Act No. 108 of the Acts of 1929 as amended by
said Act No. 295 of the Acts of 1937 for the adoption of a plan as specified
above.
Whenever a plan or plans have been so adopted, filed and become effective,
no new street, square, park or other public way, ground or open space or any
public building or structure or public utility, whether publicly or privately
owned, shall be constructed or authorized to be constructed in any section or
district of the planning jurisdiction embraced within a plan or plans until
the location, character, and extent thereof shall have been submitted to the
City Planning Commission in the manner prescribed in said Act No. 108 of the
Acts of 1929, as amended by said Act No. 295 of the Acts of 1937.
After a master street plan is adopted and filed as provided herein, the
City Planning Commission shall prepare and administer rules governing the
subdivision of land within its jurisdiction in accordance with said Act No.
108 of the Acts of 1929, as amended by said Act No. 295 of the Acts of 1937.
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SECTION 9. REPEAL. Ordinances No. 7704, 7792, 8155, and 8442 are here-
by repealed.
SECTION 10. EFFECT. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed, and the provisions of this ordinance shall be
deemed to be separable, so that, if any portion thereof be invalid and such
invalid portions may be severed from the remaining portions, such remaining
-m- - portions, if otherwise valid, shall continue~ 1 'Nll force and effect. All
ruts vested under previous ordinances are not affected hereby.
It having been ascertained that the growth of the City of Little Rock
and its surrounding territory is being hampered by the absence of proper
city planning; and that construction is imminent which would interfere with
orderly growth of the City, this measure is necessary for the public health
and welfare; wherefore, an emergency is found to exist, and this ordinance
shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval.
PASSED: October 25, 1954
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED:
,j
Acting Mayor