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HomeMy WebLinkAbout16915 1 RESOLUTION NO. 16,915 2 3 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE 4 CENTRAL ARKANSAS LIBRARY SYSTEM FOUNDATION TOGETHER 5 WITH OTHER INTERESTED PATRONS AND CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF 6 LITTLE ROCK TO SOLICIT FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 7 PORTION OF THE 1-30 CROSSING PARK IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE 8 MAIN BRANCH OF THE CENTRAL ARKANSAS LIBRARY SYSTEM; 9 CONSENTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTION OF THE PARK; 10 AND FOR OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO. 11 12 WHEREAS,the City of Little Rock,Arkansas("the City")has commissioned the architecture and 13 design firm of"Sasaki"to create and design a plan for the development of a City Park within an area owned 14 by the Arkansas State Highway Commission and which was formerly occupied by access ramps and other 15 public improvements in the Interstate 30 right of way(the "1-30 Crossing Park");and 16 WHEREAS, a portion of the 1-30 Crossing Park is immediately south of the Main Branch of the 17 Central Arkansas Library System ("CALS"), consisting of approximately 618 linear feet adjacent to the 18 south right-of-way boundary of Second Street between Cumberland Avenue on the West and River Market 19 Avenue on the East(hereinafter the "Vacant Lot"); and 20 WHEREAS, the Central Arkansas Library System Foundation (the "Foundation") seeks the 21 consent of the City to convert a portion of the Vacant Lot nearest the Main Branch into a functioning park 22 for the benefit of library staff,library patrons,downtown residents,employees of downtown businesses and 23 the general public,within the first six months of calendar year 2026; and 24 WHEREAS, the Foundation, together with other interested persons, desires to undertake a 25 fundraising campaign for the purpose of securing sufficient funds (the "Funds") to proceed with the 26 development of the Vacant Lot and requests that consent and approval of the City Board of Directors to 27 commence this process subject at all times to the provisions set forth in this Resolution. 28 NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED,BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 29 OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS: 30 Section 1. That the Board of Directors of the City, subject at all times to the conditions set [Page 1 of 3] 1 other interested persons,to(a)conduct a fundraising campaign for the purpose of funding the development 2 of the Vacant Lot described hereinabove into a public park for use by the citizens of the City and members 3 of the general public,and(b)to proceed with the development of a portion of the 1-30 Crossing Park.The 4 City's consent and approval is subject to the following conditions: 5 (a) The approval and execution by the City of a final Memorandum of Understanding,after 6 consultation with a representative of the Ecological Design Group, with the Arkansas Department 7 of Transportation("ArDOT")for the development of the 1-30 Crossing Park 8 (b) Any and all improvements to the Vacant Lot be approved by an airspace permit issued by the 9 Arkansas Department of Transportation under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding 10 between the City and Arkansas Department of Transportation; 11 (c) That the Funds raised for the purposes set forth in this Resolution shall be held in trust by the 12 Foundation until such time that a proposal has been approved by the City and ArDOT and expenses 13 associated with the development of the Vacant Lot in accordance with the terms of this resolution 14 are incurred at which time the Foundation will transfer to the City, or a 501(c)(3)entity created for 15 improvements to the 1-30 Park,the Funds necessary to cover those incurred expenses to be disbursed 16 for purposes consistent with this Resolution; in the event the Director of the City Parks Department 17 does not approve the proposed improvements of the Vacant Lot and proceed with those 18 improvements by June 30,2026,the Foundation will refund all donations or obtain consent from the 19 donors to expend these gifts for other purposes. 20 (i) That no Funds raised as a result of this resolution may be expended for the purpose of 21 development of the Vacant Lot without the approval of the City Manager or designee,That any 22 and all improvements to that portion of the Vacant Lot nearest the Main Branch of the 23 Foundation shall at all times be consistent with the provisions of"Phase 0"of the Sasaki overall 24 plan for the 1-30 Crossing Park so as to ensure that such improvements will be 25 compatible with the overall development plan for the larger Park as envisioned in the Sasaki 26 plan; 27 (ii) That no portion of the Vacant Lot shall at any time be developed or improved for commercial 28 purposes; and 29 (iii) That the Foundation will take steps to begin raising the necessary Funds and to improve the 30 Vacant Lot only upon the adoption and approval of this Resolution by the City. [Page 2 of 3] 1 Section 3. Severability. The various parts, sections and clauses of this ordinance are hereby 2 declared to be severable. If any part, sentence, paragraph, section or clause is adjudged unconstitutional or 3 invalid by court of competent jurisdiction,the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected thereby. 4 Section 4.Repealer.All laws,ordinances,resolutions,or parts thereof in conflict with the provision 5 of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. 6 APPROVED: December 16,2025 7 ATTEST: APPROVED: 8 9 kiLIV a,,L.- --1-‘,46 10 Allison Segars,Ci erk Frank Scott,Jr.,Mayor 11 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: 12 13 ,7- hijiit4. ) i 14 Thomas M. Carpenter,City A rney 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24 // 25 // 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30 // 31 // 32 // 33 // [Page 3 of 3]