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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA-353 Staff Report w MinutesFebruary 12, 2026 FILE NO.: A-353 and Z-10265__________________________________________________________ NAME: Faymonville Annexation and I-3, Heavy Industrial Zoning LOCATION: 5414 Fletcher Drive OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Faymonville Real Estate, LLC (Owner) James Isom (Agent) 8720 Faulkner Lake Rd Isom Company, LLC North Little Rock, AR 72117 400 W. Capitol Ave, Suite 1700 Little Rock, AR 72201 SURVEYOR/ENGINEER: Joe White & Associates, Inc. 25 Rahling Circle, Suite A-2 Little Rock, AR 72223 AREA: 53.07 acres more or less WARD: N/A PLANNING DISTRICT: 26 CURRENT LAND USE: I, Industrial CURRENT ZONING: Not currently zoned. BACKGROUND:  Petition for Annexation was filed with the County Court of Pulaski County pursuant to A.C.A § 14-40-409 on January 9, 2026.  The petition qualifies as an annexation by 100%, in accordance with Arkansas Code § 14-40-609.  The County Judge’s Order verifying findings was filed on January 20, 2026.  In a letter dated October 2, 2025, the Arkansas GIS Office confirmed that the annexation request meets all requirements outlined in Arkansas Code § 14-40-101.  The subject area is contiguous to the City of Little Rock’s municipal boundary along the area’s western and northern boundaries. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The request is to grant the 100% petition, accept the property petitioned to be annexed, and to obtain municipal services. The annexation request involves approximately 53.07 acres proposed for incorporation into the City of Little Rock. The applicant (petitioner) seeks access to municipal services in order to facilitate development of the property for uses under the I-3, Heavy Industrial Zoning District. February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 2 The request is to establish the I-3, Heavy Industrial District designation for the petitioned land upon annexation. The zoning designation is being requested concurrently with the annexation request. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: Land use authority The property is located outside the city’s incorporated limits, within what was previously the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). With the enactment of Act 314 by the Arkansas State Legislature, the City’s authority over zoning, land use, and infrastructure regulations in unincorporated areas outside the city limits was repealed in August 2025. Little Rock Municipal Ordinance No. 22,651 repealed the City of Little Rock’s ETJ in compliance with Act 314 and clarified the retention of comprehensive plans, including the Land Use Plan, Master Street Plan, and other long range plans. Upon annexation of any property into the corporate limits of the City of Little Rock, all applicable municipal planning documents and regulations shall immediately apply to the annexed property. Development & environmental context The site consists of approximately 53.07 acres of clear cut, undeveloped land void of structures with a utility easement running through a portion of the eastern property. The site is accessed via Fletcher Drive, which is classified as a private road taking access from Zeuber Road to the north. The most western parcel shown on the survey that abuts Fletcher Drive is already incorporated. The land is protected by a levee system. C. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: Neighborhood Association contacts are notified of all items on the Planning Commission agenda via a single notice prior the Commission’s hearing. February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 3 D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: Engineering Division, Planning & Development Department: No comments received. Public Works Department: No comments received. F. BUILDING CODES/LANDSCAPE Building Code: No comment received. Landscape: No comment received. E. UTILITIES/FIRE DEPARTMENT/PARKS/COUNTY PLANNING: Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority: No comment received. Entergy: No comments received. Summit Utilities: No comments received. AT & T: No comments received. Central Arkansas Water: The initial cost to CAW for this annexation will be $0, all improvements are required to be installed by the developer. Fire Department: Based on estimated travel times and current first-due coverage from the City of Little Rock Fire Stations that would serve the annexation area, the Little Rock Fire Department (LRFD) anticipates no need for additional fire stations, apparatus, or staffing to serve this area at this time. Accordingly, no incremental personnel, equipment, or station infrastructure costs are anticipated as a direct result of this annexation under current conditions. This assessment is based on existing road access and current development assumptions. The LRFD requests re-evaluation if any of the following change or are proposed as part of the annexation or subsequent development approvals:  Significant increases in density, scope, or intensity of development (e.g., large multifamily, industrial, high-hazard, or major commercial projects)  Changes to primary access routes, traffic controls, gates, bridges, or other constraints that could impact response times February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 4  Water supply/fire flow needs that exceed existing system capability (hydrant spacing, flow testing, tank or main improvements)  Street/parcel configurations that limit apparatus access, turnaround, or staging Police Department: There would be no additional costs for personnel, equipment, or infrastructure needs to maintain response times and coverage for this area. At this time, no additional patrol units or a new substation be required to serve the expanded jurisdiction as we currently patrol in this area already. Parks and Recreation: Currently, Little Rock Parks and Recreation does not provide amenities in this immediate area. The nearest park is Remmel Park which is north of I-440 which is approximately 8-minute drive or 1hour walk. This park has limited amenities. County Planning: No comments received. G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING: Rock Region Metro: No comments received. Planning Division: Land Use Plan: The request is in the Port South Planning District, District 26. The development principles of the district include two goals: to allow for future expansion of industrial uses lying to the north and the protection of existing agricultural land. The Land Use Plan shows Industrial (I) for the requested area. The Industrial (I) category encompasses a wide variety of manufacturing, warehousing research and development, processing, and industry related office and service activities. Industrial development typically occurs on an individual basis rather than according to an overall development plan. The areas surrounding the site are designated for Industrial (I) use and are characterized by two large scale industrial developments to the north, west, and east (Amazon, South Port Industrial Park, and Central Freight Line) and open farmland, wetland and wetland bank parcels to the south. February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 5 There has been one (1) Land Use Plan amendment in the vicinity which changed the land use of the area in 2010 from Agricultural (A) to Industrial (I). Master Street Plan: The site is accessed via Fletcher Drive, which terminates at the site’s northeast corner. Fletcher Drive is classified as a private road taking access to the public right- of-way from Zeuber Road to the north. Zeuber Road is designated as a Minor Arterial on the Master Street Plan. The primary function of a Minor Arterial is to provide short distance travel within the urbanized area. Zeuber Road has been constructed to the ‘Industrial Street’ design standard with shoulders and open ditches. Standard right- of-way is 90 feet. Bicycle Plan: Zeuber Rd is a designated bike route on the Master Bike Plan as a Proposed Class III Bike Routes. Class III Bike Routes utilize sharrow pavements markings and directional signage to indicate facility use. Class III Bike Routes do not require additional right-of-way. Historic Preservation Plan: The application, as shown, should have no effect on identified historic resources. H. ANALYSIS: The area requesting annexation is contiguous with the City of Little Rock’s municipal boundary along its western and northern edges. The subject property lies within what was formerly the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), which was repealed in August 2025 following the enactment of Act 314 by the Arkansas Legislature. The site consists of approximately 53.07 acres of clear-cut, undeveloped land with no existing structures. A utility easement traverses a portion of the eastern property, and the land is protected by a levee system. Access to the site is provided via Fletcher Drive, a private road that connects to Zeuber Road to the north. The most western parcel abutting Fletcher Drive is already incorporated into the City. The Arkansas Geographic Information Systems Office (AGIO), in a letter dated October 2, 2025, confirmed that the annexation request meets all requirements outlined in Arkansas Code § 14-40-101. The petition qualifies as a 100% annexation under Arkansas Code § 14-40-609, with all property owners having signed the February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 6 petition. The Pulaski County Judge’s Order verifying the annexation was filed on January 20, 2026. The Order sets the exact boundaries of the annexation. Land Use & Zoning The subject area is designated as Industrial (I) by the Land Use Plan. Surrounding land uses include large-scale industrial developments to the north, west, and east (Amazon, South Port Industrial Park, and Central Freight Line) and open farmland and wetland parcels to the south. The area is not currently zoned. The applicant requests zoning of I-3, Heavy Industrial District, to be applied concurrently with annexation (Z-10265). The I-3 zoning district is designed to accommodate industrial uses which involve potentially objectionable uses and hazards, and which, therefore, cannot be reasonably expected to conform to a high level of performance standards, but which are essential to the economic viability of the city. The incorporated land north, northeast, and west are zoned I-3, Heavy Industrial, is designated for Industrial (I) use, and is characterized by three large scale industrial developments that have completed construction within the past four years. The lands to the south and east are unincorporated and not currently zoned. The proposed zoning designation request aligns with the development principles of the Port South Planning District (District 26), which emphasize industrial expansion and the protection of agricultural land. Infrastructure & Services As Fletcher Drive is a private road, there is no additional assumption of municipal responsibility for this roadway. No municipal solid waste services will be provided to the area as there are no residential structures on the land and development intends for non-residential uses. The nearest Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA) facility is a 30” sewer line approximately 950 feet from the subject area. No comments have been received by Little Rock Water Reclamation on the proposed annexation. The nearest Central Arkansas Water (CAW) facility is a 16” water line approximately 950 feet from the subject area in the southern right-of-way of Zeuber Road. As part of the development of any land within the annexation area, the developer will have to extend these services from the existing service lines to any new development in coordination with CAW and LRWRA. February 12, 2026 FILE NO. (Cont.): A-353 and Z-10265___________________________________________________ 7 The nearest fire station is Station 4 at 7500 Lindsey Road, approximately 1.73 miles from the closest annexation area utilizing the existing street system. The Fire Department anticipates no additional resources to serve the area. The current patrol district for the Little Rock Police Department adjacent to this area is approximately 10,592 acres. The annexation would increase the patrol district by 0.47 percent. The Little Rock Police Department currently patrols this area and has indicated that no additional resources are immediately necessary. The proposed annexation of the Faymonville property is consistent with the City’s long-range planning goals and represents a logical extension of the municipal boundary. The requested zoning designation of I-3, Heavy Industrial District, is compatible with surrounding development and aligns with the Port South Planning District objectives. Annexation will allow for the orderly provision of municipal services and infrastructure, and support continued industrial growth in the industrial park of the City. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The Staff recommends approval of annexation and incorporation of the land into the City of Little Rock and the concurrent designation of the zoning classification of the area to I-3, Heavy Industrial Zoning District. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (FEBRUARY 12, 2026) The applicant was present. There were no persons registered in opposition. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval. The item remained on the Consent Agenda for approval. The vote was eight (8) ayes, zero (0) nays, and three (3) absent. The motion passed. The application was approved.