PC Minutes 09-03-2024City of Van Buren, Arkansas
Planning Department
1003 Broadway . Van Buren, Arkansas 72956
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
September 039 2024
1. Call To Order/Roll Call. The Van Buren Planning Commission held its monthly meeting
on Tuesday, September 03, 2024, at 5:30 P.M. The meeting was held at the Van Buren Municipal
Complex in the City Council Chambers. The following Commissioners were present: Chairman
Mark Evans, Vice -Chairman Philip Bagby, Jared Clark, Missy Hefner, Jason Myers, Jay White,
and Nathan Wilson. Commissioners Mason Shirey and Tiffany Webster were absent. City Staff
present were Planning Director Wally Bailey, City Inspector David Martin, and Commission
Secretary Jennifer Willoughby,
2. Approval Of Minutes From August 06, 2024. A motion to approve was made by
Commissioner Jay White and seconded by Commissioner Jason Myers. The motion was approved
unanimously.
3. Rezone #3-2024-701 & 703 Fayetteville Road-617FR, LLC/Hawlrins-Weir
Engineering; Requesting Rezone From R-2 Family Residential District To C-2 Throughfare
Commercial District. A motion to approve recommendation to City Council was made by Vice -
Chairman Bagby and seconded by Commissioner Myers. The motion was approved unanimously.
Kyle Sawyer of Hawkins -Weir Engineering was present at the meeting to represent 617FR, LLC.
The existing property is zoned R-2 but has been used for commercial purposes for many years.
These properties are existing nonconforming uses per the zoning ordinance. The proposed
redevelopment of the property will include the demolition of the existing houses and allow for the
construction of a new dental clinic. The zoning will match the zoning of properties on both sides
of Fayetteville Road.
4. Revision To The Current Building Permit Fee Schedule. A motion to approve
recommendation to City Council with the sidewalk assessment fee modification was made by
Commissioner Myers and seconded by Vice -Chairman Bagby. The motion was approved
unanimously.
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After continued discussions between staff and the commission, it is believed that the best course
for amending the Van Buren building permit fee schedule is to use a hybrid methodology similar
to what both Fort Smith and Alma have implemented. That methodology would mean using 3%
of the cost of construction for Commercial Building Permit fees and 2% of the cost of construction
for Residential Building Permit fees. The proposed fee calculation will be on the conditioned space
(heated and cooled). The miscellaneous permit fees and sign permit fees will also be revised
according to previous discussions. The proposed fee schedule will be amended in the sign
ordinance as well as the building code ordinance. Also, the commission decided to modify how
the sidewalk assessment fee will be determined. The new method will allocate 15% of the building
permit fee to the sidewalk assessment fund.
5. Revision Of The Mobile Food Truck Vending Ordinance. The Planning Department
has received many questions related to the mobile food trucks. Some of the issues include: the
zoning districts where food trucks are allowed, setback requirements, the 120-day time restriction,
the lack of provision that will allow a food truck court outside of Downtown. Some solutions
mentioned include: adding mobile vending to Industrial Districts, adding the ability to revoke
mobile vending licenses, and allowing an annual permit that would include possibility to add
multiple locations to permit. Food truck courts need to have standards and need to be added to the
zoning ordinance to allow for application of Conditional Use Permit. After last month's discussion
on the above -mentioned issues, Mr. Bailey put together a draft mobile food truck vending
ordinance and presented it to the commission for review. He also distributed the draft ordinance
to the A&P Commission, City Attorney, Fire Chief, Police Chief, Mayor, City Clerk, and the
School District for their review. The goal is to obtain all comments & present a final draft for next
month's agenda.
6. Old/New Business.
7.
Adjourn. A motion to
adjourn was
made by Commissioner Jason Myers and seconded by
Vice -Chairman
Philip Bagby.
The motion
was approved unanimously.
Mark Evans, Chairman
ally Bailey, Planning Director