ORD NO 15-2025 CITY OF VAN BUREN,ARKANSAS
ORDINANCE NO. 15--2025
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR THE CITY OF VAN BUREN,
ARKANSAS AN ORDINANCE TO BE ENTITLED:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 9.44 OF THE VAN BUREN
MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING THE REQUIREMENTS TO INSTALL
SIDEWALKS WHEN REMODELING STRUCTURES
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 10-2015 as amended is codified as Chapter 9.44 Sidewalk
Construction in the Van Buren Municipal Code, and
WHEREAS., Paragraph 9.44.02 Remodeling Structures of the Van Buren Municipal Code
requires sidewalks to be installed when remodeling existing residential,
commercial, and industrial structures meets or exceeds fifty (50) percent of the
Crawford County Assessor's assessed value of the structure,-. and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed this requirement and determined that
Paragraph 9.44.02 is too restrictive and needs to be amended; and
WHEREAS, notice of a Public Hearing was duly published and a Public Hearing was conducted
by the Van Buren Planning Commission to consider this amendment on October 7,
2025.: and
WHEREAS., the proposed amendment was recommended. by a majority vote of the entire
Planning Commission
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE
CITY OF VAN BUREN,ARKANSAS,THAT:
SECTION 1: Paragraph 9.44.02 Remodeling Structures of the Vail Buren Municipal Code is
hereby amended as follows:
Sidewalks shall be installed when remodeling existing residential,commercial,and
industrial structures meets or exceeds fifty (50) percent of the Crawford County
Assessor's Total Estimated Market Value of the land and structure.
SECTION 2: The provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared to be severable and if any
section, phrase, provision, or application shall be declared or held invalid, such
invalidity shall not affect the remainder of the sections, phrases, provisions, or
applications.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the City of Van Buren,Arkansas, by its City Council, did
pass, approve, and adopt, by a vote of for and 6 against the foregoing Ordinance at its
regular meeting held on the 27"'day of October 2025.
���G�erk Tre�s4
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City of Van Buren Jos h P urst
Mayor
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ATTESTED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Shawnna Reyn ds Jacob Howell
City Clerk/Treasurer City Attorney
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1003 Broadway Van Buren, Arkansas 72956
VAN BUREN CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM
TO: MAYOR JOE HURST AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: WALLY BAILEY, PLANNING DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: SIDEWALK ORDINANCE AMENDMENT(REMODELING STRUCTURES)
DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2025
At the April Planning Commission meeting, the Commission reviewed a variance request related
to the requirement to install sidewalks at a remodeled structure at 4311 Kibler Rd. During the
discussion we identified an issue with the language in section 9.44.01 of the Municipal Code.
The Code requires sidewalks to be installed when the work on the building exceeds fifty (50)
percent of the Crawford. County Assessor's"assessed value" of the structure. The assessed value
is 20%of the Market Value which in many situations is not reasonable when calculating a
potential exception. We discussed changing this language to say the Crawford County Assessor's
"Estimated Market Value" instead of the "assessed value."
Also,the current code states the Assessor's Value is based on the structure only. The proposed
amendment includes the Assessor's estimated value of the land and structure.
The proposed language to be deleted (strikethrough) and added (underlined)to Section 9.44.01 is
as follows:
Sidewalks shall be installed when remodeling of existing residential, commercial and
industrial structures meet or exceed fifty (50) percent of the Crawford County Assessor's
assessed value of the stfti.+.. o. total estimated market value of the land and structure.
An example of how this amendment compares to the current code requirement:
Assessor's Values Sidewalk Required if
Remodel is more than
Market Value (Proposed) $323,000.00 $161.500.00
Assessed Value Current $54,400.00 $27,200.00
The Planning Commission reviewed this proposed amendment at their September 2"d regular
meeting and held a public hearing at their October 7"' regular meeting. A majority of the entire
Planning Commission voted to recommend this amendment to the City Council for approval.
Please let me know if you have any questions or require further information.