Fort Smith · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Fort Smith public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Comprehensive plan update and Future Fort Smith
The committee is digging into the top 10 goals for Fort Smith's Comprehensive Plan and how the revision process will unfold. This document guides how the city grows — zoning, infrastructure, parks and more — so the goals picked here ripple into everything.
Driveway paving limits on small cul-de-sac lots in PZD subdivisions
The city caps concrete in residential front yards at 40%, but this homeowner wants 50% so fire trucks can turn around on his property. It's a trade-off between neighborhood green space/appearance rules and emergency response practicality.
Sunday sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption
The board confirmed it cannot refer Sunday off-premises alcohol sales to the ballot itself — only a citizen petition with 3,120 signatures can do it. Residents are already organizing to gather signatures.
Rezoning requests for North 32nd Street, Vicksburg Street, Kelley Highway, and Massard Road
Four zoning changes were lined up, two converting industrial land to apartment zoning and one turning a multifamily parcel on Massard Road into neighborhood commercial — shaping what gets built where in these corridors.
Vacation of North N Street and alley in Urbandale Addition
The city was set to give up unused street and alley rights-of-way near North 31st and 32nd Streets so neighboring owners can use the land. Utilities keep an easement in the alley, and nearby owners got notice with no objections reported.
Boy Scouts property reverter clause at 1401 Old Greenwood Road
The city gave the Scouts land in 1962 that reverts to the city if it stops being used for scouting. The Scouts now want that clause gone so the property can be leased or sold, and the board weighed whether to keep a claim on the land or trade it for a first right of refusal and reimbursement.
Childcare family homes code update (Act 60)
The city was set to update its zoning code so licensed home-based childcare providers can operate as an accessory residential use, matching new state law. Pick-ups and drop-offs would have to happen on the driveway, not the street.
Harvest Time Tabernacle campus expansion
The church won approval for 97 more parking spaces, a new Grinnell Avenue driveway, and expanded directional signage. Neighbors at a meeting raised traffic and screening concerns but didn't object to the signs.
Mahogany Avenue Zoning
Currently unzoned land at 7208 Mahogany Avenue would be zoned Transitional (T), a buffer district between uses.
Heather Ridge Street Rezone
A plan map amendment and rezone to a planned zoning district at 5300 Heather Ridge Street — this shapes what can be built there.
Rogers Avenue/South 74th Street mixed-use rezoning
An 8.2-acre site near Mercy Hospital was up for rezoning to allow retail, service, entertainment, and a taller hotel. The Planning Commission recommended it 9-0, but the board's action is unknown.
Adoption of the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code
The city was set to update its property maintenance code from the 2018 to the 2021 edition, aligning with the Building and Safety Department and new code-officer certification requirements. It sets minimum standards for housing upkeep, heating, and safety features.
Crane Hyundai rooftop equipment visibility
The new Hyundai dealership's rooftop units are visible from the street despite promises they'd be hidden. The BZA refused to let the dealership just paint them, denying the variance 1-7-1.
North Greenwood/May Avenue auto business PZD
About an acre of mostly commercial land — including a demolished house lot — becomes a planned zoning district splitting neighborhood-friendly retail fronting Greenwood from auto repair uses fronting May Avenue, with screening and landscaping conditions to protect nearby homes.
Rezoning at 1401 Old Greenwood Road for Boy Scouts office use
The 0.70-acre parcel housing the Boy Scouts' office would be rezoned from duplex residential to Transitional to legalize the existing office use. The Planning Commission unanimously backed it and no neighbors raised concerns.