Decatur to expand its planning area

— Faced with the possibility of new development, Decatur’s planning and zoning commission made plans to expand the town’s planning area and become more active as a committee.

The commission voted on Thursday to start the process of expanding the portion of Decatur’s planning area outside the city limits.

The commission’s recommendation will go before the city council at its next meeting. If the recommendation is passed, the council will, in turn, request the county planning commission to expand the planning area.

Decatur can request to expand its planning area out to five miles from the city limits, Mayor Charles Linam said.

The expanded planning area would extend north to Gravette’s planning area, east to the edge of Highfill’s planning area and four miles to the west. The south boundary would stay where it is, adjacent to Gentry’s planning boundary.

The difference for residents in the planning area would be that they would come to the city for building permits instead of going to the county, Linam explained.

The city would be responsible for issuing the permits and inspecting the new buildings. The city currently contracts with county inspectors for inspections and the arrangement is working out very well, Linam said.

Two Little Rock investors, Kris Shewmake and Mike Trusty, have bought Crystal Lake airport and the surrounding land from the Peterson family. The land falls inside the city limits and the two investors plan to develop it into an aviation community. The land will have to be rezoned and platted for a subdivision.

Linam said he would like the planning and zoning commission to review the city’s large scale development ordinance and be certain of rights and responsibilities before the developers bring a proposal to the commission.

L&L Farms - formerly Peterson Farms - sold 3,200 acres of land at auction last September. Additional land has been sold privately. Much of the property falls in the city’s current and expanded planning areas.

“With all the Peterson land that has sold, the possibility of development on this land is great,” Linam said. “We know this (Crystal Lake Estates) is happening. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see more.”

The committee of three community members and one city council member has not met regularly over the past several years, only calling meetings when the need arises.

Linam said state law requires the committee to meet once a quarter and said he plans for the committee to become more active.

Committee members are appointed by the mayor. All five committee positions will be up for appointment in May, and Linam said he plans to re-appoint all of the current members and search for someone willing to fill the vacant position.

The commission will then need to elect a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary from among its members, he said.

News, Pages 1 on 02/27/2013