By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
The crowd was small and the objections even smaller at Thurs-day night’s public hearing on Jacksonville’s plan to use its condemnation and eminent-domain powers to take control of about 450 acres near the Hwy. 61 and I-440 interchange.
With no opposition publicly voiced, the city council quickly and unanimously passed a resolution declaring the city’s intent “to exercise eminent domain” on the acreage for “construction and development of economic improvements and creation of additional public facilities to stimulate and encourage the economic growth” of the city.
Jacksonville wants the state fair to relocate there, and is holding off a possible offer from a multi-billion-dollar corporation that would like to use part of the property as the centerpiece of its operations.
Jim Durham, the city’s director of administration, told the council that if that company located on the site, it would stimulate more than $700 million worth of economic growth for the city.
“That means an additional $14 million in taxes to the city every year,” he said.
Durham said the prospect is giving the city some time to see what the state fair plans to do, “but it won’t wait forever.”
But that’s why Durham said the purchase of the property was important to the city.
“No matter what, it’ll be a good investment,” he said.
The 450-acre site is controlled by about 10 owners. Almost half of the acreage belongs to Entergy, which has made it clear it is not interested in selling, giving or trading the land at this time.
The rest of the land is split among the other nine or so owners.
Local attorney Mike Wilson, who heads the development committee that is working out all the arrangements to obtain the site for the city, told the council and the small crowd at the public hearing that eminent domain begins the legal process.
“It allows the land to be put into the city’s hands, and then possibly later to the state fair board,” he explained.
Wilson said the site is in the top four of possible locations for the state fair, but the board won’t narrow it down any further at this point.
He said a feasibility study commissioned by the fair board was supposed to be completed in December but wasn’t and should be finished any day now. “But even that study may not give the fair a recommendation.”
But Wilson said it was clear to him that the Jacksonville site was the best place for the fair. However, if the fair decides on something else, Wilson said the acreage was still hot property.
“It’s the only undeveloped highway intersection in Pulaski County,” he said.
Wilson explained that AP&L, now Entergy, owns six 40-acre lots across the northern half of the rectangular acreage, “and in discussions with them, they have said it’s not for sale.
But that doesn’t mean theyare adversaries to our plan,” the attorney said, adding that the utility can’t play favorites.
Wilson said the eminent- domain process takes time and courts don’t always move fast, so it could be months or more before the city knows exactly how much the land would cost.
“It’s not important that we own it today, but we can’t let a competitor get it,” he said.
The only two concerns came from Rizelle Aaron and William Moses.
Aaron expressed concern about future taxes being needed to fund infrastructure and security for the area and was also concerned about the cost to the city for policing the fair.
Moses said his property abuts the area the city is condemning and wanted to know if his land would be next.
Durham said the city has been approved for a $1.5 million economic-development grant for acquisition and infrastructure for the acreage.
“It just hasn’t been released to us yet because the state doesn’t want to look like it’s helping us get the fair, but the money is ours,” he explained.
No one from the city mentioned anything about potential tax hikes, and members of the development committee said they weren’t looking to grab any more at this time other than the original 450 acreages.
Since 1945, the state fair has operated on 149 acres along Roosevelt Road in south-central Little Rock. Fifty-two acres are unusable because of train tracks that run through the property.
Mayor Gary Fletcher was not at the meeting because he was flying with civic leaders on a C-130.
In other council business:
Aldermen set a public hearing for 7 p.m. March 3 regarding its efforts to annex the corridor of businesses that are north of the city and fronts Hwy. 67/167. This annexation is voluntary as the city has the required 51 percent or more of the residents saying yes and those residents control 51 percent or more of the property in question.
In the monthly police department report, Police Chief Gary Sipes stated that the department responded to 3,679 complaint calls during January. Police arrested 274 adults and 25 juveniles.
During January there were no homicides, two sexual assaults, one robbery, 13 felony assaults, 14 burglaries, 77 thefts, five motor-vehicle thefts and no arsons.
Fire Chief John Vanderhoof, in his monthly report, said the fire department responded to 230 rescue calls, 75 still alarms, 23 general alarms and had 257 ambulance runs. Estimated fire loss was put at $12,200, while fire savings was estimated at $84,800.
In the monthly animal shelter report, Public Works Director Jim Oakley said the shelter took in 99 dogs and 21 cats during January. Shelter officials were able to return 32 dogs, but no cats, to their owners and adopted out 54 dogs and 15 cats. Nine cats and 22 dogs were euthanized.
There were three bites or attacks reported during January. A resident was playing with a stray cat when the cat’s tooth got caught on the top of his finger.
Another resident was bitten by a stray chow-mix puppy as he was trying to shoo it away, and a bloodhound bit a person who tried to use the dog’s yard as a shortcut. The dog was on a chain.
City Engineer Jay Whisker, in his monthly report, said the engineering department issued 12 building permits and 13 business licenses during January. The department also performed 124 inspections and sent out 31 property-maintenance letters.
The council agreed to the low bid of $86,000 from Buddy Taylor Electric to do the electrical work on the new street department building.
Aldermen approved rezoning 5002 S. Hwy. 161 and 100 Lake Shore Drive from R-6 (mobile homes) to R-1 (single-family homes.)
After spending more than a month reviewing changes to the city’s employee manual, aldermen approved the new version Thursday night.
