Board takes step toward Majestic demolition

The Hot Springs Board of Directors approved a resolution Tuesday night to develop a request for proposals for the abatement and demolition of the remaining Majestic Hotel buildings, and indicated it plans to review its water connection policy.

District 5 Director Rick Ramick said he doesn't want to see the momentum in cleaning up the Majestic Hotel property come to a halt and made the motion to approve the resolution. City Attorney Brian Albright said any proposals generated by the RFP would come before the board for its consideration.

Assistant City Manager Lance Spicer told the board he had not received any negative comments regarding the proposal to demolish the Majestic Hotel "red brick" building and Lanai Towers and Suites.

The city purchased the property in August 2015 and hired a contractor earlier this year to clean up the debris of the "yellow brick" building, which burned in February 2014. That cleanup is nearing completion.

The Hot Springs fire marshal's office conducted a fire code compliance review of the remaining structures in June 2015, which found more than 382 violations of various city ordinances and the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. A subsequent inspection last month determined that the remaining buildings remain unsafe and, if the conditions are left uncorrected, the buildings will continue to decline.

In other business, the board also heard an appeal by Wilson's Home Improvement Co. for a water connection on East Grand Avenue just outside the city limits, but within the city's planning jurisdiction. District 4 Director Larry Williams said he saw "no reason why we shouldn't go ahead and grant the appeal" and made a motion to do that, which received a second.

During discussion, however, District 6 Director Randy Fale asked at what point the board should review its current policy regarding utility connections, and stated he thinks it calls for consideration.

"We have put staff in a bind. We have a policy that we don't honor and we don't back our staff and I think we should," he said.

Mayor Ruth Carney said that maybe the board should consider changing the policy. Albright pointed out that the policy calls for the staff to make a decision if the request involves fewer than 20 residences, and the board to consider anything more than that.

"The goal is to protect the customers we have until we get more water," Fale said.

"I don't think we've been overwhelmed with appeals, and we've only had three appeals in the last 14 months and they have been for small businesses. I think we would be inconsistent if we denied this because we have already approved two other similar businesses," Williams said.

Fale then moved to table the request for a month to allow the board time to consider its connection policy. The motion passed on a 5-2 vote, with Carney and Williams voting no.

Another request to extend water and wastewater lines to the second phase of a project outside the city limits, and the planning area, on Amity Road for a 48-unit residential complex by The Ridges at Lake Hamilton was denied by the board on a 5-1-1 vote, with Williams abstaining and the mayor voting not to deny the request.

City Engineer Gary Carnahan said the board had initially approved the project in 2003 and the first phase of the project was built, but the second phase was not built.

"No other work has been done since then and this is more than the 20-unit mark that staff has the authority to act on, and that's why it is coming to the board," Carnahan said.

The developer pointed out that they have other projects within the city limits that had been approved, and they had contributed several million dollars to the economy of Hot Springs, along with providing affordable housing.

Williams made a motion to approve the request, which died for lack of a second, and Fale made a motion to deny it, which was seconded.

"This is an economic development that a few people are saying 'no, you can't develop our city any more,'" Carney said. "I don't understand the logic and reasoning in saying no just because we have the power. I don't think there is a lot of thought going into this. I think to tell a company that is doing what they are doing for our community 'no' is wrong."

Carney then said the motion Fale made was "to deny the economic development this would provide," to which Fale said, "That is not the motion, and I would respectfully disagree and ask you to quit editorializing on my motion."

The board also approved the following items:

Consent agenda

• A resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement between Air Methods Corp. and the city for Hangar A-1 at Hot Springs Memorial Field.

• A resolution awarding a contract to Grimes Consulting Engineers for engineering services for Hot Springs Memorial Field.

• A resolution authorizing the filing and acceptance of a grant with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to retain a consultant to prepare and submit required filing documents for a National Register of Historic District Boundary Amendment to the Pleasant Street Historic District.

• A resolution appointing Kristy Chamness and Carol Jean Hanley to the Animal Services Advisory Committee.

• A resolution appointing Erma Steelsmith, Shun Ying Chen, Nan Cameron, Kenneth Dale Blackwelder and Sarah Williams Stringer to the Arts Advisory Committee.

• A resolution appointing Eloise Adams, Wayne Thomason and Stephen Ezelle to the Planning Commission.

New business

• A resolution authorizing the purchase of vehicles.

• An ordinance vacating certain street rights of way located along Garnet Street, after holding a public hearing.

• An ordinance waiving the requirements of competitive bidding for the procurement of certain sole-source wastewater system equipment.

Local on 03/04/2016

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