Holts Summit Board of Aldermen contemplate zoning issues

After a brief discussion over the Board of Aldermen's ongoing coversation about the comprehensive rezoning of Holts Summit, resident and subdivision developer Michael Beasley reminded all who attended Monday night's regular board meeting exactly how important it is that the city rezone properly, and that residents are made part of the process.

Though Beasley only requested that the board consider his question and comments as they discussed rezoning in the future, his story prompted immediate discussion.

"I'm tired of being the chief of police," Beasley said in relation to his role as an enforcer of subdivision restrictions.

Beasley said he's always had trouble getting residents to comply with restrictions because technically there's no way for him to enforce them on his own, and the latest incident he relayed involved a woman putting up a chain-link fence - even though they're prohibited.

Restrictions in specific subdivisions can involve what type of fence can be erected, the length of grass and even what type of shingle can be put on a home.

"How do we get these restrictions to be validated?" he said. "How do we make people comply?"

In response, Vic Burks of SKW, Inc. - who attended the meeting to make a small presentation about the city's rezoning - suggested the city somehow become invovled in the process by making it more than merely a civil matter.

"If, say, a trailer is blocking the sidewalk or right-of-way, someone can come in and request they move it," Burks said. "Because the problem is, if you don't have (the city) even if you go out and get a judgement, there isn't exactly a penalty for them."

City administrator Brian Crane concurred.

"We have city codes that we enforce," Crane said. "If someone called us to ask about a certain material in a subdivision, we may not have the information specifically, but we can tell a person where they are. With nothing on the books, for us it's a civil issue."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.