Council puts hold on brick district overlay zoning

A plea from a downtown property owner caused the Fulton City Council to reconsider a proposal to designate a Brick District Overlay Zoning Area in downtown Fulton that would prohibit buildings in that area from allowing residential use on the ground floor.

Greg Luebbert appeared before the council Tuesday night to express his concerns regarding the DREAM Brick District.

"I grew up in the family business ... three generations of my family have grown up downtown," Luebbert said of his family's property at 532 Court St.

Noting that his family made the choice to renovate their property rather than let the building decay like so many other empty buildings downtown, Luebbert said that after making that investment he is concerned about the future of the area.

He pointed out that Fulton's DREAM architect had recommended not only limiting residential space downtown as a way to encourage more business development, but also changing the district's one-way streets to two-way and developing a plan for financial incentives for downtown property owners.

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.