City Council to discuss SouthPass zoning, annexation tonight
Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Members of the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Monday night discussed the SouthPass development on the eve of the Fayetteville City Council's first hearing on the project's planned zoning district and annexation application.
If approved, SouthPass will bring about 4,000 homes, related businesses and a 200-acre park on about 900 acres into the city over the next 25 years near Interstate 540 and Cato Springs Road. It is also to include 248 more acres of trails and conservation areas.
Connie Edmonston, parks and recreation director, outlined the history of the proposed project and how it fits in to the comprehensive Parks and Recreation 10 Year Master Plan the advisory board adopted in April 2001.
She explained how consultants Lose and Associates earlier in this decade conducted citizen interviews, public meetings, a citizen steering committee retreat and a citizen survey that resulted in priorities that include the building of a multisport complex, or regional community park. The idea includes development of soccer and baseball fields, walking trails, play areas and similar park facilities by the city. The SouthPass park would satisfy this goal.
According to a contract approved by the City Council in 2004, SouthPass developers will give 200 acres to the city for the regional park if the city annexes the land for SouthPass and approves the development pursuant to normal development requirements.
Park planner Allison Jumper said the city is saving about $13 million on the project by partnering with SouthPass developers. She said it would cost about $39 million for the city to do the project alone -- which would include buying the 200 acres and infrastructure work.
Partnering with the developers "allows us to get a bigger bang for our buck,"she said.
SouthPass is the largest mixed-use development project yet considered in Fayetteville.
"It is a one-stop shop,"Jumper said of the concept.
The city's Planning Commission voted 7-1 Sept. 8 to forward the project to the City Council with recommendation for approval.
"This will probably be one of the premier parks in the country,"said Todd Jacobs, project manager with Appian Centre for Design Inc., an architectural and engineering firm working on the project.
He said that is his take on the project after traveling the country as a landscape architect and planner; he said the project will be looked at by other communities nationwide to see how there can be a regional park and development in the same location.
Jacobs encouraged community members to support the project by mailing in postcards that are being distributed. He also said SouthPass has created a Web site for people to go to and learn more about the project. It is http://www.southpassdevelopment.com/.
Since the plan for the regional park came from Fayetteville citizens, he said, they should show their support.
Other City Council hearings on the project are set for Oct. 21, Nov. 2 and Nov. 14.
"As we move forward, we hope everybody comes out to the City Council meetings,"he said.
In another matter, the advisory board took note of the resignation of recreation superintendent David Wright, who is leaving his post to take a position as parks and recreation director for the city of Bentonville.
He has been with Fayetteville for about 10 years.
Wade Colwell, chairman of the advisory board, praised Wright's work in the recreation program of the city.
"He's been fantastic,"Colwell said.
"Your energy is incredible,"he told Wright.
Wright said it was a difficult decision to make and the biggest reason was the staff he works with in Fayetteville.
"It's a wonderful department filled with extremely talented people,"he said.
Edmonston said," I'm just very proud we kept him for 10
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