Jonesboro · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Jonesboro public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Neighbor nuisance concerns at 5435 East Nettleton Avenue
A cafe owner next to a lot with broken-down vehicles, a burn barrel, and frequent police calls wants a 6-foot privacy fence extending past the normal front-building line. The board approved it with conditions to keep sight lines clear near the road.
Rezoning near Math & Science Elementary School
A proposal to make 1.4 acres next to the Math & Science Elementary School general commercial split the neighborhood and the commission. Residents worry about school-day traffic, alcohol sales near kids, and unknown future businesses; commissioners want a recorded easement guaranteeing school driveway access before they'll support anything.
Comprehensive growth plan preview
The city is holding a four-day design week March 30–April 4 at the YMCA building where residents can shape the comprehensive growth plan and Master Street plan.
Whiteman Street Creek to Briar Lane road connection
A rezone at 3030 Whiteman Creek Drive would let a self-storage facility build a road connecting to Briar Lane. Longtime residents Tony Green and Robin Jordan oppose it, fearing traffic on their quiet dead-end street.
Heartland Self Storage rezoning and Briar Lane road connection
A rezone at 3030 Whiteman Creek Drive would let a self-storage facility build a road connecting to Briar Lane. Longtime residents Tony Green and Robin Jordan oppose it, fearing traffic on their quiet dead-end street.
Senior living facility proposed at 300 East Pine Street
A developer wants to build a 55-and-older senior living community on 12.3 acres now zoned single-family. Part of the site sits in a floodplain, which limits density, and the applicant noted a similar RM-12 rezoning nearby cleared the council unanimously last year despite nothing being built yet. Aging residents in Jonesboro could gain more senior housing options if it moves forward.
Gravel and fenced storage area at 5801 Kreuger Dr (VR-26-10)
Black Equipment wants a gravel, fenced storage yard for heavy equipment on Kreuger Drive instead of the code's required asphalt and curbing. The board granted the variance, treating it like similar industrial approvals.
Comprehensive growth plan and master street plan update
The city is updating its land use and street plans with a consultant. Public hearing February 12 at Earl Bell; commissioners are being asked to fill out surveys.
Duplex design variance (VR-26-24)
Walter Jackson wants to build a duplex without doors facing the street and with parking in the rear — which requires a variance from the zoning rules. The hearing didn't happen because the board lacked a quorum.
BZA appeal process and zoning ordinance updates
A resident argued the Board of Zoning Adjustments picks winners and losers, that outdated city ordinances create unnecessary variance requests, and that BZA appeals going straight to court — while MAPC denials go to council — is inconsistent and unfair. She also pressed for a decision on Tractor Supply at the old Fred's store on Caraway.
Southern Ridge Boulevard rezonings
The new grocery store can have its own entrance instead of sharing a driveway with the vacant lot next door, sparing that neighbor from constant 18-wheeler traffic.
Private club permit for Blazing Buffalo Sports Grill
A resident opposed a private club permit for a grill at 3310 Southwest Drive, saying the area hasn't expanded into alcohol and it's a gateway U.S. highway into town. The ordinance was held at second reading, so a final vote is still ahead.
Council member legislation sponsorship rules
Council members have long been unclear on how one of them alone can get an ordinance or resolution before the council. The new rule spells out the process and adds a five-business-day deadline for committee assignment.
Six-foot front fence variance (VR-26-25)
Moss Fencing is asking to build a 6-foot fence along the front northwest property line at 5435 E. Nettleton, with the pickets facing inward. Neighbors will have a chance to weigh in once the hearing is actually held.
Rezoning 2038 North Church Street for limited multifamily
New duplexes on Labaume Street show redevelopment continuing in the older north-side grid, where 45-to-50-foot lots were designed for shotgun houses. The board granted setback relief to let a modern duplex fit the historic lot widths.
Southern Hills Block E commercial conversion
About 7.5 acres in Southern Hills will shift from high-density multifamily to commercial, part of a trend that has cut the planned apartment acreage roughly in half. A commissioner flagged concern that remaining multifamily strips could become undevelopable 'no man's land,' but the developer committed this is the last acreage to be rezoned.
Nepotism policy for mayor and council relatives
David McClain publicly pressed the mayor on whether department heads have been accused of taking money and what legislative audit found, saying residents expect transparency and trust needs restoring.
East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging replat
The old Malco site along Highland Drive is being split into two commercial lots now, with a full replat of Lot 4 waiting on water and sewer installation that City Water Light line personnel won't sign off on yet. The site was rezoned to C-3.
Cross-access ordinance and private drive liability
The city's cross-access ordinance aims to keep traffic off Caraway by linking parking lots, but this case exposed a problem: the private drive behind Gina's carries heavy post office and cut-through traffic with no maintenance or insurance agreements, and neighboring owners have posted 'no through traffic' signs. Board members also heard complaints that the ordinance has been applied inconsistently to recent developments.
Commercial rezoning next to Southern Oaks subdivision
About 17 lots at 1400 Southern Ridge Blvd could shift from residential to limited commercial zoning, with a list of allowed uses but no confirmed tenant. Neighbors worry about light bleed onto homes, cut-through traffic on Jackson Drive, screening, and property values. The city council makes the final call.
Plan Jonesboro Comprehensive Planning Process
The Plan Jonesboro kickoff drew 120+ people; officials urged residents to show up at upcoming meetings and surveys, noting zero attendance at a recent CDBG input meeting. Future meetings will be held in houses of worship.
Zoning changes: 2911 Browns Lane and 1004 N. Caraway Road
A 17-acre planned development would house a 12,000-square-foot farmhouse program for children with autism, run weekdays only, with donkeys, sheep, chickens and gardens. The mixed commercial/agricultural use is why a PD rezoning is needed.
Commercial rezoning of former Lexington Place nursing home
The old Lexington Place nursing home on Brown's Lane is the last residential parcel in its area, and the owner wants it rezoned to general commercial. It passed all six rezoning criteria and nobody spoke against it.
Setback compliance for legacy commercial building at 822 N Church St
An older commercial building sits closer to lot lines than today's rules allow. A variance keeps it legal so it can be sold or converted to office use without title problems, and if it's ever destroyed it would have to be rebuilt to current setbacks.
Apartment-density rezoning at 2038 N. Caraway St
NK & Sons wants to switch a C-3 commercial parcel to RM-16 multifamily, but density concerns raised before the meeting led to a tabling while the applicant considers a compromise.
1973 unfinished cul-de-sac setback problem on Hubble Cove
A house on Hubble Cove sits about a foot and a half from a cul-de-sac right-of-way that was platted in 1973 but never built. The variance clears title so the owners can sell to a buyer who wants to live there; staff suggested the owner pursue abandoning the unused right-of-way.
Rezoning 6904 E. Highland Drive to commercial
A residential parcel at 6904 E. Highland Drive is now zoned C-3 commercial, opening the East Highland corridor to new business development.
Monroe Ave parking depth variance (VR-26-09)
The City of Jonesboro itself is asking the zoning board for relief from a 24-foot minimum depth rule for main spaces facing Monroe Ave, tied to a building with gallery space. This could affect how a public-facing development downtown is laid out.
Single-family rezoning on Granger Drive
A 0.44-acre multifamily-zoned tract would become single-family residential, with plans for two homes. It moves to city council with a favorable recommendation.
Commercial rezoning on East Johnson Avenue
A parcel zoned industrial is being switched to commercial with a limited use overlay, opening the door for retail or service development near Johnson Avenue. Certain uses like adult entertainment, homeless shelters and marijuana dispensaries are banned by the overlay.
Rezoning of 2005 East Highland Drive from C-2 to C-3
A commercial property on East Highland wants to jump from C-2 to C-3 zoning to match its neighbors. The commission said yes, and it now goes to the city council — the final say.
Redevelopment of former trailer park tract on Mount Carmel Road
A buyer wants to replace a former trailer park with a single-family house, but the tract has no road frontage. A neighbor agreed to sell a 40-foot strip so the lot can meet R-1 zoning requirements once the variance is granted.
Uncertain status of Damron Drive public right-of-way
A property owner needs a building permit on Damron Drive, but the city can't confirm the road was ever formally dedicated as public right-of-way — it was just paved with MATA funding back in the late 1990s. The board granted the variance anyway, treating it as a prescriptive right-of-way.
Rezoning 900 N. Caraway Road to RS-6
Klaus Property Management's request to rezone 900 N. Caraway Road from R-1 to RS-6 advanced at second reading; no discussion or opposition was voiced.
Rezoning 1306 Charles Drive to RS-7
Weston Wagner's request to rezone 1306 Charles Dr. from R-1 to RS-7 passed on third reading unanimously, allowing higher-density residential use at the site.
8-foot fence around construction storage at 628 Burke Ave.
A contractor renovating property near Burke Avenue can build an 8-foot chain-link fence with black windscreen to hide construction trailers — higher than the city's usual 6-foot cap. One member dissented on the hardship standard.
Cross-access waiver for Hill Park Avenue commercial project
New commercial parking lots normally must connect to neighboring lots so cars don't have to return to the street. The board waived that for a beauty-salon building between the Goddard School and a dental office, citing very low traffic on the street.
Fence height variance on steep lot at 703 Tall Oaks Dr
A homeowner wants a taller fence because his yard drops 5 feet toward a neighbor's driveway. The board balanced privacy needs against the 6-foot ordinance limit and capped it at 8 feet at the back corner, following the ground's contour.
Commercial rezone near I-5555 raises neighbor concerns
A residential lot at 2620 Alexander Dr. could become general commercial. A nearby resident worried about what business might move in; commissioners required a 25-foot wooded buffer and sent it to city council.
Cort Bella rezoning notice concerns
A resident challenged whether neighbors near the Cort Bella rezone were properly notified by certified mail, prompting the council to hold the ordinance at second reading until receipts are documented.
Removal of registration requirement for stored vehicles
The council relaxed the rule requiring registration of boats, trailers and RVs parked on residential lots, matching state law. Supporters call it cutting red tape; critics worry about dilapidated trailers and accountability.