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.
Clean legislative audit, 17 years running
Mayor Copenhaver announced the city earned another clean state legislative audit with zero findings — the 17th straight year — with a full presentation coming next meeting.
Invocation procedure for council meetings
The council adopted a written procedure letting council members lead or invite the opening invocation — prompted partly by ACLU inquiries and concerns about who might be invited to pray.
Crowley's Ridge Nature Center lease change
After a grease fire, the Game and Fish Commission wants the lease changed so the building is a regional office instead of a public-use facility. The grounds stay open to the public; any rebuilding of the Nature Center is a separate future question.
City recycling recognition
Jonesboro won the 2026 Government Recycler of the Year award, credited with tons of diverted glass, cardboard, and bulky waste that cut tipping fees.
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.
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.
Gibson conflict-of-interest question
Councilman Gibson asked whether his daughter's swim team membership creates a conflict; the city attorney said only financial benefit counts, so it does not.
May 2026 mosquito control report
The monthly Vector Mosquito Control report shows the city sprayed more this year and mosquito counts are down. Residents can email questions or concerns to the committee.
Craighead Forest stop sign request
Council Member LJ Bryant asked staff to consider a stop sign near the disc golf course and ball fields at Craighead Forest Park, noting he'd nearly missed a turning conflict there.
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.
New single-family home on a 50-foot lot at 1423 Angelus St
A landlord is replacing a rundown house with new construction on a lot 10 feet narrower than R-1 zoning normally allows. Staff noted rezoning would look like spot zoning, so a variance was the path.
Main Street lane divider appearance
Council Member Chris Moore asked Engineering to look at swapping plastic lane delineators at Main and Washington for concrete planters, which downtown residents find more attractive. Engineering will study alternatives.
Craighead Forest Park pond dredging
Council Member John Street pushed to keep alive a plan to dredge the youth and senior fishing pond behind Rotary — Game & Fish backed out of helping, but the mayor says talks continue. It's a popular kids' fishing spot.
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.
A-State easement for pedestrian and bicycle improvements
The city will accept a permanent right-of-way easement from Arkansas State to build and maintain walking and biking infrastructure — a step toward better connections for pedestrians and cyclists.
Police and traffic safety grant applications
The city will pursue three grants: a federal Byrne justice grant, a state traffic enforcement grant, and a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant.
Nonprofit leases on city property
United Way keeps its long-time space at 407 Union Avenue on a 10-year, $1-a-year lease. The North Jonesboro CDC lease for 911 Magnolia Road — shared with two other nonprofits — was tabled two weeks to sort out who schedules the shared space.
Huntington Avenue lighting pedestal utility request
A request for City Water and Light to provide free utility service to a lighting pedestal along Huntington Avenue — a small but visible lighting improvement in that area.
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.
Permit volume reporting
LJ Bryant wants the committee to see building permit volumes — commercial and residential — every six months again. Staff said a Matrix Group study covering three years of permitting data comes to council in early April.
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.
Triplex driveway setback at 3406 Meador Dr.
Commercial zoning normally requires driveways 20 feet from property lines, but the board allowed 5 feet for a new triplex, which also keeps the driveway entrances farther from the intersection.
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.
Free utility service for a traffic signal
The city wants City Water and Light to provide free utility service to power a traffic signal, keeping operating costs off the city's books.
Winter storm response and city facilities closure
The mayor thanked street, sanitation, police, fire and E-911 staff who worked through the ice and snow, and acknowledged resident frustration with delayed trash pickup after the MLK holiday.
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.
Coordination with Parks Advisory Board
Council members want the Public Services Committee chair to also serve on the Parks Advisory Board so parks projects get better coordination with the council committee. Gibson said he already met with Coach Davidson and sees ways to work jointly.