Fayetteville City Council Agenda Session - October 27, 2026

The Fayetteville City Council held its agenda session on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, to prepare for its upcoming meeting on Thursday, November 5, 2026 (rescheduled from November 3 due to Election Day). The session featured staff presentations and council discussion of consent calendar items, unfinished business, new business ordinances, and an economic development update. No final votes were taken; the council clarified details and set expectations for the next regular meeting.

Consent Calendar Discussion

• Budget Amendment – Donation Revenue ($42,170): A resolution to recognize donation revenue for the Parks and Recreation Department. Councilmember Sarah Moore asked about creating a similar housing donation fund; staff (Marley) noted the HEARTH permanent supportive housing program accepts donations but no general housing fund exists, and expressed interest in exploring the idea.

• Gymnasium Curtain – Yvonne Richardson Community Center: Resolution to purchase and install an electric curtain for $45,465.94 from Swift Recreation LLC. Josh from the center said the new curtain has a 15-year lifespan, replaces the original manual one, and improves space flexibility.

• West End Floodplain Storage Project: Resolution to contract with Forsgrin Inc. for $224,736 plus a $25,000 contingency. Chris (staff) explained it involves removing foundations and lowering the grade to add floodplain storage, with later landscaping. Councilmember Moore asked about depth and possible informal recreation use; Chris said it will be green space and will provide more details later. No grant funding; uses 2019 bond funds.

• Airport Leases:

  • A5: Five-year terminal lease with Ross Executive Aviation at $1,650/year.
  • A6: Supplemental agreement with FAA for $5,577/year.
  • A7: Five-year office lease with Bluegrass Aviation (40 sq ft) at $50/month for the first year.

• Wastewater Collection System Master Plan: Resolution to approve Amendment No. 2 with RJN Group for $453,770. Tim (Water & Sewer) said the project started in September 2025; this phase uses cloud-based computing to model dozens of alternatives for capital investment and future growth. Funded by Water & Sewer, Development Services ($77,000), and Economic Development ($150,000). Final report expected in 2–3 months. Councilmember Whitetaker called it a "game changer."

• Water Service Boundary Adjustment: Agreement to move a few customers from Fayetteville to Mount Olive Water Association, cleaning up boundaries and avoiding new infrastructure. Tim confirmed this resolves prior issues.

• Sewer Service Extension: Resolution to extend sewer to four homes near East Zion Road.

• Easement for Ozark's Electric Cooperative: Conveyance of a right-of-way easement near South Mally Wagnan Road for power line relocation.

• Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant: Resolution to accept a 2027 grant of $754,700 (transcript also lists "$54,000") and approve a budget amendment. Chief Reynolds was available for questions.

• Biosolids Handling Improvements – Noland Facility: Amendment with Garver LLC for $247,300 for engineering design, part of the bond program.

• Water Line Replacement Design: Agreement with McClelland Consulting Engineers for $592,000 to design about 6,000 linear feet of 36-inch water line replacement.

Unfinished Business

• Annexation ANX 25-2 (11.17 acres near West Weir Road): The ordinance is on third reading and was tabled to November 5 at the applicant's request to prepare a bill of assurance. No update this session.

• Planned Zoning District PZD 2025-6 (51.4 acres north of West Weir and Ruppel Road): Linked to the annexation; also tabled. Will proceed only if annexation is approved.

• South Fayetteville Historic District: Ordinance to create the district and add Section 33.231 to city code. The council remanded it to the Historic District Commission in September; it is now back on first reading. Staff (Kylie Cole) was present; the council expects a smooth passage.

• Appeal of LSD 2026-16 – South Stone Bridge Road: Appeal by Councilmembers Moore, Stafford, and Jones. The item was tabled to allow applicant-neighbor dialogue. No update from that meeting yet; a full presentation is expected on November 5. Councilmember Moore requested data on traffic flow percentages at the two proposed entrances; staff is gathering that information.

New Business

• Appeal of CUP 2026-41 – Drive-Thru on North College Avenue: Councilmembers Wheedaker, Berna, and Bunch appealed the denial of a conditional use permit for a drive-thru restaurant at 3365 N. College Ave. Mr. Wheedaker said the current location is one of the city's most dangerous intersections, and the move, coupled with planned road improvements, will improve safety. Staff recommended approval, noting that the applicant worked with planning staff to provide deeper stacking to prevent traffic back-ups. Councilmember Turk raised concerns about stacking problems citywide and asked about prohibiting a new drive-thru at the old location; Britton responded that the site's existing entitlement remains. The mayor jokingly suggested "drive-thru salads."

• Easement Vacation – 230 South Mill Avenue: Ordinance to vacate 0.09 acres of utility easement to enable more efficient utility routing.

• Rezonings – West Rutledge Lane (C3 and C4): Two ordinances to rezone properties (0.61 and 0.43 acres) from lower density to RSF-18. Staff recommends approval; neighbors have expressed concerns about traffic and density. Both items will have full presentations next week and will be voted separately.

• Rezoning – North Blessing Circle (C5): Ordinance to rezone 4.19 acres from RA to RI-12 near a retirement community. Opposition from neighbors regarding traffic and construction traffic. Planning commission recommended approval; staff recommends approval. Presentation next week.

• Regulation of High-Speed Electric Devices and Electric Motorcycles: Ordinance to restrict devices with motors greater than 750 watts and speeds over 28 mph to city streets, requiring compliance with traffic laws, a minimum operator age of 16, and helmets for those under 21. Standard pedal-assist e-bikes are not affected. Mayor and Councilmember Bunch sponsored the item. Chief Reynolds reported more than 100 calls and 35 accidents involving such devices over the past summer, including a 14-year-old hit by a car. Staff advocated for education, signage, and enforcement. Councilmember Jones requested improvements to bike parking infrastructure downtown.

Economic Development Q3 Update

Devin Howland, Director of Economic Development, presented the third-quarter report for 2026. Highlights include:

• Major year-to-date announcements: ConAgra ($223 million reinvestment), Drake Farms ($1 billion in private capital), OSM flight training hub, voter-approved $375 million bond program, Fayetteville businesses winning three of five Governor's Global Trade Awards.
• Q3 figures: 67 new business licenses, 162 new full-time jobs, approximately $65 million in commercial building permits, eight formal inquiries from site selection professionals.
• The combined team (city, Chamber Fayetteville, Startup Junkie) served 182 unique businesses; 62 were women-, minority-, or veteran-owned.
• The Fayetteville Business Starter Kit was expanded with four new guides (capital, government contracting, etc.), available in English and Spanish.
• Compliance assistance, Kiva micro-loans, and one-on-one consulting (63 sessions by Startup Junkie) continue to support local entrepreneurs.
• Councilmember Kit Williams complimented the report as "one of the best" she has heard in 25 years.

Key Outcomes

• No votes were taken during the session; all discussions were preparatory.
• The next regular council meeting is Thursday, November 5, 2026 (no meeting on November 3 due to Election Day).
• Tabling continued:
  • Annexation ANX 25-2 and related PZD remain tabled to November 5.
  • Appeal LSD 2026-16 tabling continues pending applicant meetings and staff traffic data.
• Expected actions on November 5:
  • Consent calendar resolutions (including the budget amendment, curtain, floodplain contract, airport leases, master plan amendment, grant acceptance, bond project contracts, easements, and sewer extension).
  • First reading of South Fayetteville Historic District.
  • Possible votes on CUP appeal, rezonings (C3, C4, C5), and electric device regulations (first readings).
  • Presentation and possible action on LSD 2026-16.
• Requests for additional information:
  • Exploration of a city housing donation fund.
  • Depth and recreation potential details for West End floodplain project.
  • Traffic flow percentages for South Stone Bridge Road development.
  • Citywide strategies to address drive-thru stacking.
  • Bike parking enhancements in high-traffic areas.