OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fort Smith Planning Commission Meeting - March 10, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, March 10, 2026
BodyFort Smith, Arkansas
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, March 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:47

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Hearing, I'll ask everybody to please stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:14

Under God.

0:19

All right, I'll ask uh Secretary for the roll call, please.

0:24

Brett Taylor.

0:26

Present.

0:26

Vicky Newton.

0:28

Zach Ledford.

0:29

Rod Coleman.

0:30

Kelly Wilson here.

0:31

Griffin Hannah.

0:33

David Tyler.

0:35

Matt Marshall.

0:37

Sean McCaffrey.

0:38

Here.

0:38

We have nine commissioners present.

0:40

All right.

0:41

I'll uh ask if the commissioners have opportunity to review the February 10, 2026 minutes, and if so, I ask for a motion to approve.

0:51

All in favor?

0:52

Any opposed?

0:54

All right.

0:55

I'll ask staff comments and procedures for tonight's meeting.

0:59

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the March 10th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting.

1:04

The Planning Commission is comprised of a group of volunteers appointed by the mayor who offer diverse expertise and perspectives guiding the development and growth of Fort Smith.

1:14

This evening, the Planning Commission will be reviewing the following items Platts, temporary use permits, and conditional use requests.

1:21

The Planning Commission's actions this evening on the Platts, temporary use permits, and conditional use requests will require a majority vote of those members present and voting and will be final unless an interested party appeals the decision of the planning commission to the City Board of Directors.

1:36

Appeals will be presented to the City Board of Directors for their review at a future study session, which is located here at the Blue Lion at 101 North Second Street.

1:44

The Board of Zoning Adjustment, which consists of members from the Planning Commission will also be reviewing variance requests this evening.

1:51

The action of the Board of Zoning Adjustment will be final unless appealed to a court of jurisdiction.

1:58

All right, uh thank you, Maggie.

1:59

Uh the first item on tonight's agenda is the uh consent agenda, some preliminary and final plates.

2:07

Um I'd ask for a motion for those to be approved unless there's any comments or questions from anybody out in the audience or the commissioners.

2:18

Motion to approve of the addition of staff comments if applicable.

2:22

Seven.

2:23

All right.

2:23

I'll ask for a roll call of vote on all the four items on the consent agenda.

2:30

Sean McCaffrey.

2:32

Four.

2:32

Brett Taylor?

2:33

Four.

2:33

Kelly Wilson, four.

2:34

Rod Coleman?

2:37

Matt Marshall, Vicky Newton.

2:40

Griffin Hannah?

2:41

Zach Ledford?

2:43

David Tyler.

2:44

Eight in favor, one abstention.

2:46

Commissioner Coleman.

2:48

All right, we'll move uh then forward to the item uh number two, the temporary use permit uh for Southside High School.

2:56

I staff to present.

2:59

Thank you, Chairman.

3:01

Temporary use permit 1326 is a request by MAHG Architecture, agent for Fort Smith Public Schools, Southside High School for a temporary use permit approval for two portable temporary classrooms in an REI zone at 4100 Gary Street.

3:21

Approval of the temporary use permit will allow for two 1,632 square foot modular temporary classrooms until Jane July 31st, 2026.

3:33

This object property is south of Gary Street and west of Lee Avenue, and the track contains an area of approximately 28 acres.

3:44

The one-story temporary buildings are approximately 12 feet tall and are 24 by 68.

3:51

The modular building facades are composed of both wood and steel metal panels.

3:58

Section 273271 of the UDO allows the director to grant special temporary use permit, non-retail for religious revivals, temporary recreational facilities, temporary medical facilities, temporary classroom facilities for public or private institutions, and similar uses that do not involve retail or or food or beverage sales activities.

4:24

This is provided that the uses shall comply with parking signs, sanitation requirements, etc.

4:30

for the area and shall not constitute a nuisance for adjacent neighboring or proper nearby properties.

4:38

The temporary use permits shall be granted for a period not to exceed 60 days and are renewable for 60 day periods thereafter.

4:48

Permits for periods in excess of 120 days, which is equal to one one initial period plus one renewal period, must be reviewed and approved by the planning commission.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Development█████████████████████████████████████████████63%
Procedural████████████████23%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████14%
Summary of Proceedings

Fort Smith Planning Commission Meeting - March 10, 2026

The Fort Smith Planning Commission met on March 10, 2026, to consider a consent agenda, a temporary use permit for Southside High School, and a conditional use and variance for a new Academy of Math and Science school. All items were approved with varying votes.

Consent Calendar

  • Preliminary and Final Plats (4 items): Approved unanimously with one abstention (Commissioner Coleman). The motion carried 8-1, with staff comments included.

Discussion Items

  • Temporary Use Permit 1326 – Southside High School: A request by MAHG Architecture on behalf of Fort Smith Public Schools for two portable temporary classrooms (1,632 sq ft each) at 4100 Gary Street in an REI zone. The temporary use was originally approved October 21, 2025, and expired February 18, 2026. The extension through July 31, 2026, allows completion of roof construction on the main building. Staff recommended approval. Nate Deason (MAHG Architecture) explained that additional damage discovered during re-roofing necessitated the temporary structures. The motion passed 8-1 (Commissioner Wilson abstained).
  • Conditional Use 3326 – Academy of Math and Science: A request for a primary and secondary school (K-8, 600 students, 35,798 sq ft, 25 classrooms, 100 parking spaces) in an I1 zone at 3510 North Street. The site includes a gymnasium, soccer field, and enhanced landscaping adjacent to single-family homes. A neighborhood meeting on March 2, 2026, drew six attendees with no opposition. Staff recommended approval with conditions including compliance with the development plan, companion variance approval, plating, irrigation, lighting shielding, and utility abandonment. Matthew Gunderson (VP of Growth, Academies of Math and Science) expressed gratitude and commitment to serving the community. The motion passed unanimously 9-0.
  • Variance 6326 – Exterior Side Yard Setback: A companion variance request to reduce the exterior side yard setback from 100 feet to 25 feet to accommodate on-site queuing and drop-off due to the lot's unusual shape. Staff recommended approval with the same conditions as the conditional use. The Board of Zoning Adjustment voted unanimously 9-0 to approve.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Approved 8-1 (Coleman abstained).
  • Temporary Use Permit (Southside High School): Approved 8-1 (Wilson abstained).
  • Conditional Use (Academy of Math and Science): Approved 9-0.
  • Variance (Academy of Math and Science): Approved 9-0.
  • All actions are final unless appealed to the City Board of Directors (for planning commission items) or to a court of jurisdiction (for BZA items).

Meeting Transcript

Hearing, I'll ask everybody to please stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance. Under God. All right, I'll ask uh Secretary for the roll call, please. Brett Taylor. Present. Vicky Newton. Zach Ledford. Rod Coleman. Kelly Wilson here. Griffin Hannah. David Tyler. Matt Marshall. Sean McCaffrey. Here. We have nine commissioners present. All right. I'll uh ask if the commissioners have opportunity to review the February 10, 2026 minutes, and if so, I ask for a motion to approve. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. I'll ask staff comments and procedures for tonight's meeting. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the March 10th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. The Planning Commission is comprised of a group of volunteers appointed by the mayor who offer diverse expertise and perspectives guiding the development and growth of Fort Smith. This evening, the Planning Commission will be reviewing the following items Platts, temporary use permits, and conditional use requests. The Planning Commission's actions this evening on the Platts, temporary use permits, and conditional use requests will require a majority vote of those members present and voting and will be final unless an interested party appeals the decision of the planning commission to the City Board of Directors. Appeals will be presented to the City Board of Directors for their review at a future study session, which is located here at the Blue Lion at 101 North Second Street. The Board of Zoning Adjustment, which consists of members from the Planning Commission will also be reviewing variance requests this evening. The action of the Board of Zoning Adjustment will be final unless appealed to a court of jurisdiction. All right, uh thank you, Maggie. Uh the first item on tonight's agenda is the uh consent agenda, some preliminary and final plates. Um I'd ask for a motion for those to be approved unless there's any comments or questions from anybody out in the audience or the commissioners. Motion to approve of the addition of staff comments if applicable. Seven. All right. I'll ask for a roll call of vote on all the four items on the consent agenda. Sean McCaffrey. Four. Brett Taylor? Four. Kelly Wilson, four. Rod Coleman? Matt Marshall, Vicky Newton. Griffin Hannah? Zach Ledford? David Tyler. Eight in favor, one abstention. Commissioner Coleman. All right, we'll move uh then forward to the item uh number two, the temporary use permit uh for Southside High School. I staff to present. Thank you, Chairman.

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