Board of Zoning Adjustments Meeting Summary: February 17, 2026

At its meeting on February 17, 2026, at 1:30 PM, the Jonesboro Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) considered three variance requests related to traffic access, driveway setbacks, and fence height. All regular board members (Gilmore, Miles, Miller, and Billy) were present, and the minutes from the January 20, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (MIN-26:017): The board voted unanimously (voice vote) to approve the minutes from the January 20, 2026, BZA meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments (unrelated to the appeal cases) were provided during the meeting.

Discussion Items

VR-26-03: Variance – Cross Access Requirement at 1751 Hill Park Ave.

• Applicant: Ilirida Ramadani, represented by John Easley of Associated Engineering.
• Request: A variance to waive the cross access (stub-out) requirement of the Traffic Access Policy for a new commercial parking lot.
• Discussion: Easley explained that the property will house a beauty salon with individual stalls/stations. Adjacent to the east is the Goddard School (playground area) and to the west is Stuart Orthodontics (an existing dental office and parking lot). The applicant argued that installing stub-outs would eliminate 5–7 parking places, which they preferred not to lose. A board member noted that the property to the west (1731 Hill Park) did not have turnbacks or cross-access stub-outs on the adjacent line. City staff (Darrell) commented that the traffic count on Hill Park Avenue is low (a couple hundred vehicles per day), and that the far side of the property lacks parking and curb cuts, making attachment impractical. The applicant requested the variance to not install stub-outs.
• Outcome: A motion was made to grant the variance as applied for, received a second, and passed on a roll call vote with all four members voting "yes" (4–0).

VR-26-04: Variance – Driveway Setback at 3406 Meador Dr.

• Applicant: Weston Wagner, also represented by John Easley.
• Request: A variance to reduce the driveway setback from 20 feet (required for commercial/triplex use) to 5 feet on the north and west sides of the property.
• Discussion: Wagner is building a triplex on a corner lot (3406 Meador Dr.). Under current zoning, single-family and duplexes allow 5-foot driveway setbacks, but triplexes are classified as commercial, requiring 20 feet. The proposed development includes angle parking off Meador, with a one-way drive coming around the north side of the building and exiting onto Fairfield Avenue. Easley stated that a 20-foot setback would create a difficult turning radius. Board members clarified that the variance would be for a 5-foot minimum setback, not "5 feet or less," and that sidewalks would be installed. The board noted that the property is at the corner, and the driveway would be placed farther from the intersection—a safety improvement.
• Outcome: A motion was made to grant the variance for a minimum of 5 feet off the property line. The motion was seconded and amended to include the phrase "minimum of 5 feet." The motion passed with all board members voting "yes" (4–0).

VR-26-05: Variance – Fence Height and Material at 628 Burke Ave Ste 1

• Applicant: Donna Franklin, represented by Trevor Mats of Jed On General Contracting.
• Request: A variance to build an 8-foot-high fence (instead of the allowed 6 feet) and to add a black fabric wrap to a chain-link fence.
• Discussion: Mats explained that the fence is intended to conceal construction trailers and materials on their lot, addressing public safety (children climbing on trailers) and theft prevention (thousands of dollars of construction materials). The fence would also hide an eyesore. The board asked about the hardship requirement for granting a variance. Mats cited public safety and theft prevention as hardships beyond typical code requirements. The fence would be located on a corner lot at Burke Avenue and McClure Street, along the building line, with a 20-foot gate. The fire department had already approved the design. Several board members expressed concern about the hardship justification, noting that many businesses face similar issues. However, others observed that the lot is in the Industrial Arts district and that the 8-foot fence would be minor compared to surrounding buildings. The applicant committed to maintaining the fence in good condition and preventing the wrap from fraying or being neglected.
• Outcome: A motion to approve the variance was seconded and failed on a roll call vote: 3 votes in favor, 1 opposed (Chair). The variance request was denied (3–1 is insufficient—BZA requires at least four affirmative votes to pass). The board did not adopt the variance.

Staff Comments

• No additional staff comments were provided beyond Darrell's remarks during the discussions.

Adjournment

• The meeting adjourned after the third case was decided.

Key Outcomes

• VR-26-03 (Ramadani): Variance granted (4–0) to waive cross access stub-out requirement.
• VR-26-04 (Wagner): Variance granted (4–0) for 5-foot minimum driveway setback.
• VR-26-05 (Franklin): Variance denied (3–1) for 8-foot fence with black fabric wrap.