Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Jonesboro Planning Commission Meeting – May 26, 2026: Preliminary Subdivision Approval

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, May 26, 2026

BodyJonesboro, Arkansas

SessionMeeting Portal

DateTuesday, May 26, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 5:10

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

Everyone, welcome to the City of Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

0:06

I'll open up for a roll call if you would please press the eye button on your monitor.

0:20

Yep.

0:24

Okay, everybody checked in.

0:26

I'll open up for any discussion or changes to be made to the minutes from the April 14th meeting.

0:32

Are there any changes?

0:35

A motion we approved or submitted.

0:37

So per second.

0:40

Everybody in favor, press your I button.

0:52

Okay, you can vote.

1:04

Voted.

1:11

Okay.

1:11

Minutes are approved.

1:14

First item we have on the agenda.

1:16

This is a preliminary subdivision.

1:18

John Easley is requesting approval for a preliminary subdivision for the fountain square park.

1:23

We have their the proponent for this item here.

1:25

John Ely was associated engineering on behalf of East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging.

1:31

We're asking for preliminary approval on this on the fountain square park, the old Malco Theater Park and the old Fountain Square Park.

1:41

Seven lots with a new right-of-way.

1:44

We've submitted the plans, the subdivision plans, water sewer plans.

1:49

We've also had a traffic study done.

1:50

We've met with engineering last week.

1:59

That's out of the city's budget and sure out of East Arkansas's budget.

2:04

So we've agreed or talked about solutions and alternatives.

2:08

We are East Arkansas is going to put in a dedicated right turn lane on the south side of Highland Drive and Bernard Street to allow at least right turn movements.

2:20

We all know it's a bad intersection, but there's not much we can do with it.

2:26

An equity have staff comments?

2:28

Yes, sir.

2:29

Uh the subdivision complex with all the governments for preliminary subdivision plan approval and uh preliminary plan complex with the purposes, standards and criteria for subduction design and site protection, said backs and minimum square foot as the governments are properly depicted and satisfied by the applicant as they could.

2:47

Okay.

2:48

Perfect.

2:48

Commissioners have any questions of the city staff or applicant.

2:53

Anyone ready with a motion?

2:55

I have one question.

2:56

Oh, yes, sir.

2:57

Is one of the existing buildings on one of these properties already, or is it not on one of these properties?

3:02

On the ones on the plat.

3:04

They've torn down all the buildings.

3:06

The existing buildings.

3:07

There's one on the south end that's still there.

3:10

The one on the south and the old uh basic square.

3:13

That's the East Arkansas office right now.

3:15

Right.

3:15

Is it one of these properties?

3:17

The new olives will be in the southeast corner, lot seven, down on Grant Street.

3:21

But does it sit on one of these lots right now?

3:23

Be on one of those lots, yeah.

3:25

No, but I mean the one the current building.

3:26

Is that what you're asking, Jeff?

3:27

Yeah.

3:28

Right now they're building on the property's been replated into one lot for a minor plaque for one lot.

3:35

Okay.

3:35

At the southeast corners where the new office is going.

3:38

As part of this process, we'll dedicate a lot to them through the record plat.

3:45

That's what I'm trying to figure out is where this actually sits on that lot over there.

3:49

And I was referencing the existing building that still remains.

3:52

The existing building?

3:53

Yeah.

3:54

Is it on this property right now?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████63%

Procedural██████████████████████████37%

Summary of Proceedings

Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Meeting – May 26, 2026

The Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission met on May 26, 2026, at 11:30 AM to consider a preliminary subdivision application for Fountain Square Park. The meeting opened with roll call and approval of the April 14, 2026, minutes. The sole agenda item was a request by John Easley, on behalf of East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, for approval of a preliminary subdivision plat for the Fountain Square Park area (the former Malco Theater Park and former Fountain Square Park). The application proposed seven lots with a new right-of-way. City staff confirmed the plat complied with all applicable standards. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about existing buildings on the property. After discussion, the commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary subdivision.

Discussion Items

John Easley, representing East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, presented a preliminary subdivision proposal for the Fountain Square Park site (the former Malco Theater Park and former Fountain Square Park). The plan includes seven lots and a new right-of-way, with water, sewer plans, and a traffic study already submitted. Easley noted that the intersection at Highland Drive and Bernard Street is a known problem, and the applicant will fund a dedicated right-turn lane on the south side of Highland Drive and Bernard Street to improve traffic flow. Easley stated that "we've agreed or talked about solutions and alternatives" and that the turn lane is being paid for by the city's budget and East Arkansas's budget.
City staff confirmed that the preliminary subdivision plan complies with all regulations, including subdivision design standards, site protection, and minimum square footage requirements.
Commissioner questions focused on the status of existing buildings on the property. The applicant clarified that all buildings on the platted lots have been demolished, except for one on the south end (the former Basic Square building, currently used as the East Arkansas office). That building will be torn down once the new office is complete. The new office building will be located on Lot 7 in the southeast corner, on Grant Street. The existing building is not on any of the seven proposed lots; it sits on a separate lot that was previously replatted into one lot via a minor plat. As part of this process, the applicant will dedicate a lot to the agency through the record plat.

Key Outcomes

The commission approved the preliminary subdivision plat for Fountain Square Park as submitted. The motion was made, seconded, and all commissioners voted in favor (unanimous approval).
The approval includes the applicant's commitment to install a dedicated right-turn lane at the Highland Drive and Bernard Street intersection.
The meeting was adjourned after the vote, with no further staff or commission comments.

Meeting Transcript

Everyone, welcome to the City of Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, May 26, 2026. I'll open up for a roll call if you would please press the eye button on your monitor. Yep. Okay, everybody checked in. I'll open up for any discussion or changes to be made to the minutes from the April 14th meeting. Are there any changes? A motion we approved or submitted. So per second. Everybody in favor, press your I button. Okay, you can vote. Voted. Okay. Minutes are approved. First item we have on the agenda. This is a preliminary subdivision. John Easley is requesting approval for a preliminary subdivision for the fountain square park. We have their the proponent for this item here. John Ely was associated engineering on behalf of East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging. We're asking for preliminary approval on this on the fountain square park, the old Malco Theater Park and the old Fountain Square Park. Seven lots with a new right-of-way. We've submitted the plans, the subdivision plans, water sewer plans. We've also had a traffic study done. We've met with engineering last week. That's out of the city's budget and sure out of East Arkansas's budget. So we've agreed or talked about solutions and alternatives. We are East Arkansas is going to put in a dedicated right turn lane on the south side of Highland Drive and Bernard Street to allow at least right turn movements. We all know it's a bad intersection, but there's not much we can do with it. An equity have staff comments? Yes, sir. Uh the subdivision complex with all the governments for preliminary subdivision plan approval and uh preliminary plan complex with the purposes, standards and criteria for subduction design and site protection, said backs and minimum square foot as the governments are properly depicted and satisfied by the applicant as they could. Okay. Perfect. Commissioners have any questions of the city staff or applicant. Anyone ready with a motion? I have one question. Oh, yes, sir. Is one of the existing buildings on one of these properties already, or is it not on one of these properties? On the ones on the plat. They've torn down all the buildings. The existing buildings. There's one on the south end that's still there. The one on the south and the old uh basic square. That's the East Arkansas office right now. Right. Is it one of these properties? The new olives will be in the southeast corner, lot seven, down on Grant Street. But does it sit on one of these lots right now? Be on one of those lots, yeah. No, but I mean the one the current building. Is that what you're asking, Jeff?

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com