OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Springdale City Council Meeting - May 5, 2026

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, May 5, 2026
BodySpringdale, Arkansas
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, May 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:12

And Councilman Watson will bring the invitation.

0:34

Let us pray.

0:36

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the spring range that you're blessing us with.

0:40

We thank you for all of your gifts and your blessings in our community.

0:46

And we ask that you uh be with all those that are out in the storms tonight and give them uh safety and shelter, be with all those that can't be with us tonight, and uh watch over them, um protect them during their travels.

1:04

Um Lord we are so thankful for the opportunity to serve you to serve the city of Springdale and to be here tonight for the citizens.

1:16

Um we ask that you be with us and help us and lead us in our our uh decisions and our actions and uh continue to uh guide us and bless our community in Jesus' name.

1:30

We pray.

1:30

Amen.

1:36

Thank you, Mr.

1:36

Watson.

1:37

I'll call this uh April 28th, 2026 meeting in the Springdale City Council to order and ask the city clerk to call the roll.

1:47

Mayor Sprouse, Brian Powell?

1:50

Here, Amelia Taldo, Jeff Watson, Mike Overton, here Mike Lawson, here Aaron Huntley, Randall Herman here, Mark Fujirus, Garrett Harlan, Ernest Kate here.

2:08

Uh we do have a quorum council, but as you can see, the mayor is not here, so I would entertain a motion uh to elect a pro tem to run the meeting.

2:18

I think Mike Overton should do it.

2:21

And that's my motion.

2:22

Thank you.

2:23

Motion second.

2:25

All in favor do voice vote.

2:27

All in favor say aye.

2:29

Aye.

2:29

Opposed.

2:31

Mr.

2:31

Overton, the meeting is yours, sir.

2:44

Item number four on our uh agenda is uh comments from citizens.

2:50

This is a time when we reserve comments from our citizens to uh present uh an issue or a question before the council, and uh we ask that it not be something that's already on the agenda.

3:03

There'll be time for uh uh questions and actions during that time.

3:07

No action will be taken tonight on any uh any comments.

3:11

Uh would anyone like any citizen like to make comments I just begin?

3:30

Uh give us your name and address, please.

3:32

Uh Richard Coger, 4310 South Thompson.

3:36

Um I have a bunch of these packets if you guys want them to study later.

3:42

It's a lot of information, but I just have a brief speech about it.

3:49

Yeah, you can hand those out if that's okay.

4:32

Okay, so I'm here tonight with five connected issues.

4:43

Uh I've already handed out the full written statement.

4:46

Okay, first off, the federal wireless authority.

4:49

January 2025, the FCC has eliminated eleven hundred and eight rules, three hundred and twelve pages of federal documents, two thousand forty-eight public comments.

5:00

The largest mass docket termination in FCC history.

5:04

They're asserting Section 253 preemption to override local tower sitting authority.

5:10

The infrastructure being permitted right now is 5G advanced.

5:13

This includes a new standard called Isaac.

5:16

Integrated sensing and communication.

5:18

That turns the towers into sensing instruments.

5:22

The European standard published a formal use case April 2025, named augmented human sensing.

5:29

The USPTO has granted and published patents on non-invasive brain reading.

5:37

And the patent numbers listed on my thing.

5:40

Anyways, I'm asking the city council to pass a revolution uh resolution reasserting local authority over wireless infrastructure, sitting and objecting to the federal preemptions.

5:51

And in my packet, it shows you other cities have done it, how to do it to a lot of questions that you guys may have are in the packet.

6:00

Second, this is a the issues are kind of separate.

6:03

I just put four together in the same speech here.

6:06

Second, water and industrial demand.

6:08

Springdale's water system is under strain from concentrated industrial processing plus population growth, which is driven by the same operational companies.

6:18

I am asking the city council to publish a cost accounting of who uses water and who pays for the infrastructure and place a moratorium on new expanded industrial hookups until that accounting is public.

6:32

Mr.

6:32

Coke, excuse me, just a second.

6:34

You do understand that the water and sewer commission operates under their own rules under state statute, and the city council really uh uh does not control uh their uh their reporting.

6:48

I sent it to them and they ignored me.

6:49

So I was just letting you know what the procedure is, so they that would be something appropriate to approach the water and sewer commission to uh request them to uh have a uh a hearing on that matter.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Procedural███████████11%
Code Enforcement██████████10%
Downtown Development█████████9%
Public Engagement███████7%
Community Engagement████4%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Transportation Safety██2%
Public Safety██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Springdale City Council Meeting – May 5, 2026

The Springdale City Council convened on May 5, 2026, after a recess from an earlier April 28 session due to a lack of quorum for procedural votes. The meeting included a future land use plan presentation, a series of rezoning and conditional use approvals, sidewalk waiver decisions, an update to the downtown form-based code, and several budget amendments. All votes were unanimous unless noted.

Procedural Matters

  • Roll call showed eight council members present; the mayor was absent. Councilman Mike Overton was elected pro tem by voice vote.
  • Minutes from the April 14, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.
  • The April 28 meeting was recessed to May 4 because only five council members were present, making it impossible to achieve the two‑thirds vote needed to read ordinances by title only. The meeting reconvened on May 5 with a full quorum.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Richard Coger (4310 South Thompson) raised five interconnected issues:
    1. Wireless infrastructure preemption: Cited FCC actions eliminating 1,108 rules and asserted federal preemption of local tower siting. Asked the council to pass a resolution reasserting local authority.
    2. Water and industrial demand: Noted strain on Springdale's water system from industrial processing and population growth. Requested a public cost accounting and a moratorium on new industrial hookups until the accounting is completed. (Council noted the Water and Sewer Commission operates independently.)
    3. Microplastics in pipes: Stated he submitted formal notice on April 3, 2026, about PVC, HDPE, and PEX pipes. Asked for a written response from the Springdale Water Department by May 3.
    4. Fire code and small retail: Requested a formal code interpretation and variance process for small retailers under 10,000 sq ft, arguing that NFPA data shows sprinklers cause more water damage than fires in such settings.
    5. Public record: Asked that all issues be formally logged in the meeting minutes.

Future Land Use Plan Presentation

  • Sharon Tromberg (Planning Director) and Juliet Ritchie (Garver) presented the draft 2026 Future Land Use Plan, updating the 2010 plan. Key points:
    • Non‑regulatory “vision board” for 5–10 years, guiding zoning and development decisions.
    • Parcel‑by‑parcel mapping using GIS, replacing the previous corridor‑based approach.
    • New land use categories: neighborhood mixed‑use, community mixed‑use, trades and services, and three distinct corridors along Highway 71 (North Thompson, Thompson/Downtown, South Thompson).
    • Public input via survey (QR code) and a workshop on May 19 at the library. Final adoption expected in July/August.
  • Councilman Watson expressed concern that parcel‑by‑parcel mapping could constrain future rezonings. Staff clarified the plan is a policy document, not zoning.

Rezonings (All passed unanimously 8-0 with emergency clauses)

  1. R26-13 – 4346 North Oak St: A1 (Agricultural) to C2 (General Commercial). Unanimous planning commission recommendation; no development plans filed.
  2. R26-15 – 4300 block S. 48th St: A1 to C2. Public comments cited traffic and pedestrian safety; planning commission approved 9-0.
  3. R26-16 – 312 & 3130 N. Thompson St: C6 (Large Product Retail) to C5 (Thoroughfare Commercial). This is a zoning downgrade to allow a broader range of uses.
  4. R26-17 – 552 S. 48th St: C5 to MF24 (High Density Multifamily). Adjoins a site rezoned to institutional earlier.
  5. R26-18 – 556 B & C S. 48th St: A1 to MF24. Part of the same project as R26-17.
  6. FB26-06 – 521 Caudle Ave: C2 to NC2 (Neighborhood Center Type 2). Mixed‑use neighborhood context.
  7. FB26-07 – 323 Caudle Ave: MF12 to NR2 (Neighborhood Residential Type 2). Only residential allowed.

Conditional Use Permits (All passed 8-0 unless noted)

  1. Manufactured Home (Colby Dean Drake) – 8788 W. Gibbs Rd: Approved with extensive conditions (e.g., appearance standards, foundation, removal of wheels).
  2. Food Truck (Gringo’s Burritos) – 3503 Elm Springs Rd: Approved 7-1 (one abstention). Conditions include hours (7 a.m.–10 p.m.), parking, waste disposal.
  3. Home Occupation – Coffee Roasting (Mile 59 Coffee) – 1102 Bronco Ln: Approved 8-0. Uses 13% of heated space; no customers on site; online sales only.
  4. Church (Spirit of Truth) – 1853 FedEx Dr: Approved 8-0. Church has operated for over a decade; now brought into zoning compliance.
  5. Home Occupation – Flower Farm (Alice’s Garden) – 3534 Laurel Ridge: Approved 7-1 (one abstention). Discussion on HOA covenants; council determined approval does not enforce private covenants.

Sidewalk Waivers

  1. W26-13 (Jake’s Fireworks) – 48th St: Waiver from 8‑ft to 5‑ft sidewalk approved 8-0. The business operates seasonally (up to 180 days) under a tent structure.
  2. W26-16 (Martin Flores Rodriguez) – 805 West End: Waiver from 8‑ft to 5‑ft sidewalk approved 8-0.
  3. W26-17 (Our Lady of Sorrows) – Graham Rd: Withdrawn by applicant; no council action needed.
  4. W26-18 (Justina Maha) – 1414 Christian Ave: Motion to deny the waiver (option 2) passed 8-0, requiring the applicant to build a 5‑ft sidewalk on Christian Ave and keep the existing 5‑ft sidewalk on West End (no waiver for the 8‑ft standard). Public comment from resident Olivia King urged denial to ensure pedestrian safety near schools.

Downtown Form‑Based Code Update

  • Sharon Tromberg presented a comprehensive update after months of work. Key changes:
    • Parking: Visible surface parking prohibited on Emma Street; use‑unit parking lots require conditional use in NC1 and NC2.
    • Building types: Carriage houses and ADUs allowed in all form‑based code residential areas.
    • Frontage: Sidewalk cafes (shop front, cafe) now approved via Technical Plat Review instead of public hearing.
    • Workforce housing density bonus: Extra floor allowed in NC1, NC2, NR3 if a percentage of units are workforce housing (80–120% AMI).
    • Corrections: Use table fixed to allow food trucks, churches, and correct definitions.
    • Approved on first reading 7-0 with emergency clause.

Finance Committee Items (All approved 7-0)

  1. City Attorney Office Reorganization: Eliminate 4 single‑function positions (discovery clerk, victim advocate, hot check coordinator, receptionist) and create 4 multi‑function positions. Budget increase of $17,990.65 reimbursed from a special fund.
  2. Retirement Payouts: Budget amendment to pay vacation/sick leave for two retiring city attorney employees.
  3. Shiloh Museum Grant: Accept $9,500 from the Smithsonian Institution; budget amended accordingly.
  4. Airport Hail Damage: Budget amendment to use insurance proceeds for hangar/terminal repairs.
  5. Animal Control Vehicle Purchase: Replace a 2010 truck with over 200,000 miles; funded from the unrestricted general fund.
  6. Animal Control Equipment: Purchase and installation of equipment for the new vehicle; funded from general fund.

Key Outcomes

  • All rezoning ordinances passed 8-0 with emergency clauses.
  • All conditional use permits passed: Gringo’s Burritos 7-1, Alice’s Garden 7-1, others 8-0.
  • Sidewalk waiver W26-18 denied; other waivers approved.
  • Downtown form‑based code update passed on first reading 7-0 with emergency.
  • All finance committee resolutions passed 7-0.
  • Meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

And Councilman Watson will bring the invitation. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the spring range that you're blessing us with. We thank you for all of your gifts and your blessings in our community. And we ask that you uh be with all those that are out in the storms tonight and give them uh safety and shelter, be with all those that can't be with us tonight, and uh watch over them, um protect them during their travels. Um Lord we are so thankful for the opportunity to serve you to serve the city of Springdale and to be here tonight for the citizens. Um we ask that you be with us and help us and lead us in our our uh decisions and our actions and uh continue to uh guide us and bless our community in Jesus' name. We pray. Amen. Thank you, Mr. Watson. I'll call this uh April 28th, 2026 meeting in the Springdale City Council to order and ask the city clerk to call the roll. Mayor Sprouse, Brian Powell? Here, Amelia Taldo, Jeff Watson, Mike Overton, here Mike Lawson, here Aaron Huntley, Randall Herman here, Mark Fujirus, Garrett Harlan, Ernest Kate here. Uh we do have a quorum council, but as you can see, the mayor is not here, so I would entertain a motion uh to elect a pro tem to run the meeting. I think Mike Overton should do it. And that's my motion. Thank you. Motion second. All in favor do voice vote. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. Mr. Overton, the meeting is yours, sir. Item number four on our uh agenda is uh comments from citizens. This is a time when we reserve comments from our citizens to uh present uh an issue or a question before the council, and uh we ask that it not be something that's already on the agenda. There'll be time for uh uh questions and actions during that time. No action will be taken tonight on any uh any comments. Uh would anyone like any citizen like to make comments I just begin? Uh give us your name and address, please. Uh Richard Coger, 4310 South Thompson. Um I have a bunch of these packets if you guys want them to study later. It's a lot of information, but I just have a brief speech about it. Yeah, you can hand those out if that's okay. Okay, so I'm here tonight with five connected issues. Uh I've already handed out the full written statement. Okay, first off, the federal wireless authority. January 2025, the FCC has eliminated eleven hundred and eight rules, three hundred and twelve pages of federal documents, two thousand forty-eight public comments. The largest mass docket termination in FCC history. They're asserting Section 253 preemption to override local tower sitting authority. The infrastructure being permitted right now is 5G advanced. This includes a new standard called Isaac. Integrated sensing and communication. That turns the towers into sensing instruments. The European standard published a formal use case April 2025, named augmented human sensing. The USPTO has granted and published patents on non-invasive brain reading. And the patent numbers listed on my thing. Anyways, I'm asking the city council to pass a revolution uh resolution reasserting local authority over wireless infrastructure, sitting and objecting to the federal preemptions. And in my packet, it shows you other cities have done it, how to do it to a lot of questions that you guys may have are in the packet.

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