By Mike Capshaw
Staff Writer n [email protected]
By a 4-3 vote, the city's planning commission approved a Siloam Springs family to continue using a recreational vehicle as sleeping quarters for another 180 days.
The matter is still pending approval from the city's board of directors and it will weigh whether to allow the family's request for a prohibited use development permit during its April 3 meeting.
Bill Parker and his family, which resides at 505 East Helena Street, asked for permission to sleep in the RV because water damage to the upstairs of their home has caused mold and mildew, making it an unhealthy area to live. Parker said he's moved the RV "behind the garage, so it's not visible from the road." The family is running electrical wires to the RV for lighting, but continues to use bathroom facilities inside the house.
"In my opinion, the house can't be repaired," Parker said. "It would have to be stripped down from all the water damage. That's why we're trying to sell it."
Parker's daughter, Kendra Parker, also spoke about the request for a permit.
"We just want to continue sleeping in it until we sell our house," Kendra Parker said. "That's all we're asking."
Commissioner Ted Song initiated talks about giving the family 180 days to continue sleeping in the RV with the "purpose of selling" the home. Commissioner Karl Mounger asked Bill Parker if he had looked at moving the RV to an RV park, to which Parker replied, "Can't afford it."
City staff recommended denial of the request, although senior planner Ben Rhoads said the city had not received any complaints from neighbors or other residents about the RV parked next to the home. Commission chairman Kolin Blakely said he "feels for the family," but worried that allowing the prohibited use development permit would result in similar requests in the future. Once votes were tallied, Blakely is who broke the 3-3 tie with the final vote to allow the Parkers' request.
Commissioners also approved a pair of resubmitted plans of previously approved projects due to changes.
JWI Properties was approved to build a 15,000-square-foot retail/warehouse for Reliable Poultry to operate a poultry supply facility at 1510 East Main Street. Previous plans called for a 10,000-square-foot structure and new plans also include a larger parking area to keep it within code.
Gryder Networks was approved to reduce the size of its parking lot by 30 percent because its hangar at the Siloam Springs Airport would not be used for commercial purposes as the Sky Dive Ranch as originally planned. The already constructed building near the corner of Arkansas Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 412 will now only be used as a private hanger to store planes, although the owner said he intends to expand its use to a commercial sky diving business in the future. Before that can happen, Gryder Networks will need to gain approval again through the city and add the additional 30 percent to its parking area.
Both projects are pending approval by the board of directors and are expected to be on the agenda for its April 3 meeting.
General News on 03/18/2018