Letter to the Editor

Against development on Helena Street

I'm writing to bring awareness to a side street that is in need of significant restructure and support. That street is East and West Helena, in specific, where it intersects with North Mount Olive.

To the west, it is the most direct road access to North Mount Olive for Wood Creek Apartments, and the 10 apartments adjacent to it. Wood Creek has eight structures, with several apartments within each. Additionally, yards away are duplexes where Helena turns into Wright Street. Behind the complex is wooded area with no outlet.

On East Helena there's Willow Court: a subdivision with road access only available to Helena. Further east, onto Britt Street, there's more duplexes, and then Remington Apartments. Thankfully, tenants can travel north to Cheri Whitlock as opposed to Helena.

Currently, two vehicles cannot pass at the same time on Helena. At its widest point, it's only 17 feet. The amount of traffic it bears is incredible, speculatively due to dense multi-family housing nearby. Currently, there is a request to rezone the lot on the corner of East Helena and North Mount Olive, with intentions to jump from an R2 to an R4 zone, adding nine more apartments on a congested corner lot that currently houses one (unkempt) rental home.

Surrounding neighbors are extremely concerned (and opposed) and have vocalized their current struggles with traffic, safety, drainage and noise, in addition to the proximity of two elementary schools and children who walk these roads to school. We vehemently oppose more multi-housing units on Helena Street.

Tabbitha Easley

Siloam Springs

Editorial on 09/12/2018