The Harrison Planning Commission met Tuesday at 1 p.m. for its regular monthly meeting, which Pat Brown chaired.
Brown welcomed the newest member, Dean Crouse, who was asked to continue the term of the late Jim Harp.
Brown said, “Welcome aboard. We look forward to your input.”
A public hearing was held for a conditional use permit to operate a microbrewery-restaurant (Picasso Pints) at 119 N. Main Street on the square's east side. This was the first of two public hearings because the newspaper's published notice missed the deadline. Notices were mailed to adjacent property owners, and two letters were received without objections.
COO Wade Phillips encouraged the commission to table the request until after the public hearing at the next meeting.
Owner Micah Neal hopes to be brewing beer at the Harrison location next summer after all the state and federal permits have been acquired. The question was asked if he would be serving food. Neal said his in-laws were moving here to handle that part of the business, and it was inconclusive at this time.
A draft of the Local Ordinance District report was presented to the commission by the Historic Harrison District Commission. Phillips said, “As the city moves forward with becoming a Certified Local Government through the National Parks Service for Historic Preservation, one of the steps is completing this local ordinance district report. State law requires that it be submitted to the Arkansas Historic Preservation and the local Planning Commission. Each entity has 90 days to respond as far as comments are concerned. Where this would impact zoning codes, there is a little intermingling between the two. Basically, that central business zoning district would encompass all of the historic district. As the historic district commission moves forward, they develop design standards. That doesn’t have to be incorporated into the zoning code. Still, there will be intermingling, where as people are doing projects, they will be looking at both the Planning side and the Historic District Commission. I don’t see conflicts now, but they will need to be reviewed again once the actual design standards are developed. I don’t recommend any action at this meeting. Review it and ask me questions at any time.”
Phillips explained that the report goes into the district's background and why it’s important at the local level to adopt standards. The enforcement at the local level is to adopt standards to maintain the district's historical aspects.
The last new business item is the two new murals that didn’t go through the Planning Commission. The mural at 216 S. Pine Street, where Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents is located, and the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store at 225 N. Main Street were approved by the Commission. A city ordinance states that the Planning Commission must approve a mural that exceeds 20% of the square footage of the wall on which it is located.
The Commission adjourned at 1:11 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 25 at 1 p.m.