CAVE SPRINGS, Ark. — The City of Cave Springs is considering new housing options on Murdock and Highway 264 West. At a public input meeting on Oct. 7, the majority of residents said they are against the rezoning.
"Neighbors and community who are opposing a large, high-density scale development that is trying to go in near us," resident Jackie Morris said. "This is an area that is already developed in two to three to five acres, even 10-acre lots. It's been that way for quite a while."
However, Cave Springs Mayor Randall Niblett said the city is working with residents and the planning commission to try to satisfy everyone's needs.
"We're reviewing to be sure that things are done properly," Niblett said. "That's the purpose of the planning commission. That's the purpose of the public hearing, to be sure we address all of the concerns and that we do it in the right way."
Right now, the plan would mean a large influx of people moving to the area, which has some neighbors on edge.
"[I] have many concerns about this development," Jackie said. "It is called a PZD, or Planning Zone Development, which means that the developer can do basically anything he wants. There are plans for pocket homes. We're talking upwards of maybe 700 people."
With an already dangerous back road, Morris believes the housing unit would make it even more dangerous.
"It's on a small county road that, even if paved, there is only one way out, which would be [Highway 264], around a blind curve," Jackie said.
Jackie's husband, Steve Morris, said the new unit would ruin a peaceful neighborhood.
"Safety, traffic, congestion, just quality of life," Steve said. "People like to see the cows like to see the sunsets, and that's going to be obliterated with cinder block and brick if we have this high-density housing come in."
The developer of the project was at the meeting and said he is willing to work on a compromise with residents.
The Morrises started a petition to keep the project from happening. It had more than 50 signatures before the meeting and got even more after.
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