1018
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the City of West Memphis
and the City of West Memphis entered into a Cooperation Agreement
dated May 27, 1981, and
WHEREAS, pursuant to paragraph 6 of said Agreement the City
of West Memphis has received a written request from the Housing
Authority of the City of West Memphis to accept the Dedication
of all interior streets, roads, alleys and adjacent sidewalks
within the area of its Project, as reflected in a Plat filed of
record in Plat Book 2 at Page 315 in the Office of the Circuit
Court Clerk and Ex-Officio Recorder of Crittenden County, Arkansas,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of West Memphis
does hereby accept the proposed Dedication of all interior streets,
roads, alleys, adjacent sidewalks, together with all storm and
sanitary sewer mains, as reflected in the Plat of the West Memphis
Housing Project, West Memphis, Arkansas, filed of record
January 14, 1970, in Plat Book 2 at Page 315 in the Office of the
Circuit Court Clerk and Ex-Officio Recorder of Crittenden County,
Arkansas.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Clerk of the City
of West Memphis be, and they are hereby, authorized to do all acts
and execute all instruments appropriate or necessary in carrying
out the terms of this Resolution and the requirements of the
Cooperation Agreement herein referred to.
This Resolution shall take effect upon adopt' by the City
Council of the City of West Memphis.
DATED this ~ day of July, 1985.
';
CIT ES MPH
BY
yo
ATTEST: ~ `
City Cle k
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N O T I C E
Notice is hereby given that a Petition has been made to
the West Memphis City Council to vacate and abandon the alley
in Block 1 of the Eugene Woods Subdivision of Ordin
fir. ance of the
City of West Memphis.
A hearing will be held before the West Memphis City Council
at the City Hall at 1:30 P.M. on
C ~ S 1985 , for the purpose
of hearing objections, if any, to the abandonment and closing
of the alley in Block 1 of the Eugene Woods Subdivision.
All persons having an interest therein or objections thereto
are hereby notified to appear on said date for the purpose of
making known their objections, if any.
DATED this ~~ ~ day of July, 1985.
WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL
By:
D Cra ty r
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f " See Resolution No. 10.15
POSITION STATEMENT
Some time ago, the City Council was requested to
bestow its approval on the location and construction of a
multi-family apartment unit in the area of West
Memphis. Apparently the principal purpose of the petition for
approval was to expedite financing arrangements and to secure
favorable interest rates.
At the meeting of this City Council at which the
matter was presented, a petition in opposition to the Council's
approval was submitted. That petition bore approximately 500
signatures of concerned citizens. Their expressed basis of
concern was the location of another low-income housing project
in the area referred to and its impact on the demographic
characteristics of that area, as well as the community in
general. The concern voiced by these citizens, through the
submission of their petition, is a matter of legitimate concern
of this City Council. It is the prerogative and the duty of
this Council to consider the impact of low-income,
federally-subsidized housing projects, not only with regard to
the effect on citizens and property owners in the area of the
proposed construction but also in terms of the needs of citizens
of this community for such housing and in particular, the need
in the proposed construction area.
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Following the meeting at which this matter first came
to our attention, members of the Council became quite concerned
about the proposed project and the opposition thereto. One of
the principal reasons for concern on the part of Council members
were representations made by the proponents of approval which
were at best, confusing and at worst, contradictory and
misleading. One of the principal proponents made what
apparently constitutes a basic misrepresentation concerning the
proposed nature of the project, when he indicated that the
intent of the promoters and developers was not to construct a
facility primarily intended for the benefit of low-income
housing which would be subsidized by federal financial
assistance. Then, immediately following that misrepresentation,
one of the attorneys for the proponents indicated that yes,
indeed, the project was intended to be eligible for federal and
state rent subsidies and would be intended to attract low-income
tenants. It should be pointed out that at no time prior to the
council meeting at which this proposal was presented, nor at any
time subsequent thereto, have the proponents submitted any
meaningful information which would permit the City Council to
evaluate either the nature of this project or the propriety its
proposed location. Thus, the City Council is without
information sufficient to decide whether it should approve this
project or not.
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The citizens of the community, and in particular the
signers of the petition in opposition, should be aware that
insofar as the City Council is concerned, it apparently could
not stop this project by withholding its approval, or by
affirmatively voting to disapprove the project. However,
position apparently has some significance to the proponents
since we have no reason to believe that the Council's approval
would have otherwise been sought.
We should point out that to some individuals involved
in the opposition to this project, the issue has taken on racial
overtones. These individuals apparently believe that the
location of the project in the area indicated would primarily
attract members of minority groups, with what they perceive to
be an adverse impact on the racial composition of the
neighborhood. We hasten to point out that racial issues have no
place whatsoever in the City Council's consideration of this
issue. As noted, however, the Supreme Court of the United
States has held that the City Council does have an interest in
the location of low-income housing. To repeat however, this
Council cannot concern itself with the impact on the racial
composition of the neighborhood, since that is an impermissible
criterion by which to judge this matter.
Because of the extent of public concern, the concern
on the part of members of the City Council, the absence of any
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information submitted by the proponents concerning the project
and its impact on the area and the community, the confusion as
to the intended purposes of the project and the proposed needs
which would allegedly be met, it seems that the most appropriate
way to permit the City Council to achieve a position from which
it could finally act on this matter would be to request that the
proponents furnish, at their expense, some credible survey,
study or assessment of the project, its intended purposes and
the impact (whether beneficial or harmful) on the area involved
and the community in general. Such a survey, study or
assessment would be done at the expense of the proponents of the
project by an individual or individuals to be selected by the
City Council.
If the proposal of the Council is agreeable, then the
Council will select and appoint a qualified person to promptly
begin this impact assessment for the Council's consideration.
Hopefully, upon receipt of the report, we will be in a position
to intelligently resolve this issue.
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