Little Rock Open Space Committee
Policy Statement

 

SECTION I

It is the policy of the City of Little Rock to establish an open space system which has as its fundamental goal to improve the quality of life for all citizens by being a proactive tool to integrate the urban design element with the creation of cohesive neighborhoods and communities and preserve our natural environment within the metropolitan area.  The open space policy should protect private property rights while encouraging environmentally friendly development.   This policy should reduce storm water run-off, improve air quality, preserve biological diversity, foster noise abatement, increase property values, and encourage sustainable development. 

 

A clear open space policy for the City of Little Rock will:
1) Give the City a clear policy and direction for land usage
2) Provide venues for outdoor recreation
3) Establish/improve contrasts to the built environment
4) Provide for safe access to currently fragmented open space lands
5) Create improved avenues for pedestrian and bicycle transportation connections
6) Address both city and non-city owned land
7) Make use of our readily available resources such as parks, watersheds, public utility easements and the Arkansas River   
8) Strengthen guidelines for urban infrastructure relating to preservation of water capacity, water quality and storm water drainage
9) Reinforce requirements for development guidelines with regard to use of areas which require special management or regulation (unstable soil areas, floodplains, watersheds, areas required for the protection of water quality and water reservoirs, groundwater recharge areas, and areas required for the protection and enhancement of air quality)

 

Section II

Recommendations:
1. Adequately define the uses and types of open spaces within the City of Little Rock (we recommend reviewing "Open Space Element" as recently adopted by the City of San Diego as a starting point)
2. Strengthen the existing open space ordinance; Revise elements of this ordinance (floodway, hillside, etc..) to meet the City's open space policy
3. Conduct an analysis and inventory of the natural drainage and storm water systems originating or flowing through the City boundaries with the goal of protecting these drainage structures.
4. Inventory existing public and private open space within the City of Little Rock including all "sensitive" lands (including unstable soil areas, floodplains, watersheds, areas required for the protection of water quality and water reservoirs, groundwater recharge areas, areas required for the protection and enhancement of air quality, and high priority ecological areas--see work already completed by Nature Conservatory for Pulaski County)
5. Develop an open space acquisition plan; create a special fund to acquire property, develop incentives for donating land for open space as part of a large scale developments, list priority acquisitions and timelines for their acquisitions   
6. Create incentives for private land owners to establish open space. 
7. Develop conservation easements as an alternative to city acquisitions.
8. Develop strategies to work with all governmental agencies (sharing data and information) especially other Pulaski County governmental units and the State Land Commissioner in regard to protecting and managing Arkansas River shoreline and river islands.
9. Develop plans to connect existing parks and open spaces both within the city, with those in adjoining communities, and state parks and state natural areas. 
10. Identify, manage protect open space associated with public utilities including (but not limited to) CAWD, Wastewater utility, Entergy, AHTD, railroad lines.
11. Develop incentives to restore damaged lands including (but not limited to) quarries, barrow pits, steam corridors and other brown field locations.
12. Develop a conservation subdivision ordinance that contains incentives for residential developers to use this type of subdivision.
13. Set specific goals for the amount of open space and public parkland for each census tract to ensure that all citizens have reasonable close access to parks and open space.
14. Develop clear lines of responsibility and authority within city government for carrying out open space policy (for instance, the Planning Commission may have the responsibility of identify areas that need to be saved as open space while the oversight of existing open space could be the responsibility of the Parks Commission). 
15. Create a position within City government to manage existing open space and work to manage acquisition plan

 

SECTION III

Other Recommendations that may be outside the scope of Open Space:
1. Develop a city wide infill strategy.
2. Review the master parks plan every 3 years. 
3. Identify ownership of the Fourche Creek floodway and flood plain;  Develop a plan to begin acquiring these properties
4. Develop a comprehensive plan for abandoned properties (both owned by the city and private owners) that could include using them to develop urban open space including additional parks, public gardens, etc.
5. Develop a comprehensive growth plan for the city which should include all of the current city department maps and plans.  The goal of the plan is to outline what the city will look like in the next 10/20/50 years.