Dear Editor,

The owners of the home at 14 Washington St. have asked to rezone their property from R1 Victorian Residential to C3 Quiet Commercial to be allowed to have nightly rentals. They can’t apply for a Conditional Use Permit because there is a B&B with a CUP within 200 feet. Rezoning to C3 would allow 15 different uses including a restaurant.  The current owner is asking for nightly rentals but the next owner may choose to do anything else on the list.

In the early 2000’s the Stone Church, now the Gavioli, was R1 residential and the owners asked that it be rezoned to C3 commercial as it was across the street from Heath Works which was part of an historic C-3 zone on White Street.  We were worried about “creeping commercial” and now C-3 zoning is trying to creep from the Gavioli across Washington Street just as we feared.

Some of the criteria to be considered for rezoning by the Planning Commission are;

“Whether the proposed change will constitute a grant of special privilege to an individual owner instead of protecting the public welfare;

“Whether there are substantial reasons why the property cannot be used in accord with existing zoning”;

“Whether. It is impossible to find other adequate sites in the city for the proposed use in district’s already permitting such use”.

Owners of commercial properties should also be concerned as it is cheaper to rezone residential to commercial than to buy already appropriately zoned businesses or land taking away a potential buyer for their commercial property. 

Eureka Springs has had a longtime housing shortage aggravated by rezoning over the years. Our neighborhoods are why people visit and move here to be part of a real eclectic community. Protecting our neighborhoods from commercial encroachment is a good idea for our quality of life and for tourism.

The Planning Commission needs to hear from residents when making this neighborhood decision. Please email or write your concerns before the June 14 hearing to  khevrdejs@eurekaspringsar.gov or mail them to Planning Commission,  44 S. Main St., Eureka Springs, AR 72632.  If you write, letters must be received before June 14.   

To speak with the city planner call city hall 479-253-9703, ask for Kylee Hevrdejs for any questions you might have.

  Gwen Bennett