The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Student Housing Gets Green Light From City Council
By Christopher Spencer
The Morning
FAYETTEVILLE - A student housing complex planned for south Fayetteville received approval Tuesday from the City Council.
Approval comes despite vocal opposition by some neighbors and months of discussion by city officials about whether or not the 288-unit development is compatible with the area.
The $50 million development sits less a quarter-mile from the University of Arkansas and employees of Place Properties, which will manage the Hill Place complex, intend to market to students.
"I believe the positives outweigh the negatives," said Ward 1 Council Member Brenda Thiel. Approval was opposed by two city council members, Lioneld Jordan and Nancy Allen.
Some residents said they were concerned that the development could create flooding in other areas of the neighborhood.
The Hill Place complex is planned on 13 acres off Hill Avenue and Sixth Street, on the site of the former Aspen Ridge project that was abandoned in 2006. The site has been in one form of development or another for at least four years.
City planner Jeremy Pate said 37 conditions were attached to the project before city staff felt it would be compatible.
Allen said she opposed the development because, after Aspen Ridge was abandoned, city leaders have a special obligation to protect the neighborhood. She said she wondered what other city residents thought about the land being used as a "dormitory" for students.
The site was cleared of most of its trees before the Aspen Ridge project was abandoned. Hill Place will use much of the existing improvement and will make changes to address stream quality and runoff concerns, said Todd Jacobs, the project engineer, at a council meeting last month.
The management company rents rooms centered around common areas shared by residents. Community advisers, similar to resident advisers in a university dorm, will live in the complex to oversee it.
The city council also denied an appeal by the developer of Bridgedale Plaza to have the land where it would be located rezoned. The development was proposed as a mixed-use development off Huntsville Road in southeast Fayetteville. The 16-acre site would combine commercial space, duplexes, houses and a storage facility.
Planners supported all aspects of the project except the storage, Pate said.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Tree frogs enjoy World Peace Wetland Prairie and adjacent vegetated land despite removal of 30 acres of prime habitat for Aspen Ridge/Hill Place
Please click on image to ENLARGE photo of tree frog sounding off about 50 feet from World Peace Wetland Prairie on June 2, 2008. Tree frogs were abundant on the now treeless Aspen Ridge project land until it was cleared of timber in the summer of 2005. After tonight's Fayetteville City Council meeting, all references to Aspen Ridge may be appropriately read as HIll Place.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Pincer lost in basement by cave-dwelling crayfish on June 1, 2008, near the Hill Place development site
Please click on link to Enlarge photos of pincer of cave-dwelling crayfish photographed on June 1, 2008, in a basement near the Aspen Ridge/Hill Place development site.
Basement (cave) crayfish in the Town Branch Neighborhood
Please click on images to ENLARGE photo of crayfish that comes from underground into the basement of an old home in the Town Branch Neighborhood. The house is on a wetland lot with a capped well and standing water after extended rain such as on the day this photo was made, June 1, 2008. The area is near the Aspen Ridge/Hill Place development site and in the same watershed of the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River.
Months, ago, the owner of the house with the basement often flooded and populated by crawdads, had said that his basement had white (albino) blind crayfish. I wish I had gone down there that day to check it out and visited often since. But today I went there and a pump was running to sent the excess water outdoors, but the only crawdad I found was not albino. It was, however, pale and almost clear in places. I hope someone will suggest a positive identification. Its situation suggests that it came up from the aquifer, from a cave, rather than from a shallow burrow typical of the indigenous Ozark or Osage crayfish. Maybe I'll get another chance to visit and spot one of the white, blind crayfish. Not many people have seen such endangered species. It would be a privilege to photograph one.
Months, ago, the owner of the house with the basement often flooded and populated by crawdads, had said that his basement had white (albino) blind crayfish. I wish I had gone down there that day to check it out and visited often since. But today I went there and a pump was running to sent the excess water outdoors, but the only crawdad I found was not albino. It was, however, pale and almost clear in places. I hope someone will suggest a positive identification. Its situation suggests that it came up from the aquifer, from a cave, rather than from a shallow burrow typical of the indigenous Ozark or Osage crayfish. Maybe I'll get another chance to visit and spot one of the white, blind crayfish. Not many people have seen such endangered species. It would be a privilege to photograph one.
Next weekend everyone can fish without a license. Give it a try. You might become a conservationist
Free Fishing Weekend Includes Derby
Catfish Eager To Bite At Craig Hatchery
Last updated Wednesday, May 28, 2008 4:05 PM CDT in Outdoors
By THE MORNING NEWS
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Anglers can fish without a license in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma the first weekend of June when each state observes its free fishing weekend.
Fishing license requirements are waived during free fishing weekend so anglers can sample the fishing in these states without paying for a license.
Arkansas' free fishing weekend begins at noon on Friday, June 6 and runs through June 8. Free fishing weekend in Missouri and Oklahoma and Oklahoma is June 7-8.
The Arkansas event includes fishing derbies for youngsters at Arkansas Game & Fish Commission fish hatcheries, including the Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery in Centerton.
Fishing is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to youths 12 and under. Young anglers must be accompanied by an adult. Anglers should provide their own bait, fishing rod and a cooler to take home their limit of three catfish.
Two ponds at the hatchery are stocked with catchable size channel catfish that are eager to bite for young anglers.
Door prizes are given away throughout the event and there are catfish with tags that can be redeemed for prizes.
Canoeing on a hatchery pond will be available. The Daisy BB gun range will also be on site.
For more information call the hatchery at (479) 795-2470.
Catfish Eager To Bite At Craig Hatchery
Last updated Wednesday, May 28, 2008 4:05 PM CDT in Outdoors
By THE MORNING NEWS
Email this story
Print this story
Comment on this story
Anglers can fish without a license in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma the first weekend of June when each state observes its free fishing weekend.
Fishing license requirements are waived during free fishing weekend so anglers can sample the fishing in these states without paying for a license.
Arkansas' free fishing weekend begins at noon on Friday, June 6 and runs through June 8. Free fishing weekend in Missouri and Oklahoma and Oklahoma is June 7-8.
The Arkansas event includes fishing derbies for youngsters at Arkansas Game & Fish Commission fish hatcheries, including the Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery in Centerton.
Fishing is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to youths 12 and under. Young anglers must be accompanied by an adult. Anglers should provide their own bait, fishing rod and a cooler to take home their limit of three catfish.
Two ponds at the hatchery are stocked with catchable size channel catfish that are eager to bite for young anglers.
Door prizes are given away throughout the event and there are catfish with tags that can be redeemed for prizes.
Canoeing on a hatchery pond will be available. The Daisy BB gun range will also be on site.
For more information call the hatchery at (479) 795-2470.
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