A split Jonesboro City Council did not pass an ordinance that would have allowed for a large apartment complex to be built on South Caraway Road in Jonesboro. The vote was 6 voting for the project and 5 against the project...the ordiance needed 7 votes. Alderman Chris Gibson was absent for the meeting. The complex would have established 300 multi-family units. The property is currently zoned for commercial property and the request was for the area to be rezoned for residential property. Those who were against the project say South Caraway Road does not have the infrastructure to handle that large of a residential project. Nate Looney represented those who were in opposition.
"We are not opposed to multi-family housing," said Looney. "We believe this is at the wrong place and at the wrong time. There is a need to widen South Caraway Road, install turning lanes, and do other infrastructure projects before such a project can be placed at that location."
The project had the support of the City of Jonesboro's Traffic Engineer Mark Nichols, who looked over the plans and traffic studies. Nichols says as the property is zoned right now, it is not expected to take in the traffic volumes that a residential property would. It is estimated that 15-thousand vehicles drive on South Caraway daily.
The Jonesboro City Council were split on their votes. Six voted in support of the project and 5 voted against. The measure needed seven votes. Alderman Chris Gibson was not at the meeting. Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin could only vote in the event of a tie.
