The Public Safety Council Committee of the City of Jonesboro voted Tuesday to forward four resolutions to the full City Council, including two property-condemnation measures, a walk-on agreement to participate in a five-year Trainfo Mobility demonstration with the Arkansas Department of Transportation, and a zoning-text amendment to allow retail sales as a conditional use in the I-2 General Industrial District.

The committee unanimously forwarded Resolution 25-007, which seeks condemnation of property at 300 East Pine Street, and Resolution 25-010, which seeks condemnation of property at 1108 Cartwright Street, to the full council for further action. Both motions were moved and seconded at the committee meeting and carried on voice votes; no public comment or administration remarks were recorded at the committee-level votes.

The committee also walked on and advanced Resolution 25-018, authorizing the city to enter a joint agreement of understanding with Trainfo Corporation and the Arkansas Department of Transportation to pilot the Trainfo Mobility Implementation Project (job 01/1237). Craig (staff member) described the project as an information system designed to let motorists and emergency dispatchers know when a rail crossing is closed before they arrive. “What this project is is a information system to, let motorists know if a train crossing is closed before they get there,” Craig said. He described sensors that would be placed at crossings including Henson Road, Dan Avenue and G Street, as well as digital message boards at Johnson Avenue and Main Street and beacons on Stadium Boulevard to indicate closures at Nettleton Avenue and Veil Circle. He said the crossing north of the airport is expected to receive an overpass and therefore is not included in the pilot.

According to the resolution text read into the record, the pilot will be funded through a Federal Highway Administration program administered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation and will be funded at 100% federal aid with no local match required. The measure directs the mayor, city clerk and city attorney to execute documents necessary to effectuate the agreement and calls for an oversight committee with representatives from the Arkansas Department of Transportation, the city and the FHWA. Craig said the demonstration will be five years in duration and that the city’s outlays would be limited to installation and ongoing maintenance of equipment; he also said the system will communicate with the 911 dispatch system so dispatchers will have real-time crossing status. The committee voted by voice to forward the agreement to full council; the motion carried.

The committee walked on and advanced Resolution 25-019, a zoning-text amendment to permit retail sales as a conditional use in the I-2 General Industrial District. A committee member explained that retail sales are already allowed in I-1 districts but were omitted from the I-2 list; the change would let factories operate limited company stores or sell goods directly to the public on a case-by-case basis through the MAPC conditional-use process. “Industrial 1, I-1 currently has a list of uses and retail sales is included in I-1, but for some reason, it was not included in I-2,” the member said. Councilmember Mr. Bryant asked that members be notified by email of such items in future meetings, saying, “I like to see us get an email on this, even if it's just 10 minutes before the meeting.” The committee voted to forward the zoning change to full council; the motion carried on a voice vote.

Public comment was called for and none was received on the items heard by the committee. The committee approved the minutes, took the votes described above, heard the Trainfo presentation, and adjourned.

Votes at a glance:
- Resolution 25-007 (condemnation of 300 East Pine Street): motion to forward to full council moved and seconded; committee vote carried (voice vote).
- Resolution 25-010 (condemnation of 1108 Cartwright Street): motion to forward to full council moved and seconded; committee vote carried (voice vote).
- Resolution 25-018 (Trainfo Mobility Implementation Project joint agreement, job 01/1237): walked on and recommended to full council; committee vote carried (voice vote). The resolution authorizes the mayor, city clerk and city attorney to execute necessary documents and establishes an oversight committee. Funding in the resolution is described as 100% federal aid through an FHWA program administered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation; the city’s expected costs were described as installation and maintenance only.
- Resolution 25-019 (amend schedule of uses to allow retail sales as conditional use in I-2 General Industrial District): walked on and recommended to full council; committee vote carried (voice vote). The change would leave conditional-use review to the MAPC.

Staff and committee members said there were no public comments and no administration objections recorded at the committee level. The items will next appear before the full Jonesboro City Council for final action.