NO CHANGES: Buddy Villines late date, in lobbying county like Lake Maumelle plan the officials, or in making way it is — good for Deltic. public statements to rally Kathy Wells, president of the citizens to act. Coalition of Greater Little The helping hand you seek to Rock Neighborhoods, reported protect your drinking water to members yesterday after is at the end of your own the Central Arkansas Water wrist. If you want to roll Commission meeting on back the special status proposed land use rules for granted Deltic Timber Co. in the Lake Maumelle watershed. this Oct. 4 version of the They've been, well, watered Zoning Code, write a letter down considerably to be more to the editor of your to the liking of Deltic newspaper; call your TV news Timber, the big developer desk. Note: Deltic is owner that controls most of the of 12,000 acres in the land in the watershed. Pulaski part of the Watershed, CAW hasn't taken a position which also has area in Perry yet, but Wells makes it clear Co. and Saline Co. Nobody that the power is in the else comes close to that size hands of County Judge Buddy in ownership ready for Villines and he's indicated development. By the way, he's not budging. This Deltic reported Net Income on continues a historic pattern its last annual report of $12 of Villines' obeisance to million. They want all the Deltic, which began years ago profits they can get from when he fought for their development around Lake annexation into the city Maumelle; it is debatable (without impact fees, whether they need it to stay naturally) but outside the in business in these hard Little Rock School District. times. Wells sounds the alarm for Email Van McClendon, co. citizens to be heard. planning director, at: Villines would argue that the vmcclendon@co.pulaski.ar.us plan being proposed — mild as tell him you don’t want city it is — is still being fought development on the slopes of strenuously by the Koch/black our drinking-water reservoir helicopter lobby and the — roll back the changes of county will be lucky to get the Oct. 4 code, so we don’t any sort of regulations allow 36,000 houses in this adopted by the Pulaski Quorum part of our watershed. Delete Court, which isn't broken out the provision that allows with brilliance. Village development (2 houses Kathy's report: per acre) in 40 percent of To CGLRN from Pres. Kathy the Low-Impact Residential Wells: District — where one house At today’s meeting of the per acre had been the rule Central Ark. Water Commission, throughout. Demand one house citizens, staff and on a three-acre lot. Demand Commission members discussed wider buffers on stream banks about the county’s proposed — 75 ft. wide buffers. Delete Maumelle Zoning Code, and how permission to build apartment well or poorly that served complexes in the Village the needs to keep our District, around Little Italy. drinking water clean. Put yourself on record as The Commission took questions insisting the county uphold from the public, and I was the strongest possible able to ask whether Graham protections for our drinking Rich, Ex. Dir. Of the water water. This Zoning Code utility, had been able to version flunks that test! discuss his concerns about Water-drinkers will pay to the Oct. 4 version of the clean up Deltic’s pollution proposed Zoning Code with if this code is approved Judge Floyd (Buddy) Villines without change. Latest of Pulaski Co., the long-time estimate for a new treatment office-holder and former plant: $60 million. planner. There may be future Yes, Rich said, he had spoken discoveries that some devices to Villines, and no, Villines or barriers failed to keep was not willing to make any pollution out of the lake — changes to this Oct. 4 but it would be unrealistic version of the proposed code. to expect county officials, When I asked why he took this or utility executives, to position, Rich replied that stand up to Deltic and demand Villines said he had met with they change their ways. They various interested parties, won’t tell Deltic those “Best and this addressed all Management Practices” don’t concerns enough that Villines work, and to spend more money would hold to this version to do it over, and do it unchanged. right. Villines holds the balance of Before everyone puts their power in this debate — faith in human engineering, utility officials will not let’s recall the record of gainsay him, because, they Alotian Golf Course, the say, they must live with recreation of millionaires. whatever the county enacts That was to be built super- for a zoning ordinance. They carefully, so no chemicals or will literally take what he pesticides ran off the course gives them. into that lovely lake nearby. He overawes members of the Your drinking water, and mine. Pulaski Co. Quorum Court, Great expense was invested in many of whom vote the way he retention ponds, diversion directs them. They will have channels, the works. That the final vote on this code. lasted a whole month before a The CAW Commission is to meet big, green stain appeared in in special session the Lake Maumelle, leading right afternoon of Mon., Nov. 21st, back to Alotian. Oops! Yes, and render an opinion of the deeper ponds were dug, to Oct. 4 Zoning Code to the hold runoff, and other Pulaski Co. Planning channels were added. We were Commission, due to consider a all lucky; the chemicals that vote on this code the next time were not deadly to day. Commission members have people, or the lake quality. not entered the fray up to Are you feeling lucky today? now; it is unlikely any will Want to gamble again? Keep assert a strong voice at this silent.
Tags: Environment, Lake, Maumelle, outlook, Pessimistic, Rules
