Texarkana, Arkansas City Council Meeting Draws Big Crowd, Covers Zoning, Safety Issues

Texarkana, Arkansas City Council met Monday night with a full agenda and strong community turnout. Residents raised concerns over neighborhood safety, traffic issues, and controversial zoning decisions.

Texarkana, Arkansas City Council met Monday night with a full agenda and strong community turnout. Residents raised concerns over neighborhood safety, traffic issues, and controversial zoning decisions.

Charlotte Bradley, president of the local Delta Sigma Theta Sorority chapter, opened the meeting by praising city leadership and affirming the group’s civic engagement.

Much of the meeting focused on neighborhood concerns. Mount Addition resident Ledele Robinson voiced frustration over pollution from Tri-State Iron & Metal, urging action on a long-standing zoning issue. Another citizen, Mr. May, reported drug activity and unsafe conditions at abandoned homes on Pearl Street. City officials said demolition is stalled by legal hurdles.

Traffic signal outages were another key topic. Residents cited safety concerns, and City Manager Jay Ellington blamed repair delays on supply chain issues.

Zoning drew heated debate. The council narrowly approved a rezoning for 803 Laurel Street to allow a commercial auto garage, despite opposition. A second request on Jefferson Avenue passed without objection.

A decision on short-term rental regulations was postponed, with board members requesting more community input.

The meeting also included a discussion on giving board members more authority to bring ordinances forward, with some saying current rules give too much power to the city manager.

The meeting wrapped with updates on emergency alerts and storm debris cleanup. Mayor Allen Brown thanked residents for their input. The next meeting is set for May 5.