West Memphis annexes west end property
West Memphis annexes west end property
600- acre addition expands city’s industrial space
news@theeveningtimes.com
West Memphis got a little bit bigger last week.
By way of ordinance and a slate of resolutions, 600 acres were added to the city of West Memphis during city council’s Oct. 19 meeting.
The 79-year-old local institution, Guaranty Loan & Real Estate Company petitioned the city to add a tract of its land north of Interstate 40, east of College Blvd. on the south side of the Mid America Industrial Park. The land forms a new solid connection along the interstate into the industrial center previously connected to the city by only a flagpole extension.
The measure passed with very little discussion on the part of city council members. West Memphis Economic Development executive director Phillip Sorrell outlined the area during a city council works session. Zoning designated for the newly annexed ground matched that of adjacent land where Bosch and the Family Dollar distribution center stand. Zoning for the annexation was designated for limited industrial use, I-1. It was a simple connect the dots explanation with a glance at the city map from the director.
“It just fills in the gap,” said Sorrell.
The annexation vote was unanimous except for the abstention of Councilman Tracy Catt employed by the real estate company concerned. The city has traditionally tried to balance its five wards by population. The new 600-acre tract was comprised of vacant farmland and created no new population imbalance and was added to the adjacent Ward 1 by the vote.
The annexation concluded with an affirmed resolution and three readings of a new ordinance to incorporate the acreage.
Catt abstained all the way through. The land addition was set to take 30 days before becoming official.
By John Rech
