Items regarding the Batesville Downtown Historic District, the Temporary Entertainment District in Riverside Park, and the future of Riverside Park itself were on the agenda of last night’s Batesville City Council meeting.
The council approved amending the boundaries of the Temporary Entertainment District in Riverside Park. Last year, the city established the temporary district “…encompassing the area at Riverside Park from south from Steelhouse Branch between the White River and Chaney Drive to the River restaurant.”
According to the new ordinance, the boundaries of the temporary district are being amended to help promote an upcoming summer concert series at the park funded by a Levitt Foundation Grant. Batesville was one of 33 towns and cities nationally that received the grant for the series thanks to the efforts of Main Street Batesville, the City of Batesville, and residents of Independence County. (For more on the Levitt AMP Batesville Music Series, click here.)
Above: An aerial photo of the amended Temporary Entertainment District Boundaries in Riverside Park as attached to the ordinance presented at last night’s council meeting. An aerial photo of the original district boundaries at the park is pictured below.
According to last year’s original ordinance adopted by the city before the annual July 4 festivities at the park, the temporary district “…shall only exist during specific dates, times, and for specific events as designated by the Mayor through proclamation.” The move allows individual patrons of an on-premise retail alcohol beverage licensee to exit the establishment with one designated container bearing an entertainment district logo during specific times designated by the mayoral proclamation. Anyone with a beverage in the temporary district is not allowed to drink outside the confines of the temporary district. Alcoholic beverages purchased outside the entertainment district are also not allowed in open containers within the temporary district. (Click here for the original story.)
Also approved by the council at last night’s meeting was a resolution to enter into a contract with an ecological design group and architectural firm to develop a master plan for Riverside Park.
The intent of the “Riverside Park and Event Center Master Plan” from Ecological Design Group, Inc. and Taggart Architects is to plan an “event center and park space so that they are cohesive designs and create the hub for outdoor recreation for the community and enhance the public space in the form of a new active lifestyle park,” according to a letter from the firms to Jeff Owens, Batesville’s parks and recreation director.
The firms’ services will be “…to provide professional design services for the development of Riverside Park; including a new event center and the re-envisioning of the Riverside Park space.”
Last year, the council approved the purchase of property on Meyers Street and St. Louis Street that would be “…crucial to the expansion and beautification of Riverside Park.” (Click here for that story.)
At a November 2022 meeting, Mayor Rick Elumbaugh told council members the development of the property would be a “game-changer for our community.”
“We will be releasing other plans as we go forward,” Elumbaugh said at the time.
Also, at last night’s meeting, the council adopted an ordinance expanding the downtown Historic District based on a recommendation by the Batesville Downtown Historic District Commission.
Above: A description and the map of the amended Historic District as attached to the ordinance presented at last night’s council meeting. (City of Batesville)
The City of Batesville Zoning Map will also be amended to reflect the new Historic District description.
The duty of the Batesville Downtown Historic Commission is “…to safeguard the city’s historic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in such areas.” The recommendation by the commission was based on the expansion of the boundary by the National Register.
And in addition, the council approved a resolution at the meeting to destroy certain outdated city documents.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ. White River Now updates are also aired weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5.
