Vision Plan

UPDATE ON PROPOSED URBAN DESIGN POLICIES

Eureka Springs Planning Commission 2020-2021

Approved by Planning Commission March 9, 2021

TRANSPORTATION

Improve accessibility within the city and surrounding areas by emphasizing a coordinated approach to transportation and circulation improvements, including roadways, parking facilities, transit services, pedestrian areas and information/communication systems.

  • Eureka Springs currently has an excellent transit system. Trolleys run four routes year-round with over 100 stops, including runs to Thorncrown Chapel, Lake Leatherwood City Park and The Great Passion Play. Visitors can board near their lodgings. There is a Park and Ride at the entrance to downtown with ticketing, restrooms, visitor information and parking for cars and larger vehicles. There is a Transit Center on Highway 62 with ticketing, parking, restrooms and visitor information. Next to the Courthouse downtown there is a Trolley Depot with restrooms, ticketing and visitor information.

  • One and two-day passes are sold at a reasonable price as well as 30-day passes for residents with discounts for seniors and those with disabilities. Additionally, Share-A-Ride provides on-call transportation within the city limits at a flat-rate per boarding and outside city limits at a flat-rate plus mileage fee. The Transit Department also offers ADA Paratransit rides.

  • The transit routes pick up passengers at some large private perimeter lots such as The Great Passion Play and Pine Mountain. The city has partnered with a private company to provide an app to pay for parking via smart phones. The city also has a free parking lot on North Main Street with restrooms.

  • Though the terrain makes it difficult to add roads, a few alternative routes have been developed and/or improved. Passion Play Road/Magnetic Spring Road provides entry to downtown via North Main Street. From here one can also cut across Grand Avenue and go uphill to the Historic Loop or across to Pivot Rock Road and re-join Highway 62 West well past downtown.

  • Due to cost, this has not been explored. The city deploys police officers to manually control traffic at the intersections of Highway 23 South and Highway 62 East and at the top of Planer Hill during busy times of day and high traffic events. Eureka Springs participated in a regional wayfinding signage program to add attractive, uniform signage to direct visitors along the highways.

  • These have been considered in the limited amount of new construction along Highway 62, but not mandated by Municipal Code.

  • This has been implemented on a limited level. The Transit Department provides attractive trolley stop shelters along Highway 62 and Main Street. Some of those have been enhanced with interpretative signage about the history of that spot. Also several “gateway” enhancements have been created. One is the Planer Hill Park & Ride entrance to downtown from Highway 62 with the Visitor Center, restrooms and public art. Another is at the entrance on North Main Street with a free parking lot, restrooms and a Music Park with picnic area. The Eureka Springs Community Center on Highway 62 West also offers visitor information, recreation and farmers’ market.

  • There are several shortcuts used by local residents to alleviate some of the heavier trafficked entrances to Highway 62: one-way up South Armstrong; one-way down Lower Wall Street; Flint/Council Streets to East Mountain Drive; Magnetic to Passion Play Road; Grand Avenue to North Main; Grand Avenue to Pivot Rock Road.

  • Use of a funicular to move people from the railroad depot to the Great Passion Play was briefly explored and found to be too expensive. The idea has not been further pursued.

  • Municipal Code limits the hours and routes of large vehicles. Tour buses are required to unload at the courthouse then park elsewhere or notify the Police Department for escort if they are going to lodging on the Historic Loop. The Transit Department offers narrated Tram Tours for visitors during the busy season.

  • Many of the sidewalks within the historic district have been in poor condition for many years. Documentation of needed repairs has been done. Most of the sidewalks are the responsibility of private property owners. Municipal Code was changed to offer more affordable options to historic limestone in many locations and an enforcement plan has been implemented. This is hampered by limited enforcement resources. However, new city-owned sidewalks were installed on one side of South Main Street from downtown to Highway 62 on Planer Hill and on North Main Street to the city limits. A grant also funded a new sidewalk on Highway 62 east from the entrance to Main Street. Plans for more sidewalks are being explored. Bike lanes have been discussed. The Parks & Recreation Department has developed and implemented in-town hiking and biking trails.

  • This has not been done. It has been suggested that the parking requirements in the Municipal Code be re-visited.

  • This has not been explored due to the lack of alternative routes and parking difficulties.

  • Currently, the only means of discouraging and slowing thru traffic is speed bumps and police presence.

    The thought is that thru-traffic is primarily local residents.

  • Eureka Springs has not had many new subdivisions. It seems hard to envision locations which would not rely on Highway 62 or Highway 23 for access though not necessarily directly.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Support the economic growth of the area by promoting tourism, facilitation new development interests, and using public improvements to stimulate private investment.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Preserve and enhance the city’s Historic District, important structures and period features. Focus on the history of Eureka Springs as the unifying theme of the community.

  • Eureka Springs tourist season has expanded since 1996 when it was still primarily April through October. In November and December, city businesses remain open for the Christmas season, and there are special events such as the Candlelight Tour of Homes and Christmas Parade. January and February are still quiet, but most of the town is open especially for New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day, with a downtown music festival aimed at a younger audience in January. Eureka Gras, our local Mardi Gras, celebrations run from February into March, then Spring Breaks activities flow into full season.

    Ecotourism is becoming increasingly important to Eureka Springs. Our mild climate makes outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking popular in cooler weather when the snakes and insects are scarcer. There is now a wide variety of in-town hiking trails, new mountain biking trails in-town and at Lake Leatherwood City Park. LLCP has new gravity biking trails with shuttle service back to the top. This 1600 acre city park also offers swimming, boating, fishing, camping and ball fields.

    Our location between the Kings and White Rivers is ideal for canoeing, kayaking and fishing.

    Nearby Beaver Lake and Table Rock Lake are also meccas for boating, swimming and camping. Natural attractions such as caves and state parks are also close to Eureka Springs.

  • Eureka Springs has received recognition from many national organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Planning Association. Our City Advertising and Promotion Commission promotes the town with regional and national adverting and marketing. We are frequently near the top of “Best of..” lists in many magazines. Social media has been a good way to share photos and experiences with the world.

  • Several organizations and groups are working on this.

    Eureka Springs Main Street is part of state and national economic development programs to maintain and enhance vitality in historic downtown areas.

    They show commercial property listings, offer entrepreneur education consulting, collect sales and foot traffic data and help merchants expand sales beyond their storefront. For example, our Main Street program received grant funds to launch Ozark Incubator for artist business education.

    The Greater Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce offers a website with specific information informing potential businesses of the many benefits of bringing their business to our area and educational opportunities for those already here.

    The Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development is an opportunity for those engaged in economic development to meet and work toward specific goals.

  • The Carroll County Collaborative (C3) is a non-profit public/private group working to promote Carroll County and the individual cities of Eureka Springs, Berryville and Green Forest with the goal of creating growth and opportunities for all. They assist government, civic, public and private entities committed to identifying and acting on economic development, education, workforce development and job creation opportunities for Carroll County. The current priorities for C3 are: workforce development for both adults and youth through trade and tech academies, incubator/apprentice programs, and a new culinary institute. C3 is focused on procuring affordable housing and education residents on how to access this housing. C3 is also involved in county-wide efforts in new business development and existing business retention and expansion, plus infrastructure and land use development.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Protect, preserve, and promote the beauty and amenities of the city’s natural surroundings.

  • Eureka Springs Historic District Commission has been working on this since local legislation was passed in 1978. In 2005 the National Park Service raised the status of our historic district to “Nationally Significant.” The architectural integrity of Eureka Springs is directly due to legislated oversight by the Eureka Springs Historic District Commission.

    Our local legislation made it possible for Eureka Springs to join the Certified Local Government program in 1990. This is a National Park Service program administered through the state historic preservation office. It provides pass-through grant funds for training local historic district commissioners and staff, community education, and local projects. Since 1978 over $2 million in grant funds and tax credits have been awarded to the city, local non-profits, churches, and individuals to preserve our historic buildings.

    The Historic District Commission is a group of seven community volunteers nominated by the mayor and approved by City Council. They provide a review process for all exterior alterations within the district boundaries. The review is a requirement before a building permit can be issued so work in not done randomly.

    Eureka Springs Historic District is well regarded within the state and nationally. Through our local preservation effort we were the first “Preserve America Community” in Arkansas, a “Distinctive Destination” of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a “Great Places in America: City Streets” of the American Planning Association along with many other awards and recognitions.

  • The Eureka Springs Preservation Society has partnered with the city on some of these elements. They placed streetlights at all the major springs that match those in historic photographs. ESPS also provided local limestone picnic tables at the springs.

    The city installed reproduction vintage railings, trolley shelters, sidewalks and retaining walls.

  • Through a Preserve America grant, fifteen interpretative signs were placed downtown.

    Through private efforts, 30+ bronze plaques were placed on downtown buildings, springs, and private homes.

    A large Civil War Sesquicentennial Historic Marker was installed to note the role the healing springs played in the war.

  • Eureka Springs Preservation Society publishes a popular Walking Tour booklet, soon to be re-printed in its fourth edition.

    The fifteen interpretative signs focus on architecture as well as history.

  • An Arkansas Heritage Month grant provided a popular photographic display highlighting the roadside architecture, which is still plentiful along historic Route 62, one of the early cross-continental highways. A brochure was also printed to accompany the display.

    This collection of motels, cabins, and restaurants from the 1930s to 1960s is finally being recognized as an important historic asset. Some of these vintage properties are highlighting their highway history. One is outside the Historic District, but the owners successfully applied to have it individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    Two city parks, Black Bass Lake and Lake Leatherwood City Park, lie outside the Historic District, but have assets listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    Recently, the Eureka Springs City Cemetery was awarded National Register status which enabled their commission to receive grant funds to preserve the grave markers and monuments.

  • Eureka Springs acceptance into the Main Street Arkansas program has enabled our local Main Street Program to assist those interested in bringing business here. This program also provides resources for individual businesses and buildings.

    Our City Historic Preservation Officer is also a resource for this type of information. She has files on several historic properties that could be tax-credit projects such as the Ice House/Power House on North Main Street and Perkins Mill Complex on Center Street.

    The Mayor’s Task Force on Economic Development also assists developers and new businesses interested in Eureka Springs.