By Ray King
An amended version of a resolution to create the Pine Bluff Downtown Development Collaborative Group was approved during a lengthy meeting of the Pine Bluff City Council at the Convention Center.
The vote was 6-1 to adopt the resolution with Council Member Glen Brown Sr. casting the only no vote. Council member Steven Mays was absent because of illness.
Council Member Lloyd Holcomb Jr. sponsored the resolution, which was originally listed as an ordinance, and after the meeting, he explained its purpose to Deltaplex News.
The legislation was amended to remove references to the City’s Economic and Community Development Department being responsible for evaluating projects and rezoning requests and includes them instead as one of the members of the group, which will consist of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Business Incubator, the Arts and Science Center of Southeast Arkansas, Go Forward Pine Bluff, Delta Rhythm and Bayous, Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Natural Trails Task Force, Southeast Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and Pine Bluff Downtown Development.
The group will focus on attracting more traffic and commerce to the downtown area.
With no dissent, a resolution supporting the development of public spaces in the Delta Rhythm and Bayous Cultural District was also approved.
According to the resolution, the cultural district includes the area between Main and State Streets from 4th Avenue to the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Regional Park.
