Vision Plan

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.

Possible Actions:

City Wide:

• Develop a transit/tram system to serve residents and visitors and promote its use as a positive experience.

• Explore variable parking and transit rates to encourage transit usage.

• Explore perimeter parking lot locations to encourage park and ride traffic.

• Develop alternate routes into the downtown historic district to help reduce congestion on Highway 62.

Highway Corridor

• Attempt to improve access and safety on Highway 62 by consolidating curb cuts and private parking areas.

• Develop pedestrian islands at points along the highway corridor to serve as transit stops, information centers and landscaped rest areas.

Eureka Springs Historic District (Downtown):

• Identify desirable “shortcuts” to interconnect the various parts of the historic district and promote the use of auto, transit and pedestrian traffic.

• Control the movement of large vehicles such as trucks, RVs, and buses within the historic district by restricting the days or hours of use and/or other regulatory measures.

• Identify the extent and condition of the sidewalks and pedestrian zones within the district as a first step to implementing a streetscape improvements program.

• Develop a comprehensive parking plan which offers attractive alternatives to private auto use and long-term parking within the district.

Outlying Neighborhoods:

• Protect residential neighborhoods from thru-traffic.

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

Possible Actions:

• Extend the city’s tourist season into the winter months.

• Strengthen the city’s image nationally, as well as regionally.

• Support the retention and expansion of existing businesses while encouraging the development of new businesses along the highway corridor and within the historic district.

• Prepare a development opportunities plan and actively promote private development of specific sites in partnerships with public interests.

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

Possible Actions:

• Protect historically significant sites and architecturally important structures from all eras of the city’s development.

• Preserve the European village atmosphere of the Historic District by maintaining its character through street lighting, signage, street furniture and similar public elements.

• Provide historic markers and exhibits to emphasize significant sites and structures.

• Publish a visitor brochure that focuses on the city’s history as reflected in its built form.

• Explore the identification and designation of historic sites outside the Eureka Springs Historic District, especially along the highway corridor.

• Prepare and update maps and information on historic structures to assist developers with adaptive reuse projects.

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

• Enforce tree cuttings and tree preservation ordinance.

• Consider controls relating to limiting cut and fill on new development projects.

• Explore ways to incorporate the city’s lakes as special amenities for tourists interested in the area’s natural environment.

• Explore the development of nature trails for hiking, exploration and discovery.

• Improve the city’s sanitation facilities and reduce the use of septic tanks.

• Maintain the area’s natural qualities by identifying environmentally sensitive sites which require special development controls.

• Provide visitor information on the area’s natural features, processes, and ecosystems through brochures and exhibits.

Continue the historical significance of Eureka Spring’s parks, springs, and open space reserves as an essential element of the town’s life.

• Develop a “Trail of Springs” that connects the historical springs and tells their role in the city’s development.

• Study the city’s open space reserves for possible overlooks and pedestrian trails.

• Prepare a park and open space plan to fulfill a range of recreational needs of the residents providing ample sites and facilities.

• Explore the possibility of highway corridor parks as special landscaped rest areas in conjunction with other public facilities.

• Evaluate landscape ordinances for their impact on private development and their ability to support a city of trees.

• Encourage private “master gardener” programs to help with public landscape projects by supporting efforts in volunteerism for the creation of gardens throughout the town.

Enhance the character and significance of the city’s public buildings and use investments in the improvement of public facilities as inducements for private development.

Possible Actions:

• Develop a capital improvements program which comprehensively identified infrastructure needs and a schedule for their implementation.

Support facilities, programs and festivals which focus on the city’s special character as a center of creative talent and performance activities.

Possible Actions:

• Promote and enhance the city’s image and festivals which focus on local artists, the performing arts and the history of the arts in Eureka Springs.

• Promote public art as an expression of the city’s support for its artists and heritage.

• Develop a public signage program for the city that promotes excellence in graphic design.

• Encourage local businesses to maintain historical signs and to develop new signage that contributes to the character of the city.

• Explore the development of artist housing to encourage artists to live and work in the city; refer to national program, Art Space Inc., described in appendix.

• Encourage a cooperative marketing program for area artists.

• Investigate the history of highway art in the area and explore its development as a distinguishing element of the highway corridor.

Promote the development of new housing that is responsive to the natural terrain, offers variations in building types and densities as is available to a range of income levels.

Possible Actions:

• Develop programs to increase the permanent population within the Historic District and to maintain its character as a real place.

• Explore the use of the upper levels of commercial buildings in the historic district for loft apartment and residences.

• Develop a plan for providing affordable housing.

• Encourage the development of housing in a wide range of types, prices, and rent levels.

• Promote housing development approaches that utilize variations in density and design to integrate with the natural topography and surroundings.

Promote and awareness and understanding of the city’s form among residents and visitors to enhance its function and enjoyment.

Possible Actions:

• Produce a map of the entire City that makes its form comprehensible to the visitor.

• Produce a Landmark Plan as an aid in orienting visitors.

• Produce a Vistas Plan which identifies points providing views of distant landscapes, landmarks, and special nature features.

• Develop ‘You Are Here’ exhibit maps of various locations throughout the City as way-finders, aids, and orientation devices.

• Develop informational exhibits that deal with the City’s history, natural environment, culture, etc., and locate them in conjunction with transit stops, visitors center, parking lots, public parks, and similar points of high activity.

Establish an on-going planning process involving citizens, elected officials, and professional staff to administer planning regulations, promote positive development and periodically review the city’s progress toward its vision.

Possible Actions:

• Establish a Planning and Development department as a part of city government.

• Require an annual report by the city planning department to the city council on progress made toward achieving the city's vision.

• Produce a multi-year action plan that set forth a timetable for implementing priority projects.

• Review all existing city ordinances and regulations dealing with developments and evaluate them with regard to their positive and negative impacts.

• Maintain a strong citizen involvement in the planning process.

• Communicate to the City's residents a clear direction and priority concerns for planning that address the needs of all areas of the city and its citizens.