During a regular meeting Tuesday, the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors will again consider a land-use ordinance that would allow home construction on lots smaller than those now permitted.
The ordinance would make it legal to build single-residence homes on lots that existed before zoning changes in 1988 declared them too small.
It is meant to make it easier to develop hundreds of lots in the city that are slightly undersized under current rules.
"We're just trying to remove obstacles to development," City Planner Mary Beck told the board last November, explaining that the process of re-platting land into larger lots costs developers time and money. The result is unused land that often becomes overgrown.
The board tabled the ordinance in response to public concern that it would allow the construction of so-called "tiny houses."
Establishing any new regulations for the trendy homes is a separate issue not addressed by the proposed ordinance. There are no city rules against building such houses-typically defined as less than 400 square feet in size-as long as they comply with all building codes.
Also on the agenda is a measure authorizing purchase of software licenses for Texarkana Water Utilities.
The board will meet in executive session and then vote on reappointing Ricky Pondexter and Ray Cox to the Board of Adjustment and Brandon Cogburn to the Advertising and Promotion Commission.
The agenda includes a citizen communication time during which members of the public may address the board on any topic for up to five minutes each.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 216 Walnut St.