Board approves senior apartments – Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

City directors approved Siloam Springs’ first senior living housing in approximately 26 years during the city board meeting on Feb. 1.

The city board unanimously approved Resolution 10-22 regarding a significant development permit for Sager Creek Crossing Apartments, which will be located at 801 E. Lake Francis Dr.

Sager Creek Crossing will be a 60-unit multi-family project for seniors, said Senior Planner Ben Rhoads. The complex will have a minimum age requirement of 55 years of age and they will all be one-story units, Rhoads said.

Rhoads said city staff recommended planning commission approval with four conditions. The first condition was for the applicant to file a lot split permit on the property, Rhoads said.

The second condition was that the applicant will provide 10 feet of green space along the frontage of the property and the third condition is that the curve radius on the western side of the northern end of the driveway matches the eastern side on the construction plan, Rhoads said.

Lastly, the applicant is required to amend the drainage report sanitary sewer design and drainage channel along the west side of the property, Rhoads said. The planning commission approved the permit unanimously.

Upward Housing Group, the applicant, also filed a parking lot reduction, Rhoads said.

“That’s needed due to many of these units being single bedroom units, so the anticipation is not needing two vehicles for single bedrooms,” Rhoads said.

City directors weighed in on the complex. Director Marla Sappington said the parking situation worried her because she worked next to Heritage Heights and routinely sees cars parked everywhere, making it difficult to drive down the street.

Sappington also said not all seniors have only one vehicle and that 30 of the apartments are regulated for low-income applicants regardless of age.

Director David Allen asked if the developer could change the age limitation and was there a way for the city to prevent the applicant from doing so. Allen also said he liked the idea of new senior housing for Siloam Springs.

“I think that’s great for that market that we can have somebody come in and want to do this,” Allen said.

Allen also liked the lower rents for Sager Creek Crossing and that there were only three units that were low-income units.

Director Mindy Hunt echoed Allen’s sentiments on the need for more senior housing. Director Brad Burns mentioned some developments off Country Club Road that have different owners and how code enforcement will have to stay on top of those complexes to make sure they comply with city code.

City Administrator Phillip Patterson spoke about the low-income units saying there will be low-income apartments but for the applicant to maintain their Arkansas Department Finance Authority (ADFA) tax credit, all apartments will need to have the age limitation.

Patterson said those low-income units are reserved for seniors whose incomes are 30 percent or less than the average median income (AMI).

As for Burns’ comments, Patterson said there will only be one owner for city officials and code enforcement to reach out to if there is a problem. Patterson also said Upward Housing Group is required to own the property for 25 to 30 years.

Director Reid Carroll made one of the last comments, saying that he has been looking forward to seeing this come into Siloam Springs.

“It’s been good to see over the last couple years how it’s been working. I look forward to seeing the finished product,” Carroll said.