NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark — It's been a tough 24 hours for the North Little Rock community, as many have still been working to digest the rumors that had been making their way around.
Those rumors were of a proposed data mine that was reportedly making its way to their area.
On Tuesday night, homeowners and local businesses all gathered at a city meeting in North Little Rock where they expressed to the planning commission that they don't want a data center in their community.
According to the North Little Rock planning commission, a group called Tyler Investments had previously bought 1200 acres along Highway 165 headed towards Scott, Arkansas.
This week, they submitted a proposal to the board to rezone some of that land for future industrial projects like data mining. While the company is excited about this new business journey— North Little Rock residents were not.
"Industrialization would most certainly bring an increase in noise, traffic, smells, and pollution," said one resident.
Others shared similar concerns and focused on how it would diminish the value of their neighborhood itself.
"We want our homes to continue to hold [their] value if not increase and we start bringing industrial areas in and smaller homes in then our values are going to be dismissed," said another resident.
However, Mayor Terry Hartwick explained that residents don't have to worry.
"The rumor was, it was a data mining company coming in, well, first off, no. It can't come in," Hartwick added.
He said data mining is a lengthy process and that it won't be allowed in North Little Rock.
"Why would you want to put that kind of effort into a home, and a family area where you're going to raise your kids and have something like a data mine? That would be crazy, my goal is to protect that group," Hartwick described.
Mayor Hartwick said that while he's not opposed to businesses making North Little Rock their home, he wants to make sure they work to ensure that people living in the area are protected.
"They needed more time to explain what they can do in the areas that are considered industrial. Explain what your intentions are, and that makes for a good verbiage between the residents, myself, and the people who are trying to do something out there," Hartwick added.
The next meeting where Tyler Investments will once again be in front of the planning commission will be September 10, 2024.