Is Hillcrest a Great Place to Live? Yes!

I love Hillcrest. I want to raise my family there and I want other families to be my neighbors so my home and yard will be full of friends and family – old and new.

What Makes Hillcrest Great?

  1. Great food scene: Hillcrest has a variety of great restaurants, cafes, and bars that offer a wide range of cuisine – from classic southern fare to international cuisine.
  2. Shopping: Hillcrest has a great selection of unique and independent shops and boutiques where you can find everything from vintage clothing to handmade jewelry.
  3. Parks and green spaces: Hillcrest is home to several beautiful parks and green spaces, including Allsopp Park and Kavanaugh Park, where you can go for a walk or enjoy a picnic.
  4. Community events: Hillcrest hosts several community events throughout the year, including the Hillcrest HarvestFest, a fall festival featuring food, live music, and local vendors.
  5. Farmer’s Market: The Hillcrest Farmer’s Market is a popular spot for fresh produce, baked goods, and locally made crafts.
  6. Strong sense of community: Hillcrest is known for its tight-knit community and active neighborhood associations, which work together to make the neighborhood a great place to live.

Should We Keep Hillcrest Just the Way it is? YES!

There are some changes being lobbied by a select few people, and they are representing that the neighborhood is behind them. The truth is that most of the people in the neighborhood does not know about these proposed changes.

Stop the HRA and New Restrictions

I have been to a couple of meetings about this and every time I have been to a meeting, there have been more objections than agreements. But that is not what the Hillcrest Resident’s Association (HRA is telling the Little Rock Planning Commission.

Should Hillcrest be Like the Heights? No – But that is already handled.

They act like they need to save Hillcrest, but there are already restrictions in place to keep it from needing to be saved. But they just keep pushing. In fact, at the first meeting I attended they wanted to limit all new construction to 1,500 sq. ft. You may think, “that does not apply to me,” but you have to read the definition of new construction.

The HRA Board is not being transparent about what they are doing. I have tried to track the progress of this and they do not even keep the public notified in a transparent manner that the public should demand! The current regulations they propose are not even located on the page dedicated to this very project – Design Overlay District | Hillcrest Residents

I tried to get a copy of what the HRA submitted to the Planning Commission, but I was denied access to that information. I was forced to FOIA the information and I am currently waiting on it. I will attach the information I receive from the FOIA to this post.

From my understanding, a mailer will be sent out soon, there will be a public hearing in March, and the Planning Commission will vote on it in April. I believe that this will occur without most people in Hillcrest even being aware of what is happening in their neighborhood.

What Will This Do to Hillcrest?

  • Make it Harder for Families to Live in Hillcrest
  • Make it More Costly to Renovate
  • Make it More Expensive to Remodel
  • Lower Property Values

Let’s try to keep Hillcrest the way it is. It is not the Heights, and it shouldn’t be. People (and families) should want to live there and be able to move in and fix up the houses (especially the vacant ones).

Here is what Hillcrest becomes:

Buy a house – lose money

Have a kid – forced to move.

Would you like to Oppose the New Hillcrest DOD Restrictions?