Little Rock residents will see a new face leading Pulaski County’s planning and development office after County Judge‑elect Wendell Griffen announced the appointment of Chris Jones as director, according to KATV.
Jones, a Democrat who lost the race for Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District to Rep. French Hill by fewer than two percentage points, received about 49% of the vote, KATV reported. He holds a doctorate in urban planning from MIT, a credential the judge‑elect said equips him to handle the county’s ongoing land‑use challenges.
The timing of the appointment is significant because Pulaski County is in the midst of a heated dispute over hyperscale data‑center projects. Residents have voiced concerns about the impact of large‑scale facilities such as AVAIO Digital’s proposed development near Wrightsville. In response, Griffen helped draft new county regulations that impose additional requirements on such projects, and the Pulaski County Quorum Court recently overrode former Judge Barry Hyde’s veto of those rules.
Those regulations are now being contested in federal court. AVAIO Data Partners, the company behind the Wrightsville project, has asked a judge to block enforcement of the new ordinance. The next hearing on that challenge is set for Friday, November 20, KATV noted.
Griffen said Jones will assist the county in preparing for the AVAIO litigation and in implementing the regulatory framework approved by the Quorum Court. While an interim director has been running the office, Griffen and his team are already working through a transition period. Griffen is slated to assume office in January 2027, and Jones is expected to begin his duties then.
What’s next: County officials will monitor the November 20 court hearing for any rulings that could affect the enforcement of the new data‑center regulations. Residents should stay tuned for updates from the Planning and Development Department as the new director takes charge.
