Subdivision near Beaver Lake draws concern, tabled

FAYETTEVILLE — A proposed subdivision with a decentralized sewer system near Springdale was tabled after Beaver Water District officials raised concerns Thursday night.

“We’re trying to protect Beaver Lake drinking water for the residents of Northwest Arkansas,” said Larry Lloyd, chief operating officer for the district.

If built, Meadows at River Mist would be 1,500 feet away from Beaver Lake and about 12 miles upstream of the district’s intake. Several decentralized sewer systems have had problems in Washington County, Lloyd said.

Planning Board members tabled the proposed conditional-use permit for the property at U.S. 412 and Washington County 386 with little comment Thursday.

The subdivision, which was started in 2006 but stalled during the recession, is planned to have about 125 lots on 65 acres.

Developers had asked for a permit to reduce lot sizes from 1 acre to about 10,000-square-foot minimum lots. The permit request would have allowed a “density that is higher than that allowed by right,” according to planning records. A community sewer system was supposed to serve each lot and pump sewage up hill to a treatment facility, Senior Planner Nathan Crouch said.

One in seven Arkansans get drinking water from Beaver Lake, Lloyd said.

County Attorney Brian Lester said there’s nothing in the zoning ordinances to prohibit the type of community sewer system proposed for the subdivision. Planning board members questioned Thursday whether a permit could be denied over pollution concerns.

Beaver Water District officials disagreed with Lester and said the county has regulations to protect public health.

Planning staff listed several concerns with the project, including the proximity to the lake, the density of the subdivision and the slope of the land toward the lake. Some of the infrastructure for the subdivision also was installed 10 years ago.

And, the proposed subdivision would be built next to a subdivision with failing septic systems, Crouch said.

Memphis Snyder, one of the developers, said he plans to work with county officials and meet conditions. The project could be back before the board in about a month, he said.

Snyder is with FH&G Properties. His partners are Jamal Parker with Parker Enterprises, and Charles Presley, an engineer.

The Bank of Fayetteville, which owns the foreclosed property, is looking for a buyer but isn’t involved in the development.