County planners OK boat storage plans — with stipulations

BENTONVILLE — Benton County planners on Wednesday approved plans for a proposed boat storage business on Arkansas 94 east of Rogers but required the developers to submit revised plans to meet the board’s stipulations.

The Planning Board held a public meeting on a proposal for a boat storage business at 14100 E. Arkansas 94. The plans were presented by Robert Pennington of Addison, Texas, and Travis Pennington of Rogers.

According to information presented, the business would be on 8.24 acres with the business itself taking up about one acre. The plans call for an 8,400 square-foot storage building and an outdoor storage area. The storage business would be surrounded by security fencing and have a key pad for access to the storage units.

The property is adjacent to single-family residential areas on two sides, to the north and west, with vacant highway frontage on the east and south.

Several neighbors spoke in opposition to the proposal, with most pointing to

the rural, residential character of the area as being incompatible with a heavy commercial use such as the storage business. The neighbors also raised concerns about traffic on the highway and the possible negative impact on their property value.

Two members of the audience supported the plan, pointing to other properties in the area as “eyesores” and saying the proposed business will be an improvement and provide a service to the area.

The board told the Penningtons they wanted them to shift the orientation of the building to match the topography of the parcel and shift it slightly further back on the lot. The board also required ttrees along the building be marked on the plan and additional plantings to buffer the building from the highway be identified. The board also stipulated the building be constructed with neutral or earth-tone materials.

Kevin Gambrill, planning director, said the Penningtons will have to meet the board’s stipulations as part of the planning and building permit process before they can occupy the building.