County delays vote on substation

BENTONVILLE — Benton County planners on Wednesday delayed action on plans for a proposed Carroll Electric Cooperative Corporation substation near Centerton.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to continue to June 6 a public hearing on plans for a substation on 15 acres at 12601 Herbaugh Road, just west of Centerton. The station would be on five acres within the parcel and include two 55-foot tall towers, circuit interrupters and transformers.

The board asked Jeff Smalley, Carroll Electric engineering manager, to bring additional landscaping and buffering plans for the site, along with information on noise levels and sight-line studies between the site and adjoining properties.

Property to the north of the site is agricultural. To the east is a residential subdivision, the West End subdivision, while property to the south and west is used for single-family residential and agricultural.

Smalley said the new facility is needed to accommodate the “explosive growth” of the area. He said there are two new schools in the area and 12 new subdivisions, with at least 700 lots. He said the electric cooperative’s facilities will likely need to be be expanded in the future as well.

The board first reviewed the plans during the Technical Advisory Committee portion of its May 1 meeting and set it for a public hearing at Wednesday’s meeting.

Several developers of nearby residential development expressed their concerns, as did Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards. Most said they were concerned about the substation diminishing the value of their property and suggested the project be moved.

Jim Cooper, West End developer, said he has invested millions of dollars in the subdivision and asked the board to consider the residential character of his development.

“Think about being in the back yard of your lot, wanting to look up and see the stars,” Cooper said. “You won’t have any problem seeing the stars because you’ll never see them. That thing’s going to be lit up like a Christmas candle.”

Brandon Bowen, Four Points subdivision developer, offered to buy the proposed site or trade land farther away from the subdivision for a substation site.

Edwards urged the board to consider another location.

“I would strongly recommend this project be considered in a different location, and a viable solution has been provided,” Edwards wrote. “Or simply move this project further west and away from these very high- dollar homes. This project will significantly impact those homes.”

Smalley said the location is in the center of the area of projected growth in demand and moving the substation to the locations suggested wouldn’t fill those needs.