Board revisits substation project

BENTONVILLE — Benton County planners on Wednesday heard revised plans for a proposed Carroll Electric Cooperative substation near Centerton rejected by the county in June. The Planning Board reviewed the new plans during the Technical Advisory Committee portion of Wednesday’s meeting. A public hearing on the proposal will be held at the board’s Aug 1 meeting. The board voted 6-0, with one abstention, against the Carroll Electric project at its June 7 meeting after a pair of public hearings at which developers of nearby properties objected, claiming the substation isn’t compatible with residential development and would lower the value of their property. Concerns over noise and light pollution from the substation, as well as possible safety issues, were also raised. The Planning Board cited the incompatibility of the proposed substation with surrounding residential development in voting against the plans. The plans are 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. At the first hearing the board asked Jeff Smalley, Carroll engineering manager, to add more landscaping and buffering to plans for the site, along with information on noise levels and sight-line studies between the site and adjoining properties. Smalley said the new facility is needed

to accommodate the growth of the area. In the revised plan, presented by Smalley, the property would have a 150-foot buffer zone between the substation and the eastern property line. A 20-foot high earthen berm, with landscaping on the berm, would shield the substation from the property to the east. In the initial proposal the berm was 5 feet high. The project would have a minimum 50-foot buffer zone to the west, north and south. “I think that’s fairly consistent with some of the warehouse projects we’ve looked at,” board member Ashley Tucker said. Smalley said his landscape architect has told him the berm will be able to sustain the landscaping placed on top of it. Smalley asked the board for clarification as to whether the revisions met the suggestions from the previous hearings calling for “extreme” mitigation and buffering. Tucker noted the development is buffered on all sides. Torrez said the changes satisfied him.“I would consider this extreme,” Torrez said. “This is much taller than a 5-foot berm.” 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. Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards said the city anticipates more property in the area being annexed into the city and more residential development is expected. Smalley also presented plans for another substation at 10190 Bredehoeft Road. He said the new substation is needed to serve the Simmons Foods plant being built just across Bredehoeft Road. Also Wednesday the board approved plans for a wedding and reception venue on 20 acres at 4916 and 5034 N. Arkansas 94 near Rogers presented by Ryan Fellows of Bentonville. The plans call for an 1,800-square foot event area that will include bride/ groom suites, green space, outdoor decks, and a gravel parking area with 44 parking spaces. Several neighbors spoke of their concerns about traffic on the highway and possible problems with noise from events. Board member Stephen Torrez said the project is very similar to another the board just recently approved. The board voted 5-1 to approve to project.