Bentonville rezonings to permit single-family homes

BENTONVILLE — The Planning Commission approved three rezoning requests allowing more single-family homes be built downtown as well as in the city’s southwest area.

The commission approved the requests 6-0. The first was to rezone 0.3 acres at 201 N.W. G St. from single family residential to downtown low-density residential.

Tyler Overstreet, city planner, said the Planning Department received one comment in opposition of the request.

Commissioner Dana Davis asked what the difference was between the single family residential and downtown low-density residential zonings.

They are zonings for single family homes, but the downtown low-density residential zoning has more flexible setbacks, especially with the front yard, Overstreet said. It allows the building to be closer to the property line.

“The property currently has a home and the owner would like to split the property in to two lots and keep the existing house on one lot and build a new house on the other lot,” Nick Rumancik, field operations manager for James Layout Services, wrote to the Planning Department on behalf of the property owners.

The second request was to rezone a half acre on Fillmore Street from single family residential to downtown medium-density residential.

The rezoning is needed to create residential less than 60 feet wide, according to meeting documents. The lots are under contract to be sold, and each will have a single-family house similar to the surrounding properties.

The third request was to rezone 5 acres on North Rainbow Farms Road from agriculture to residential estate, which encourages single family homes on larger than average lots, according to the planner’s staff report.

“No new structures will be construction at this time,” the rezoning narrative from Sand Creek Engineering reads.

The commission also tabled a sidewalk waiver after commissioner Richard Binns requested it be removed from the consent agenda.

The waiver request is for 1108 N.W. D St.

The property owners are planning to tear down a house and build another one, Overstreet said.

Brick columns of a fence are in the way of a sidewalk being constructed in line with the sidewalk on the property to the south, and there is a ditch just outside of the fence, Overstreet and commissioners discussed.

Northwest D Street is a dead end street and is near the trail system.

“A lot of times we’ll grant (sidewalk waivers) because there isn’t a sidewalk within 2 miles,” Binns said.

Commissioners talked about how there’s a lot of pedestrian traffic because of two nearby schools and requiring the sidewalk would improve safety.

Overstreet recommended commissioners table the item since it was removed from the consent agenda then discussed without a representative for the property present.

Commissioners agreed 5-1. Davis voted no. Commissioner Jim Grider was absent.