Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Fayetteville planners sign off on rezoning near wetland
FAYETTEVILLE — Planning commissioners on Monday voiced support for the city’s plan to install solar panels at the wastewater treatment sites and preserve an area near a wetland.
The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to forward a rezoning request from the city for about 36 acres southeast of North 54th Avenue and West Persimmon Street. The area, north of the Woolsey Wet Prairie, will go from a residential district allowing up to eight units an acre to an agricultural zone.
An agricultural zone allows public protection and utility facilities as permitted uses. The City Council will have the final say on the zoning.
Last week, the council approved a 20-year agreement with Ozarks Electric Cooperative and Today’s Power Inc. to install solar panels for the city’s two wastewater treatment plants.
The Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant and Paul R. Noland facility on the east side of town make up about 67 percent of the city’s overall electricity use, according to city documents. In January, the city adopted an energy action plan seeking to run all city facilities on 100 percent clean energy by 2030.
The city should save $6 million in energy costs over 20 years by installing the panels and will get a return on investment within three years, according to the city’s projections.
The council also voted last week to preserve 44 acres near the Woolsey Wet Prairie. Much of the preserved area and the area requested for a rezone overlap. About 10 of the 36 acres the commission reviewed will be used for solar panels and the rest preserved.
The city-owned site of about 300 acres includes the prairie, wetlands, wastewater treatment plant, room for expansion of the plant, woods and historic Woolsey farmstead.
One solar array will take up about 23 acres east of the preserved area. Another array will go on 15 acres south of the preservation area, according to the Westside site plan.
Solar arrays for the Noland facility on the east side of town will go on about 36 acres across Wyman Road from the Biosolids Management Site.
Sustainability Director Peter Nierengarten said installation of solar panels will offset the otherwise costly consumption of the wastewater treatment plants.
The northwest portion of the site the commission considered Monday was previously under a residential district allowing up to eight units an acre. Nierengarten said a private developer had requested the residential district around the time of the recession. A project never came to fruition and the city bought the land.
The city’s master street plan would have Persimmon Street dip down into the property. Nierengarten said the revised plan is to widen Persimmon where it stands.
Commissioner Leslie Belden said the agricultural zoning is compatible with the rest of the site, which is also zoned agricultural. Any potential issues with the site plan will be addressed when it goes under review before the commission, she said.
Commissioner Zara Niederman noted it was humorous the city was coming before the commission with a downzoning request.
“I thought it’d be funny to give y’all a hard time for it,” he said. “But I’m excited about the project.”