Commission votes to revisit housing plan

Residents voice concerns over planned apartments

FAYETTEVILLE — Planning commissioners echoed the concerns of residents who live near the site of a proposed apartment complex on the northeast edge of town but held off on a decision at the developer’s request.

The Planning Commission voted 9-0 to table the plan for the Trails at Mud Creek apartments at the east end of Sain Street. The plan would have 180 units on just short of 8 acres. The commission will take up the plan again May 11.

The property is immediately east of another property proposed to be developed by Lindsey Management. The project would sit on both sides of the city’s planned street connection to link the dead end of Sain Street with the dead end of Vantage Drive.

Several neighbors last year opposed a rezoning request for the property to the west. The City Council tabled the request indefinitely at the developer’s request. Neighbors cited many of the same concerns about traffic, flooding and environmental impact with the development plan the commission saw Monday.

The 180 units would be spread across seven buildings. A private drive would cross the lot and connect to Sain Street. As part of the city’s conditions, construction could not begin until the city completes the Sain Street extension to Vantage Drive and a bridge is built over Mud Creek. That project is planned to wrap by 2022.

The meeting was held online via Zoom. Six members of the public spoke about the proposal by logging in and raising a “virtual hand.”

Mike Wallner, a Buckingham Drive resident, said part of the problem is the zoning is inappropriate. The land was zoned some 30 years ago as residential multifamily up to 24 units an acre. The area has changed significantly since then, he said. Plus, if the other piece of land is developed, traffic, pollution and runoff all could become significant issues, Wallner said. He advised the commission against making the wrong decision just because it might be the easiest one.

“It’s just the wrong thing to do for a piece of land that is really a gem in Northwest Arkansas,” Wallner said.

Commissioner Matt Hoffman said he agreed with many of the sentiments residents expressed during the meeting. However, the commission’s decision is hamstrung by very narrow criteria in city code, he said.

“I think this is a poorly designed and a poorly planned project. I think it could be done much better,” Hoffman said. “My problem is that I’m not sure our code supports that as a requirement.”

In other business, the commission rejected a request involving windows covering an addition to the building once housing Art Ventures at the square. The two-story addition is planned for the southeast side of the building.

Christ Community Church bought the building for $2.2 million late last year. The addition is needed for a stairwell and elevator to provide access for people with disabilities, Pastor Hunter Bailey said.

The building permit plan has three windows facing Block Avenue. The church requested one window instead, citing concerns with people standing at ground level and looking up at people walking upstairs.

The commission rejected the request, saying the church needs to adhere to downtown design standards for buildings. Downtown design standards require the portion of a building facing the street to be at least 50% covered with windows.

Additionally, the commission tabled a rezoning request for just short of 2 acres north of Huntsville Road and west of Crossover Road. The purpose of the request is to build about 15 affordable single-family homes, said Chris Bakunas with McClelland Engineers.

Commissioners asked Bakunas to come back at the April 27 meeting with a rezoning request allowing for some commercial land use mixed in with the residential use.