Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Commission OKs 82-lot subdivision
FARMINGTON — With the approval of the preliminary plat for a new single-family subdivision, the city now has 11 new subdivisions in play, with some almost finished, some under construction and others in the beginning stages.
The Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat for Hillcrest Subdivision, which will be on the west side of Arkansas 170 between Sunrise Lane and the sharp curve across from the turnoff to Garland McKee Road.
Nick Limbird owns the property, and Jorge Du Quesne with Blew & Associates engineering firm of Fayetteville represented the owner at the commission’s Aug. 24 online meeting,. At one time, 40 people were signed into the meeting.
The subdivision will have 82 residential lots on 35 acres. The property is zoned R-1, which requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet.
Other ongoing subdivisions in Farmington include Redbird and Wagon Wheel Crossing on Double Springs Road, Engels at the Mill near Folsom Elementary School, Wingate on Rheas Mill Road, Farmington Heights (Phases 1 and 2) on West Sellers Road and Cedar Crest off Broyles Avenue.
Melissa McCarville, city business manager, opened the public hearing on the preliminary plat with a statement to correct information that apparently was being shared about the property in the community.
McCarville said the property isn’t a part of the golf course but is adjacent to it. She also said the proposal was not a multi-family development as some people believed but was for single-family homes as required by an R-1 zone.
Residents living along the golf course property in Valley View Estates addressed the commission with concerns about drainage from the development because of flooding that already occurs on streets from storm water that drains off the pasture land.
City Engineer Chris Brackett with Olsson Associates of Fayetteville said water does drain on the property toward the golf course. The development will have two detention ponds and both are located near the golf course because of the drainage flow, Brackett said.
He said the owner isn’t required to fix existing downstream drainage but plans have to show drainage from the subdivision will not exceed pre-development flows. Brackett said the development’s drainage plan met this criteria.
Michael Gaudern, who lives on Bear Drive in Valley View Estates, said he believes bigger drainage issues need to be addressed before the property is developed.
“We have a lot of flooding issues,” Gaudern said. “The water flows so fast and is so deep that children could be swept away.”
Gaudern said he’s watched the water come across the field during rain events and has talked to city officials about it, “and no one will listen to us.”
Commission Chairman Robert Mann advised Gaudern to go to the City Council about flooding issues, saying the Planning Commission is not the body to address such concerns.
Mayor Ernie Penn, who attended the meeting, said the drainage issues are part of the development of the golf course before the land was annexed into the city. Penn said city officials have met with the owner of the golf course with some flooding solutions but the owner didn’t want to do anything. Commission member Judy Horne asked if the developer could make the detention ponds deeper to help with flooding .
Brackett said making the ponds deeper wouldn’t help but the ponds could be made larger. Such a decision would have to be made by the developer, Brackett told Horne.
Sharon Ibarra, president of Valley View Estates Property Owners Association, said at least 50 people voted they were opposed to the development. She said she believes others in Valley View would also be opposed to it but she only had a couple of days to talk to people about the proposal.
In answer to other questions from Valley View residents, Brackett said the development would have to have a property owners association to take care of the detention ponds when the subdivision is finished.
The subdivision will not be connected to Valley View Estates but will have access from Arkansas 170 only.
The project will include five-foot-wide sidewalks along Arkansas 170 fronting the property, as required by city zoning laws, but the commission approved allowing the owner to pay fees in lieu of installing curb and gutter along the highway.
In addition, the developer will have to pay $49,200 in fees in lieu of dedicating land for a public park. The fee is based on $600 per lot.
The developer also is required to pay sewer access fees to the city of Prairie Grove, $1,100 per lot. Proof of this payment is required before construction can begin. The subdivision will be part of the Valley View sewer system, which now is connected to Prairie Grove’s sewer system.