Zoning board OKs parking variance for Police Department

BELLA VISTA — The Board of Zoning Adjustments unanimously approved a variance to reduce the parking setback for a proposed public security facility on Forest Hills Boulevard during its March 16 meeting.

The request was for a 10-foot parking setback rather than the usual 20 feet required by code to accommodate the building, the lot’s topography and tree canopy in the area.

City staff recommended approval, according to the meeting packet.

Ryan Evitts, with CEI Engineering, a firm working on the project, told the board this is an important project for the city and he’s proud to have worked on it.

“This facility in this particular location is unique,” he said.

The topography on the land and the need to preserve green space make this project more challenging, he explained, but this variance can keep the project feasible without the need for retaining walls to stabilize nearby slopes.

Police Chief James Graves wrote in a letter included with the meeting packet he believes visibility of the facility would be enhanced with this variance and, because of its role as a public safety building, that visibility is extremely important.

Further, he wrote, building closer to the road and farther from the steep terrain at the rear of the lot should help ensure the building remains stable for longer.

“We appreciate the thought and effort required to develop this project from an owner and consultant perspective,” he wrote.

Board member Beth Tracy, who moved to approve the request, said she believes the proposal is good for Bella Vista.

“I certainly think it meets the preservation of intent as it enhances the public service for us,” she said.