Planners meet trails coordinator

Planning Commission members unanimously recommended a right-ofway and easement dedication for a couple attempting to divide their property so they can sell a portion.

Planners also introduced Bella Vista’s new trails coordinator.

Chris Suneson, director of Community Development Services, announced at the meeting that trails coordinator Kay Curry began her new job on Monday.

Curry has “an extensive amount of municipal experience,” Suneson said. She has worked for Little Rock, Austin, and the University of Arkansas, and she has her own private practice for landscape design. She also worked for Crafton and Tull.

“She is still getting her feet under her,” Suneson said. “I think she’s going to be a good addition to the staff.”

Planners also continued the process of reviewing new zoning code wording submitted by city staff, which will be discussed at a future meeting. All members were present.

“What we have is a parcel being divided between tract one and tract two,” said Jim Collins, representing applicants Glen and Patricia Jackson.

The parcel will be divided into a 3.8-acre tract and a one-acre tract. According to the staff report, the transfer is still under the city’s planning area despite the fact that the land is technically in Bentonville. It was needed in order to complete the sale of the 3.8 acres.

“The subject parcel is outside the city limits of Bella Vista, but does lie within our planning area,” the report states. “Stevenson Place (where the plat is located) is a private access drive that currently only serves the house shown on this plat and on the lot to the immediate east.”

The item will now move to City Council.

Last month, planners were given proposed zoning code wording to look over, which will be discussed at length at next month’s Planning Commission.

Depending on the feedback on the wording by planners, city staff could either advertise for a public hearing on the changes for the August meeting or wait until a later date.

The 77-page bundle of code changes, which City Planner Jennifer Bonner referred to as “homework” for members, has small tweaks to simplify citywide rules on a wide variety of subjects, including entirely newly drafted pages regarding land-use types and zoning districts.

One of the main changes the new code suggests is overhauling the city’s zoning system to include more specific types of zones. Rather than one Residential District, there would now be a Residential Estate District, Residential Two-Family District, Residential Multi-Family District, Residential Office District, and Residential Manufactured Home District, depending on density.

These code changes would create zoning districts specifically suited to the types of structures and dwellings that could be constructed there. It would also allow new districts that would blur the lines between residential and commercial areas.

The district would not encroach on existing residential areas. Possible businesses allowed in the district would be bed and breakfasts, day cares, beauty salons, community centers, and a limited number of other uses.

The next Planning Commission will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, in City Hall.