Evidence storage OK’d by planners

The Police Department will use the building to hold evidence.

With evidence scattered around northwest Arkansas, it’s time for the Bella Vista Police Department to have an effective local storage system, Mayor Peter Christie told members of the city Planning Commission.

“We have stuff in the Police Department, in Blue Mountain Storage, at the county, at Bentonville,” Christie said during Monday night’s commission meeting. “There’s a whole trailer somewhere, a whole bedroom somewhere else. … It’s out of control.”

The problem is that state law requires so much evidence to be kept for extended periods, in some cases 99 years, he said.

Christie explained the situation to commissioners before they addressed the city’s request to build a secure storage area at the Street Department, which is on Rogers Road and Arkansas Highway 279. The facility will have a 1,000-square-foot fenced storage area and a 2,000-squarefoot climate-controlled building.

The city’s large-scale development plan also includes:

• A 700-square-foot addition to the main building to serve as tire storage

• A 4,500-square-foot three-sided, roofed structure for equipment storage

• A 7,200-square-foot building for sand and salt storage

• A 360-square-foot storage building.

Commissioners approved the large-scale development plan, with the requirement that the city put slats into the proposed chain-link fence to create better screening in addition to what required trees and shrubs will provide.

Planners also addressed a request to split a lot at 9051 Commonwealth Road into two parcels — one facing Jack Crabtree Road, the other Commonwealth. The land is in the county, but inside the city’s planning area. The owner, Robyn Kirkland of Covina, Calif., requested the split.

City staff said the required rights of way — 20 feet on Jack Crabtree, 40 feet on Commonwealth — have been dedicated to the public. The staff recommended approval subject to acceptance of the final plat by the owner, acceptance of the plat by the utilities involved, and acceptance of the revised final plat by the City Council.

Planners unanimously approved the request, which now goes to the City Council for final action.