The American dream, not in Bella Vista

Now it is official, Bella Vista, Arkansas is the only city in America and probably the only city in the world that has a ban on white fences. The Arkansas Motto is Regnant Populus (The people rule). However, in Bella Vista, Cooper Communities, Inc. appoint six board members of the Bella Vista Architectural

Control Committee (ACC) to rule on what the people can do or not do with their property. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the ACC declared that there will be no more white fences in Bella Vista. The order states that the fences must come down or paint them a color approved by the ACC. Anyone who disobeys this order will be fined $50 every time the ACC inspectors drive by and find that the resident has not complied with this mandate. It’s like the old Chicago Protection Racket.

The Encyclopedia defines a white fence as the “American Dream.” Young military personnel returning from WW II claimed they wanted to get married, raise a family and own a home with a white picket fence.

My next-door neighbor was so stressed over having to take her fence down that an ambulance had to pick her up and take her to the hospital for a two day stay. The stress had affected her bleeding ulcer, so the doctor told her to do whatever it takes to reduce her stress. So, she got a permit from ACC to paint her fence a dirty deer poop brown. Now it fits in with nature like ACC wanted and it cost her only $1,600 to paint the fence a color that no one is fond of.

Thus far, the ACC has only mailed out fine requests to elderly single ladies who have no relatives nearby or do they have enough money to pay an attorney their $5,000 retainer fee just to get a lawsuit started. Routinely, a lawsuit like this usually costs about $30,000.00 to bring the case to fruition. The officers of ACC know this dilemma and that is how they make their money. As a last resort the ACC can use our money to fight us in Court. It is ironic that the ACC has not sent our notices to grown men who own shotguns, rifles, pistols and ammunition. I am personally offended that as an ex-Green Beret, that the ACC has not sent me a notice yet. I dare them to do it.

Yesterday, Feb. 17, ACC held their monthly meeting and denied access to Bella Vista residents and the media. Doesn’t that send up a red flag that they must be ashamed of what they are doing and saying and they don’t want the public to know or hear about it? Why must they almost always have to operate in secrecy? Jim Parsons Bella Vista

The real first national river designation

In this week’s edition of the Vista, I noticed once again the Arkansas claim to first national river designation

and a celebration of 50 years of designation. When we lived in Missouri, we were advised that the Current River was the first national river. I just googled the Current River’s designation and find that it was so designated in 1964 well before the designation in Arkansas.

“The pristine natural beauty and outdoor recreation potential of this “modern day Eden” was recognized in 1964, when the Congress of the United States designated 140 miles of the Current River as America’s first national river, and a part of our National Park system.”

(Editor’s note: According to the National Park Service website when searching Ozark National Scenic Riverway.)

Harris McKee Former Bella Vista resident 1996-2017

Power with no accountability

I have been here for two years and I just find out about the ACC and that it is a self-financed, private organization, whose meetings are therefore closed to the public and media, the individuals as well as to any media.

You stated in the Vista that “The ACC does not receive any money from the city tax dollars and no funds from any of the (Property Owners Association) dues. It is a self-financed organization,” said ACC Administrator Buddy Vernetti. “The money to run this business comes from fees. When a builder builds a new home he buys a permit from the ACC. So we’re a non-profit organization, and because we are that way we are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.”

Yet, they can throw rules

on us at their own whim (like white fence prohibition)? Sounds like Canada — maybe Cuba — and maybe the new America. Power with no accountability — right here in Bella Vista. That is THREE entities we have to bow down to. POA, BVTA, AND ACC along with Bella Vista as a city. That is beyond amazing to me. Am I the only one amazed at this? Mikel Paulson

Bella Vista

I want to offer special kudos to Mike Button and his City of Bella Vista street crews.

I moved to Bella Vista 11 years ago from Amarillo, where the City did NOT plow residential streets, even though you got a citation if your sidewalk wasn’t shoveled within 24 hours of a snow fall.

After the recent big snow dump, when I finally got out of my 650’ driveway I was pleasantly surprised to find that even the neighborhood street was cleared.

Then after this two days of icy mess, I was again worried. But this morning the neighborhood street had been sanded and the other streets were all clear. I had to go to Bentonville

and Fayetteville, and those neighborhood streets had not even been touched.

Bella Vista has more miles of streets than Little Rock and a lot more hills and curves. Mike and his crews do a phenomenal job and we should all thank them. I will be headed up there with a big tin of yummies. THANKS !!

Linda Lloyd

Bella Vista