[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6110832,"mediaKeyId","2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82","parentId",2755452,"title","Votes at a glance: Bentonville council approves consent items, multiple equipment and services purchases; several land‑use actions advance","audioSeconds",415,"startMs",1549000,"endMs",1964000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82&start=1549&end=1964","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82/thumbnail_1549000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6110832/Bentonville/Benton-County/Arkansas/Votes-at-a-glance-Bentonville-council-approves-consent-items-multiple-equipment-and-services-purchases-several-landuse-actions-advance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110832-a26ac7f5fd0c3240bbfbc90b249f51b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175404&Signature=XcPaN7lpwAGWiqFm8sfqZ~wHhSeR9eyuDm1tOc6c-3Z6nT41-khq4iJX9fGGago8wFaYn0slNb-n22LYxT0eXEMnnemXsvGcYKFHHAenaMDsXAUuQRf8Kq1w8iYJo2HivSQDf--ShYXSdBNFI8HU6Vlx~5dwMwJto-mBlPPJa9HZuXIyb80NHJCoT9Lk7BAs5uOci6DBYTgksDsVQegYcr2SnhEQQZ2zt~zzVIXwUgQLZgV-fGz1PEIabup7uyyBKXAITBRDNfDM3adhFoQGOp-ZqICrGzJlrh7GjgNuKqvtKYqT-fVu3xZ7Wdo0uJNc1tk-nRovEWqstBQ9ZGdOpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bentonville","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","Bentonville — The council took a series of formal actions on Jan. 28 that cleared grant agreements, budget amendments, equipment purchases and development plats. The following is an at‑a‑glance roundup of the items discussed and the recorded outcomes.

Key consent and budget actions
- Approved a $1,500 grant agreement with the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission and adjusted the 2025 budget to appropriate the funds. (Resolution; consent)
- Amended the 2025 budget to appropriate $159,345.03 from general utility and street fund reserves for workers’ compensation coverage. (Resolution; consent)
- Approved subrecipient CDBG agreements: Boys & Girls Club of Benton County ($10,000), Northwest Arkansas Continuum of Care ($10,000), and Helen Walton Children’s Center ($15,000). (Resolutions; consent)
- Appointed Kevin Barrington to the City of Bentonville Board of Adjustment (consent).
- Authorized a purchase agreement and budget amendment with Musco Sports Lighting LLC for Memorial Park sports lighting replacement, amount not to exceed $174,800 (consent).

Ordinances and equipment purchases (waiver of competitive bidding where noted)
- Adopted the 2025 personnel policy (ordinance; emergency clause declared). (Roll call recorded.)
- Waived competitive bidding and authorized an agreement with Upstart Athletics for youth soccer services for Bentonville Parks & Recreation in the amount of $81,400. (Ordinance.)
- Authorized a purchase from Care Fusion Solutions LLC of a Pyxis medication management system for paramedic ambulance service in an amount not to exceed $46,000 (waiver of competitive bidding; ordinance; emergency clause).
- Authorized agreements with Stryker for medical equipment: four Lifepak 35 cardiac monitors in an amount not to exceed $360,000 (waiver of competitive bidding; emergency clause), and a power cot and loading system in an amount not to exceed $67,000 (waiver of competitive bidding; ordinance).
- Authorized Price Sonstrom to supply parts for rebuilding wastewater facility bar screens in an amount not to exceed $65,089.26 (waiver of competitive bidding; ordinance; emergency clause).

Development approvals and plats
- Accepted a property line adjustment for Phillips Village (project PLA24‑0031).
- Accepted final plats for Poirigu Estates, Stage 3 (FP24‑0018) and Briar Hills Subdivision Phase 1 (FP24‑0019).
- Accepted lot split petitions and final lot divisions for several small additions (LS24‑0032; LS24‑0054) as recorded on the agenda.

Zoning and future land use votes
- Council approved several rezoning ordinances and future land use map amendments for Conveyor area parcels (project numbers RZ24‑0048, RZ24‑0049, RZ24‑004, RZ24‑0050 and associated future land use resolutions) after planning commission recommendation. Several roll calls were taken; a few members recorded no votes on individual items (detailed roll call results are in the official minutes).

How council voted: For most listed ordinances and resolutions council recorded roll‑call votes and the motions passed. A small number of rezoning votes recorded individual “no” votes from councilmembers; where a no was recorded the transcript shows the name (for example, Councilmember Hook recorded a “No” on at least one rezoning roll call). The council did not table or reject any major contract purchases on Jan. 28.

Why it matters: The contracts authorize replacement of public‑safety and parks equipment, appropriated small additional grant funds, and advanced multiple development approvals that will enable infrastructure and housing projects to proceed. The group of purchases for emergency medical equipment and ambulance loading systems reflects the city’s updates to emergency response capability.

Ending: The council’s consent‑agenda approach kept the meeting’s transactional business moving; several items (notably the Plan Bentonville map and the early‑build ordinance) required extended discussion and were left for further staff work or additional public review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bentonville City Council Meeting - January 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","On Jan. 28 the Bentonville City Council approved a consent package of grants, budget adjustments and subrecipient agreements, adopted a 2025 personnel policy, and approved multiple equipment and service contracts and plats. Several rezoning and future‑land‑use items were advanced as noted below.","taxTitle","Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas","taxId",79589,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6110837,"Council delays final vote on Plan Bentonville map; residents press to keep 3509 E. Central suburban",5449,7601000,13050000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82&start=7601&end=13050","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82/thumbnail_7601000.jpg","/articles/6110837/Bentonville/Benton-County/Arkansas/Council-delays-final-vote-on-Plan-Bentonville-map-residents-press-to-keep-3509-E-Central-suburban","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110837-01a1ab514e89d77e97aeb1df8b771c8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175404&Signature=otxQtLHbz0-GE542pQJ60RcYH-QNCdArxONFj-kCO9H6Hs6UsizTbKMtfj1zMxK-HIBHe9UOkdjE9r~FhV-RKF2d7By02LNK7xXAA3fkFrOrVfF5GrfWdrnzhF8i2l5FH~ySpv2flLfFnop9sVPm3ih6wshW1VgoB7mFWjYzRx6sLj8ahgEOW~0OXu1G6hzHeXaz9A7JnQldIKKglFyyp1CGUklDtGDS-uaqYXX3zsjTWr9S9j1qbdnshH7s5AUAHliFIX3SME0FIoVn5sBO~Cc5MXDAseMmv5Su16BU9DpJ~8qbSNm3Q55MPfxXxOmpltUgjrHbqkaYnW8~mSbYyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bentonville — The council paused final action on Plan Bentonville’s revised future land use map on Jan. 28 and directed staff to return to the planning commission for a clarified, final version after extended public comment and council discussion about several map areas.

The planning commission had acted earlier and recommended changes to the draft map; staff presented the recommended map and the process for public input. City planning staff and the consultant described the project as a partial rewrite of chapters 2 and 4 of the community plan, shifting the city’s approach from broad “strategic growth zones” to place‑type guidance (for example: downtown, neighborhood centers, walkable corridors and suburban neighborhoods).

A large group of residents from Stonebridge Way and neighboring streets urged the council to designate the 3‑acre/12‑acre parcel complex addressed as 3509 East Central as suburban neighborhood rather than a more intensive designation. Multiple speakers said the parcel’s topography (a deep ravine and tree cover), traffic safety on Arkansas Highway 72 (East Central), and privacy for existing backyards made suburban neighborhood the appropriate fit.

“Suburban neighborhood minimizes impact on traffic,” said 16‑year‑old student speaker Bethany Stewart, who summarized neighbors’ concerns and produced a side‑by‑side comparison for council. Other residents cited daily traffic backups, safety concerns, and loss of privacy from potential multi‑story buildings backing onto yards. Several speakers said they had organized more than 2,000 resident comments supporting a suburban designation for the property.

Not all testimony supported preservation at current densities. A developer and neighborhood investor who said he has rehabilitated nearby properties argued for higher density (walkable or urban neighborhoods) adjacent to the new Walmart home office campus, saying proximity to employment justified walkable development and that duplexes can be affordable and blend into established neighborhoods.

Council discussion focused on two themes: ensuring the public sees the exact map that planning commission approved, and how to treat large undeveloped parcels in edge growth areas (particularly in the Southwest Corridor and northwest portions of the city) where utility availability varies. Council members asked staff to add explicit narrative language and legend cues to identify areas that are not currently serviceable by city water/sewer and that will require additional study before any land‑use or utility changes are implemented.

Staff said they will return a finalized map to planning commission for a single additional review so the public can see the exact file the planning commission votes on; the planning commission’s approval version will then be forwarded to council for adoption. Councilmembers asked staff to add narrative clarifications and, where useful, map hatching to indicate “areas for additional study” or “service not currently available.”

Why it matters: The future land use map guides zoning decisions, capital planning and infrastructure investments. Neighbors at 3509 East Central asked the council to preserve single‑family character in the face of nearby office‑campus growth; developers countered that denser, walkable housing near employment centers supports affordability and reduces commuting.

Ending: Council did not adopt the map on Jan. 28. Staff will post the final PDF version of the map and return to planning commission; council expects further hearings before formal adoption.","Council accepted public comment and sent the proposed Plan Bentonville future land use map back to planning commission for clarification on several areas, including a contested parcel at 3509 East Central where neighbors asked to preserve suburban single‑family character.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6110842,"Bentonville council and developers debate 'early build' ordinance to speed housing; staff, fire and utilities press safeguards",3945,3851000,7796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82&start=3851&end=7796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755452-7765dde92ed46f7f5572183bb2c06e82/thumbnail_3851000.jpg","/articles/6110842/Bentonville/Benton-County/Arkansas/Bentonville-council-and-developers-debate-early-build-ordinance-to-speed-housing-staff-fire-and-utilities-press-safeguards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110842-19d3f74d8b885cb0c78ec638cb36ba36/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175404&Signature=jfiXN79PWETs48on-krtM4r-JD8Tb8tz1t1cV1yWWTQ9hduYLXq4ditVQiPoSaLJXbmyDGrIYppcJ-VGLdkVFyK90LLQnS8QP39eaWGb1GjU7jMOxPWp-dYSyGrFdgSP~FglehMlgh1YfRS525WlNRyY5pfm9zOnShcQlQqQ-5ypDXAWFVE9HtaTI5P9uW90SgjDEl-EZx6PDY8to9rQbvnfXw~sRAth2VGxLlRHXaIihFVp3cuUJIBDsmMy4NY~vjsj6eJNpTzNT2hm1Id2J947q7g8wiHKCfLbE6DaqZhNLKbkMFo3EdgPiUsPDqWJBVywKKeqjcJk9SRgNxvNHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bentonville — City councilors, developers and multiple city departments spent the largest portion of the Jan. 28 meeting debating an amendment to municipal code section 400.08 that would allow limited “early build” activity — such as pulling building permits for model homes and beginning vertical construction — before a subdivision’s final plat is recorded.

Supporters said the change would shorten the time between subdivision approval and occupancy, helping get housing on the ground sooner. “This is a simple little policy change that can go a long way,” said Kyle Smith, who identified himself as a housing advocate and developer representative. He urged council to adopt criteria that would permit builders to perform work in parallel with final plat punch‑list items.

City staff and public safety officials urged caution and asked for explicit technical safeguards. Tyler (staff) outlined a checklist intended to protect the public and city infrastructure: a preliminary plat approval, an executed memorandum of understanding, verified fire protection within the prescribed distance, completed and tested water mains and hydrants, camera inspection of sewer mains, and an early‑build inspection by planning, engineering and fire personnel before issuance of permits. “What are the minimum things that need to be seen from fire access, vehicle access, public safety and utility infrastructure?” Tyler asked as he walked through staff’s revisions.

Developers pushed back that some staff requirements would eliminate most of the time savings. One developer estimated that, under current rules, it takes roughly four to four‑and‑a‑half years to move the first resident into a typical 100‑lot subdivision; he said the ordinance could shave several months off that period. “If I can reduce that time, that means I can get those 100 lots done in 3½ years and move somebody in sooner,” the developer said, adding the risk of early construction is borne by builders and lenders because the city will not accept public improvements nor issue certificates of occupancy until the public infrastructure and final plat are approved.

Fire officials said any early‑build standard must ensure emergency vehicle access and verified structural capacity for apparatus. Preston (fire/inspections) said the approach should include an engineered cross section for any temporary “all‑weather” access and proof the subgrade will carry fire apparatus. “If we have a tested subgrade, the engineer says that cross section will provide support for their equipment — we inspect to that plan,” Preston said.

BEUD/electric staff cautioned about installing transformers and primary lines before final grade. Travis (utility staff) said premature placement risks damage and supply shortages: “If you tear up a transformer, it tears up the wire — it's a domino effect.” He recommended minimum grade and protection around transformer pads and verification that conduit and meter locations will not be disturbed as finishing work continues.

City staff proposed procedural protections to reduce risks: mandatory early camera inspections for sewer mains as soon as mains and driveable gravel are in place; no final electric meter connections until transformer pads and primary are shown to be at near‑final grade; bonds and on‑site performance guarantees to cover damage or incomplete work; and an explicit right for staff to withhold early‑build approval in cases of “bad actors.” Councilmember Burkhart said staff asked for a right of refusal only to protect the city from developers who fail to complete required work.

Council members and staff agreed to continue work outside of the regular meeting schedule. Several asked staff and developers to meet before the council’s next meeting to find language that enables meaningful time savings while protecting safety and the city's donated‑assets process. Mayor Orman and multiple councilmembers asked for written clarifications on: what constitutes an acceptable all‑weather access, how staff would determine a right of refusal, and specific thresholds for fire hydrant proximity and temporary utilities.

The council did not vote on the ordinance amendment on Jan. 28. Staff said they will revise the draft to reflect tonight’s technical feedback and return to council with a clearer, narrower checklist that attempts to “solve for yes” while documenting the conditions that would trigger staff refusal.

Why it matters: Bentonville and other Northwest Arkansas cities are under pressure to increase housing production as the New Home Office and related employment growth drive demand. The early‑build amendment aims to speed construction on subdivisions without changing density rules, but it requires careful balancing of developer efficiency against public‑safety, utility and long‑term asset‑acceptance risks.

The council directed staff to continue negotiations with developers and public‑safety/utility stakeholders and to return with revised language for formal consideration.

Ending: City staff and developer representatives agreed to meet, refine the checklist, and attempt to return a revised ordinance for review and possible adoption within the next few council cycles. No formal action was taken on Jan. 28.","Councilors, developers and staff spent more than an hour debating a proposed amendment to municipal code section 400.08 to let single‑family model homes and limited construction start before final plat recordation, with developers saying it would accelerate housing delivery and staff warning of fire, water and utility risks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Bentonville council approves consent items, multiple equipment and services purchases; several land‑use actions advance

Council delays final vote on Plan Bentonville map; residents press to keep 3509 E. Central suburban

Bentonville council and developers debate 'early build' ordinance to speed housing; staff, fire and utilities press safeguards