Centerton council adopts rewritten Title 15 subdivision and development code

Centerton — The Centerton City Council voted to adopt a comprehensive rewrite of municipal code Title 15, the city’s subdivision and development regulations, on Sept. 13, approving a 133‑page document the city says will align local regulations with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and modern development practices.

The updated code, which the council approved with an added severability clause, is intended to clarify permitting and infrastructure requirements for developers and staff and to consolidate plan‑submission requirements into a single, user‑friendly chapter. City staff and outside consultants from Garver presented the draft and said the rewrite grew from interdepartmental work and Planning Commission recommendations.

City officials said the new Title 15 updates subdivision procedures, street and sidewalk standards, drainage and floodplain coordination, and administrative review pathways so applicants can more easily see what materials are required for a complete submittal. Juliet, a planner with Garver who led parts of the presentation, said the rewrite is “grounded in state code, reflects current needs of the city, [and] provides an orderly process for subdivision and development.” Council members and the planning consultant emphasized graphics, charts and a clickable table of contents to help applicants find requirements quickly.

Why it matters: Centerton has been one of the fastest‑growing cities in northwest Arkansas. Council members and staff said the existing code — a small, fragmented packet of standards — left gaps that produced inconsistent permitting and caused delays. The new code is intended to give staff and developers clearer standards to speed reviews and reduce costly surprises during project design and construction.

Supporting details: Planning staff and Garver highlighted a number of changes during the council meeting, including: a comprehensive plat and plan requirement chart; clearer street cross‑section and block‑link standards to improve connectivity; administrative review rules for smaller projects; and illustrations clarifying tree setbacks from overhead utilities. The Planning Commission forwarded the rewrite to the council with a positive recommendation in May.

Local legal and policy context: Council discussion included the fact that the state legislature recently changed statutes that affect municipal planning areas; staff told the council those state changes do not take effect until August of the following year and advised leaving planning‑area language in the local code for now while municipalities and the Municipal League consider options. City attorney‑role staff (referred to in the meeting as Bridal) recommended adding a severability clause to prevent the entire code from being invalidated if a single provision is later found unlawful. The council adopted that clause before voting to adopt the code.

Council action: The council moved to adopt Ordinance 2025‑24, the Title 15 rewrite, including the added severability language. The motion passed on roll call vote. The ordinance formally replaces the prior Title 15 and will be published and implemented per the adopted ordinance schedule.

What’s next: Staff and the consultant team said they will continue to work with the city and with nearby jurisdictions and the Municipal League on any follow‑up amendments required after the state law changes become final. The council and staff flagged ongoing coordination with Benton County and neighboring jurisdictions as a priority to manage planning‑area transitions.

Ending note: Supporters at the meeting described the revision as bringing Centerton’s development rules into alignment with comparable cities of the same size and providing more predictability for developers and residents. The council’s adoption closes a multiyear drafting process and puts a new regulatory tool in place for the city’s immediate development needs.