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City consultants outline Phase 2 of Bentonville’s Unified Development Code work; staff praise
Summary
Consultants previewed Phase 2 of a unified development code project that will translate the city’s newly adopted future land‑use plan into cohesive zoning, subdivision and development standards; staff said Bentonville’s code is already in good shape and the effort will refine zones, use lists and street standards.
Consultants Matt and Susan presented an early preview of Phase 2 of the Bentonville Unified Development Code (UDC) project, explaining how the city will translate its newly adopted future land‑use plan (place types/alignments) into a unified zoning and land‑development code.
What was presented: The consultants described a transect‑based zoning approach (T‑zones) that aligns place types (downtown, regional center, walkable neighborhood, rural) with new zone standards, bulk rules, and simplified use lists. The UDC will combine zoning, subdivision and design standards, and aim to reduce ambiguous uses while providing clearer expectations for lot widths, setbacks, building heights and street cross‑sections. Draft elements include civic/open‑space standards, scaled examples for different parcel sizes, and utility/street design concepts to support higher densities without excessive right‑of‑way dedication.
Staff feedback: Planning staff praised the department’s existing code quality and said the UDC work will be an “easy lift” because staff has already curated many elements. Consultants and staff noted several upcoming steps: additional departmental meetings, public engagement, and drafting of the correlation table that maps old zones and place types to proposed new zones.
Why it matters: The UDC effort is intended to make rules more predictable for applicants and implement the new future land‑use map consistently across neighborhoods, corridors and new growth areas. The consultants emphasized tailoring standards by transect to bake compatibility into the code and to provide clearer development expectations for designers and developers.
Next steps: Staff and consultants will hold internal department meetings and broader public engagement in the coming weeks; a draft code and mapping exercise is planned for review over the summer and subsequent public hearings.
Ending: Commissioners were encouraged to review forthcoming drafts and to provide feedback as the team tests standards against example site plans and infrastructure requirements.
