Bentonville council adopts new future land-use map, commits to further study of three areas

The Bentonville City Council on Feb. 11 unanimously adopted a revised future land-use map and a zoning alignment policy, approving a resolution that sets additional study of three specific areas and directs planning staff to return proposed amendments by July 31, 2025.

Planning staff said the resolution adopts the same map and alignment policy previously reviewed by the Planning Commission and adds a requirement that the three highlighted study areas receive further analysis and recommendations. "We took the same exact map, same alignment policy, took it back to Planning Commission for approval, and they approved it unanimously," said Tyler, planning staff. "We added a section to the adopting resolution that states that the areas highlighted in Exhibit D study areas will undergo further analysis and proposed amendments will be submitted for review to the Planning Commission no later than 07/31/2025."

Councilmembers and planning staff described the three study areas as: the vicinity around the J Street interchange project, downtown Bentonville (for potential historic preservation), and the southern agricultural areas of Far South Bentonville (primarily for future goods and services). The council discussed how the alignment policy will affect rezoning requests and development applications while the city prepares a new development code.

Tyler told the council that the alignment policy and new land-use plan apply to rezoning requests going forward, but that developers and properties already in the permitting queue remain subject to the existing development code and vested rights until a change is adopted. "Rezoning requests would fall under the new alignment policy and the new land use plan," Tyler said. He also said the city still must draft the development codes that implement the new place types and that councilmembers could reject any code or map revisions returned after the study.

Public comment at the meeting included several residents from the Stonebridge area urging the council to retain a suburban designation for their neighborhood. "I just mostly want to thank all of you for your service ... and I just really appreciate, even though we've done a lot of back and forth," said Deidra Hunter, who identified herself as a resident of Stonebridge Way. Multiple speakers from 9 Stonebridge Way expressed support for keeping that area suburban under the new plan.

Councilmembers asked staff for clarity on how the new plan would be applied in practice before the accompanying codes are drafted. Staff repeated that the plan and alignment policy affect rezonings but do not strip vested development rights from applicants already in the queue. Staff also said they will return recommended code revisions and any map amendments resulting from the focused studies by July 31, 2025.

The council approved the resolution by voice vote with all members present voting in favor. After the vote, Tyler and staff thanked the planning commission, steering and technical committees, and members of the public who participated in the process. "Now we can get real busy on the code work," Tyler said.

The council indicated the next steps will be (1) staff-led studies of the three exhibit D areas with stakeholder engagement, (2) drafting of new development codes to implement the alignment policy and place types, and (3) return of recommended amendments to the Planning Commission and council by the stated July 31, 2025 deadline.