The Parks, Natural Resources, and Cultural Affairs Advisory Board voted 2–5 on June 2 to not recommend acceptance of a fee-in-lieu of land dedication for the proposed Van Ash multifamily development, a 324-unit project on about 17 acres in the northwest quadrant of Fayetteville.

Board members said the site is in a part of the city with little nearby parkland and argued that the current fee-in-lieu system undervalues land in rapidly developing areas. “$300,000 doesn't equal 6 acres,” one member said during the discussion, summarizing the board’s central concern. Elizabeth (board member) recorded a clear no: “I vote no.”

The developer's representative, who joined the meeting to answer questions, described on-site amenities included in the proposal: a roughly 10,000-square-foot landscaped green area, separate small- and large-dog areas with a dog wash, a kidney-shaped pool, plaza seating, three pickleball courts, expanded ground-level private patios and additional sidewalks. Staff noted the site fronts the existing Claver Creek Trail, offering a direct connection to the Razorback Greenway and, by extension, Underwood Park.

Board members challenged the recommendation to accept fee-in-lieu because the nearest public parks are not within what they considered walkable distance and because the fee amount offered under the current ordinance was substantially lower than the perceived market value of the land. One member urged the board to register a formal protest vote to put the issue on the public record; another said a protest in current rules would be primarily symbolic because the choice to dedicate land or pay the fee rests with the developer.

No formal motion to require dedication in lieu of fee was possible under the existing ordinance and advice from the city attorney, staff said. Staff told the applicant the board’s recommendation would be forwarded to the Planning Commission; staff also said they would follow up with the applicant to clarify next procedural steps and whether the project would appear before the Planning Commission or proceed via the LSIP (an administrative submittal process discussed at the meeting).

The board discussion included several factual points provided by staff: the city’s parkland formula uses 0.2 acres per unit (0.2 acres per dwelling unit) as the baseline, and the current fee-in-lieu calculation for this site produced an amount the board described in discussion as roughly $300,000. Board members contrasted that with hypothetical impact-fee values discussed later in the meeting (not part of this item), which staff estimated could be several times higher under a new park impact-fee structure.

The parks board recorded the recommendation as opposed to accepting the fee and asked staff to follow up with the developer about next steps in the review process.