Council grants waiver for Dixon Street improvements for proposed storage project after developer explains constraints

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — The Springdale City Council voted 6–2 on Jan. 28 to approve a waiver of street‑improvement requirements for Dixon Street tied to a proposed large‑scale storage development owned by Legacy Venture (L‑2447). The developer told the council the request was limited to Dixon Street frontage and that other street frontages would receive improvements.

Tim Bridal, the property owner and developer, told council members a prior, outdated letter that mistakenly requested waivers for all three street frontages had gone to planning commission and that the developer’s clarified request was for a waiver only on Dixon Street. Bridal said the site’s topography requires a 6– to 7‑foot cut from the building pad to Dixon Street, the project would include a retaining wall, privacy fence and landscaping that would screen the property from Dixon Street, and the planned development does not use Dixon Street as a primary access. Bridal said the Arkansas Department of Transportation had asked the developer not to make improvements to Highway 71 Business and that the developer intends to improve the Black Oak Road frontage instead.

Council members asked whether Dixon Street is maintained by the city and whether it is a city street; staff reported a prescriptive right‑of‑way determination and that the city does perform maintenance on Dixon Street. After discussion about the likely future use of Dixon Street and the cost and practicality of improving a short, partially dead‑end segment, a councilmember moved to approve option 1 (the waiver for Dixon Street only) and the motion carried 6–2.

The waiver is limited to street improvements related to Dixon Street (curb, gutter, drainage, sidewalks and street lights) as set out in Ordinance No. 3725. The developer and staff indicated an informal plat or boundary adjustment would follow to reconcile existing property lines and that the proposed development will improve Black Oak Road frontage while asking the city to waive Dixon Street work given topography and existing surrounding development.

The waiver decision directs staff to proceed with the development review under the terms approved by council; remaining site‑specific issues, including drainage and final engineering, will be resolved through standard permitting.