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Developers, city and county debate Windmill Road concept; board signals preference for PUD over mass variances
Summary
Developers outlined a 200‑acre concept near Windmill Road and asked whether Benton County would accept lot sizes smaller than the 1‑acre minimum if city water/sewer were extended; the board expressed reluctance to approve mass variances and encouraged a planned unit development (PUD) or annexation path instead.
Developer representatives presented a concept on Nov. 5 to develop roughly 200 acres along Windmill Road, where the east portion lies inside Bentonville city limits and the west portion remains in unincorporated county territory. The developer asked whether the planning board would support lots smaller than the county's one‑acre minimum if the property could be served by Bentonville water and sewer.
Board members said they were unwilling to approve numerous per‑lot variances (one board member estimated variances would be required on each lot) and recommended the developer pursue a county PUD or coordinate annexation with the City of Bentonville as the proper path. A PUD would allow negotiated deviations in exchange for a site plan and specific development standards; several board members said they would be open to that approach provided it did not undermine county standards as precedent.
City utility staff and counsel participated in the discussion. Preston Newbill, Bentonville deputy utilities director, said the city is open to serving property but certain annexation and legal steps would be required before service could be provided to county land. Bill Watkins, an attorney present on behalf of the developer, outlined 'exhaustion of remedies' actions (annexation attempts and formal rejections) that would be part of a path toward service.
Board members also discussed infrastructure questions (road upgrades for Scoggins Road and Morning Star Road) and the practicalities of leaving a narrow county strip unannexed. No formal action was taken; staff and applicants agreed to pursue PUD and annexation options and return with a more specific plan.
Quote: "We would have sewer. We would have water and sewer," a developer representative said when describing the scenario that could allow smaller lot sizes.
