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Benton City Council approves Cherry Grove plat, OKs daycare expansion; contested zone change moved to closed hearing
Summary
Council approved the Cherry Grove Lane Phase 1 final plat (phase one ~58 lots) with required performance bonds, approved a conditional use permit for a 4,800‑sq. ft. daycare at 118 Grace Ave., and set a contested site‑specific zone change (ZC24‑02) for a closed‑record hearing in mid‑January.
BENTON CITY — The Benton City Council on Dec. 17 approved a package of land‑use items that included a final plat for a new subdivision and a permanent expansion of an existing daycare; it also referred a contested rezone to a closed‑record hearing.
Planning staff presented the Cherry Grove Lane Phase 1 final plat (described in staff materials as about 58 lots for phase one and part of a larger preliminary division). Staff said the developer had satisfied municipal code requirements and provided a performance bond for public improvements of about $950,000 and an additional bond covering prevailing‑wage obligations of roughly $190,000. “The developer has met the requirements,” Planning staff George said; the council then voted to approve the final plat.
On a separate item council approved Conditional Use Permit CU24‑8, allowing the owner to replace existing trailers with a permanent 4,800‑square‑foot addition to an existing 5,500‑square‑foot children’s daycare facility at 118 Grace Avenue (Carel Child Care Center). Staff noted the site’s existing 28 parking spaces comply with the city’s parking requirement for employees and drop‑off needs.
The council also discussed a site‑specific zone change request (ZC24‑02) to rezone an 11.51‑acre parcel from ‘A’ (suburban) to R2 (medium‑density residential). Planning Commission members recommended denial and submitted findings; staff explained council can adopt the commission’s recommendation or set a closed‑record hearing to consider findings and limited clarifications. Several council members said they had questions that merited further review, and the council voted to schedule a closed‑record hearing for mid‑January to resolve outstanding findings and consider floodplain and traffic issues raised in the record.
Next steps: staff will post notice and set the closed‑record hearing date in January; the Cherry Grove and CU24‑8 approvals move forward under the conditions included in staff materials.
