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Benton City Council approves rezoning for 7th Street parcel amid resident safety and traffic concerns
Summary
The council approved ZC24-2 to rezone an 11.51-acre parcel on east 7th Street from Suburban to R2 medium-density residential, clearing the way for an applicant’s plan for roughly 20 duplex buildings (about 40 dwellings). Residents raised concerns about traffic, evacuation routes and emergency response; city staff said infrastructure reviews remain required before construction.
The Benton City Council voted Jan. 21, 2025, to approve ZC24-2, a rezoning request to change an 11.51-acre parcel on the east side of 7th Street from Suburban to R2 (medium‑density residential). The motion carried on a council voice vote after a closed‑record appeal and council deliberation.
The planning director summarized the file and reminded the council that a rezoning alone does not authorize building: any future subdivision or construction must meet the comprehensive plan, state and local review processes and agency conditions. The director said the parcel’s current use — a single-family residence — would remain permitted under R2 and that subsequent steps, including a preliminary plat and engineering reviews, would examine water, sewer, transportation and floodplain compliance.
During the hearing the applicant, who identified himself as "ario Saragosa," said his intent if the rezoning were approved was to build "about 20 duplexes" (describing roughly 40 living spaces spread across about 21 buildings, including the existing house) and to begin design and construction "as soon as we can." No construction schedule was provided.
Several residents urged caution. One speaker said they were "not comfortable with putting people in what some people would call a Tinder Box," citing nearby wildfire and flood risks and warning that the nearest bridge could become an evacuation bottleneck in an emergency. Others questioned whether local law enforcement and fire services could handle increased calls for service; staff and commenters noted sheriff response times and the estimated cost to stand up a local police department would exceed the city’s current budget.
On flood risk, staff said the parcel’s designation on a proposed FEMA map had recently become more favorable and that the property moved out of the 100‑year floodplain on the new map. Staff also reiterated that a building moratorium tied to certain flood zones could affect timing and that all engineering and permitting requirements would be enforced before any occupancy certificates are issued.
Council members discussed infrastructure implications but emphasized that many of those issues will be addressed during later reviews. After closing the closed‑record hearing the council approved ZC24-2 to change the zoning from Suburban to R2 medium‑density residential.
Next steps: if the applicant files a preliminary plat, that application will go to the Planning Commission for a public hearing, followed by required agency reviews and engineering conditions before any building permits or occupancy certificates may be issued.
