Centerton council adopts amended I1/I2 rezoning of Murray property after public hearing

The Centerton City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 10 to adopt Ordinance 2026-03, rezoning an 80-acre parcel belonging to David and Elizabeth Murray and Nina Murray Williams from agricultural (A1) to a combination of light industrial (I1) and heavy industrial (I2). The motion carried on a recorded roll call: Thompson, Calgary, Henson, Reed, Hagen and Miles — all voting yes.

The change approved by council reflects an amended application presented by the applicant. Will Kelstrom, speaking for the applicant, said the original request for roughly 80 acres of I2 had been reduced so the southeast 30-acre corner would be zoned I2 and the remaining acreage would be I1 as a buffer. “We put in this I1 buffer which removes a lot of the more intense uses under I2,” Kelstrom said, adding that the site’s tree canopy and proximity to the airport make it a suitable location for industrial uses. He also described code limits built into both zones — for example, I1 caps employment at 30 people and 100 vehicle trips per day, while I2 allows up to 99 employees and 300 vehicle trips — and noted conditional-use review would apply to more intensive activities.

Residents at the public hearing urged caution. Nathy Bush, who said she lives about six miles from the site, asked council to deny I2 and seek a less intensive option, citing concerns about noise, dust, runoff and groundwater contamination, the potential for well failure and loss of property value. “I would like to ask that it be denied as far as it goes,” Bush said. RL Spyhala, a recent homebuyer, also urged the council to protect the city’s image and neighborhood quality and proposed alternative commercial uses such as grocery or retail to meet local needs.

Council members debated procedure and the merits of the amendment. Some members said the amended plan — reducing the heavy-industrial footprint and adding an I1 buffer — addressed planning commission concerns and matched the city’s comprehensive plan that listed the site for industrial use. Others expressed the need for additional scrutiny given adjacency to residential parcels and flight-path considerations cited by the airport. Several council members raised the option of returning the amended request to the planning commission for a revote, but the body ultimately proceeded to a vote on the ordinance.

With the ordinance adopted, future development proposals will return to the planning commission and to staff for site-specific permitting and any required conditional-use reviews. City staff and the applicant noted that environmental and permitting requirements (including any state agency permits) would be addressed at the development stage.

The ordinance passage resolves the appeal that resulted from a tie vote at the planning commission. The council vote implements the split I1/I2 zoning as described in the adopted ordinance; any specific industrial uses will need to meet Centerton City code, buffering and conditional-use requirements as applicable.