Commissioners initiate rezoning to restore two Cactus Jack Road parcels to R2

Prairie Grove — The Planning Commission voted Nov. 6 to initiate a rezoning application that would restore three Washington County parcels along Cactus Jack Road to R2 residential zoning, after commissioners said a 2024 comprehensive rezoning left portions of an earlier-approved R2 tract coded instead as A1 and MUB2.

Commissioners said the original approval — granted to the property owner several years ago as part of a large-scale residential plan — relied on R2 zoning and that the owner is preparing to resubmit a large-scale development application. Staff described the current action as a procedural step: "If the planning commission initiates the application process, it will be on the agenda for next month's meeting," a staff member said.

Neighbors raised concerns at the meeting about notice, drainage and traffic. "This is the first time I'm hearing of this," said Sheree Bernier, who said the property line on the map includes part of her parcel next to the site. Resident Chris Bay asked what MUB2 allows and warned that development could increase stormwater flows into the subdivision; staff replied that drainage engineering and detention plans are required at the large-scale development review and will be reviewed independently.

An owner who arrived during the meeting described a revised concept plat for 52 townhome units with garages; commissioners flagged fire-access requirements, noting that developments with more than 30 units require a second emergency egress or building sprinklers. The commission’s motion to initiate rezoning named parcel numbers (80521802000; 80521811100; 8052183000) and locations at 11622 and 11660 Cactus Jack Road and passed on a voice vote to place the application for public hearing next month.

Next steps: If the commission formally initiates the application, staff will publish hearing notices and the rezoning will return to the commission for a public hearing and a recommendation to city council.