On Tuesday, Nov. 26, City Council voted on 13 items. Here are some of the highlights:

The City Council rejected the rezoning request for a residential housing development just east of Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, effectively halting plans for the project that had faced significant opposition from nearby residents.

Echelon developers were proposing 20 single-family homes — 10 attached and 10 detached — on 3.58 acres at 1602 Northwest 3rd St. Cindy Acree, Chris Sooter, Holly Hook, Octavio Sanchez and Aubrey Patterson voted against it while Bill Burckart, Gayatri Agnew and Beckie Seba voted in favor.

The Bentonville Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend the approval of the rezoning at its meeting last week. City planning staff had also recommended the approval of Echelon, noting the project aligns with the Bentonville Community Plan to increase housing diversity and support affordability within Bentonville’s evolving housing landscape.

The public comment period and Council discussion for this agenda item lasted three hours as dozens of residents spoke for and against the project. 

Many concerns surrounded the project’s density, with residents saying the project is incompatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood single-family homes with larger lots. Other concerns surrounded increased traffic, safety, privacy and noise with the addition of 20 homes. An online petition to deny the rezoning had acquired 178 signatures. 

Residents speaking for the project cited the need for new development due to Bentonville’s housing shortage along with the need for diversity in housing options. Others noted the quality of work and level of trust they felt the developer — Leadership Properties, LLC — brought to its projects. 

“Density — not that I’m against it — we don’t have a choice in the volume of people living here and moving here,” said Councilwoman Acree. “We cannot assume that we know what’s best for citizens, we have got to listen to what the people want that live here.”

Councilwoman Seba countered with the fact that Council members are representatives for the city at-large. 

“Our city has way more than 150 people in it,” she said. “While this particular development isn’t quote unquote affordable, every unit that is built in this area helps with affordability in the city as a whole.”

At 5.6 dwelling units per acre, Councilman Burckart said the development falls under low-density housing criteria.

“They’re not apartments, they’re single-family homes,” he said. “I have never in all my years I’ve been on this body had a low-density neighborhood, or concept, have opposition from a low-density neighborhood.”

The city will pay $267,788.85 to Progressive Trail Design for trail repair work at Park Springs Park after damage caused by the May 26 storm. 

The majority of the work will be covered through the city’s insurance coverage, with partial reimbursement expected from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The trail work is expected to take two to three months to complete, as numerous trails have been completely destroyed and need to be rebuilt, according to a memo from Josh Stacey, Parks and Recreation deputy director. 

Deputy Transportation Director Dan Weese will be appointed to the Ozark Regional Transit Board of Directors. Weese will be filling the unexpired term of Dennis Birge, who is retiring from the City of Bentonville. The term will end on March 11, 2027. 

Eric Heaney, the general manager of Motto by Hilton Bentonville Downtown, will be appointed to Bentonville’s Advertising & Promotion Commission, with a term beginning on Jan. 1, 2025, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

The final approval of the Bentonville Future Land Use Map has been delayed until early next year, allowing officials more time to address resident concerns.

The map, which will guide the city’s vision on where and how Bentonville should grow, was originally scheduled to be voted on at the Dec. 3 Planning Commission meeting before heading to City Council for final adoption on Dec. 10.

There will be another public comment hearing at the Dec. 3 Planning Commission meeting. Residents can access the latest information and provide feedback on the map here.

Bentonville City Council meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, where they pass local laws and ordinances, approve development projects, establish policies and more. The Council typically covers a dozen or more agenda items each meeting, so we try to pick the items we think residents would be most interested in. City Council meetings are open to the public. Find the most recent agendas and minutes here.