SPRINGDALE — The new interchange on Interstate 540 will have its first development after the Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the construction of a convenience store.
The commission voted unanimously to allow a large-scale development at the southwest corner of Don Tyson Parkway and 48th Street for a Casey’s General Store.
The city is nearing the construction phase of building an interchange where the parkway would intersect I-540.
At A Glance
Commission Action
Springdale Planning Commission met Tuesday night and:
-Rezoned 2.5 acres at 3112 N. Thompson St. owned by Six Judges Inc. from open display commercial to large product retail sales and rezoned 151.8 acres at 9165 Nations Drive owned by Ecclesia Inc. from agricultural to institutional
-Tabled rezoning 1 acre at 2762 E. Robinson Ave. owned by John and Mary Thompson from open display commercial to large product retail sales
-Approved a conditional use at 1000 Old Missouri Road for Beverly and Brad Lloyd for a truck and trailer rental business
-Approved a large-scaled development for a media center addition at T.G. Smith Elementary School at the corner of Falcon Road and 40th Street.
Source: Staff Report
The store would run parallel to Don Tyson, with an entry off 48th Street, said Sammi May, the project manager for with Morrison Shipley Engineers. The business will have 20 bays for fueling and 21 parking spaces, she said.
Mayor Doug Sprouse said he was glad to see a business commit to the location now, before the interchange opened.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations about development near the interchange,” Sprouse said. “It’s nice to have a good business go in.”
Businesses are required to begin construction within a year of development approval, said Patsy Christie, city director of planning and community development. Businesses can apply for an extension to that time limit, she said.
The city has finished buying right of way for the interchange and will begin the bidding process after approval from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.
The estimated cost the interchange is $25 million. The City Council had reserved money from the Capital Improvement Program to pay for the construction but it will now be paid from bonds sold by the city.
Voters approved a bond issue last summer that raised $42.7 million for street improvement. The bonds will be repaid by a sales tax.
Interchange construction will take about two years, finishing in 2015.
One Casey’s is open in Springdale at the corner of the parkway and Old Missouri Road. Another is being built at the intersection of the parkway and Thompson Street. The newly approved store would be the third Casey’s on the parkway, said Joel Kelsey, commission chairman.
“I think they have pretty good locations,” Kelsey said.
A Love’s Travel Center was proposed for the opposite side of the interchange. The company asked for a sign variance before they submitted a development plan, which was voted down by the council.
A resolution supporting Love’s locating in Springdale also failed to pass.
The difference in the two businesses, said Alderwoman Kathy Jaycox, was Casey’s went completely through the process for development.
Sprouse said, at the time of the votes, the truck stop wouldn’t fit in with an overlay plan for that side of the interchange.
The overlay district would develop recommendations for the location of businesses, residences and retail areas to the area west and north of the interchange. It would also include common elements for design of the buildings.
The only major development in the area is Arvest Ballpark, built by the city and leased by the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, a minor league baseball team.
The commission also approved a large-scale development for a Northwest Medical Center clinic south of Robinson Avenue on Butterfield Coach Road.