Council OKs Rezoning

BELLA VISTA CLEARS WAY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET

Patricia Haas speaks against a rezoning that would allow Walmart to build a Neighborhood Market at the intersection of U.S. 71 and Oldham Drive. Haas spoke Monday during a Bella Vista City Council meeting at the Community Church.
Patricia Haas speaks against a rezoning that would allow Walmart to build a Neighborhood Market at the intersection of U.S. 71 and Oldham Drive. Haas spoke Monday during a Bella Vista City Council meeting at the Community Church.

— In spite of a large, vocal crowd that seemed to oppose the idea of a Neighborhood Market on U.S. 71, the Bella Vista City Council voted to change the zoning of a parcel of land at the intersection of 71 and Oldham Drive to C-4 at the request of property owner Betty Garcia. The second and third reading of the ordinance to change the zoning was waived.

Garcia has a contract with Walmart, and the company has released a conceptual plan for a Neighborhood Market with a gasoline station on the site.

The zoning vote should be separate from the plans for a specific site development, Alderman Doug Farner said, but because of the publicity the issue has already received, that’s not possible.

Alderman Jerry Snow wanted to table the project and send it back to the Planning Commission, while the council considered their ordinances that govern off-site improvements. Christopher Suneson, director of planning, assured Snow the city’s subdivision codes will require the developer of the property to fund the necessary traffic improvements.

Alderman Earl Berdine made the motion to waive the second and third readings of the zoning ordinance.

“The issue has been in the public for months,” Farner said, supporting Berdine’s motion. “The citizens have spoken.”

Although a few people spoke in favor of the plan, more spoke against it during the one hour allotted for citizen input. Comments ranged from Steve Morrow, the manager of Allen’s Grocery, who said he has managed grocery stores that failed when they were forced to compete against Walmart to resident John Gilbert who believes there is an underground stream and caves on the property.

Harry Newby presented what he said was a petition with 2,600 signatures against the project. He lives in the area.

Property owner Betty Garcia asked why people bought land so close to a major highway if they were really looking for peace and quiet. When she bought the land, it was part of the county and she always believed it was zoned as commercial, she said.

After the vote, some of the audience booed and several residents made their way to the front of the room until Police Capt. Tim Cook asked them to step back and leave the room.

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