State Denies Light Request

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

— A Walmart official said without a traffic signal the company is no longer interested in building a Neighborhood Market at the intersection of Bella Vista Way and Oldham Drive.

A site to the west of the intersection is the subject of a vote today on whether it should be rezoned to C-4, commercial for the market or remain R-1, residential.

The Highway and Transportation Department recently denied a request for a traffic light at the intersection, but Bella Vista Mayor Frank Anderson said the department’s decision could change.

“It’s not over yet. We’re still talking and asking questions,” he said.

At A Glance

Study Requested

Bella Vista Mayor Frank Anderson said he has requested the Highway and Transportation Department do a study from Benton County Road 40 north through the city to determine any possible upgrades in infrastructure or signal technology that would improve traffic flow in the city, especially at peak times of day. He has had no response to that request. He thinks the counters set up recently on main roads may have been collecting data for the study.

Source: Staff Report

Anderson requested the light earlier this year as a result of a traffic study completed by consulting firm Peters & Associates. Walmart hired the company to determine traffic counts.

“From day one it was our intention to install a fully actuated traffic signal at this intersection and make the appropriate improvements to make this intersection accessible for residents and our customers as they shopped our store,” Daniel Morales, director of Walmart communications and community relations, wrote in an email late Monday afternoon. “Without a traffic signal, the intersection is not ideal and does not meet our typical standards of easy access for our customers. Therefore, we will move to find a more suitable location that will allow us to serve our customers.”

The counts at this time do not meet requirements for a signal, nor are the projected numbers resulting from potential commercial development significant enough to meet criteria, said Mitchell Archer with the highway department.

Anderson said he is not sure why the signal was declined, and will continue to work with the department. The city relied on three traffic counts done in the area at different times but the city did not do any additional counts on its own.

Archer said even though the signal is not recommended at this time, the department advises the city to monitor conditions closely, especially following any commercial development.

Exactly when Anderson knew of the denial has been a contentious topic. Other news media attributed comments to Alderman Jerry Snow over the weekend in which Snow said the city received the highway department’s letter Oct. 19.

Anderson and Archer both said a letter dated Oct. 18 informing the mayor of the decision was received via email in the mayor’s office on Oct. 31. The letter is stamped as received Nov. 1. Anderson said he received the email the afternoon of Oct. 31, and printed the letter the next morning.

Snow said Monday he didn’t tell anyone that was the date the city received the letter, but “may have been asked that question and may have responded ‘yes’.”

The letter has a handwritten date of Oct. 19 and the initials “JLD,” both written by Janelle Davidson, office administrative assistant with the highway department. Davidson said Monday her initials on the top of the page indicated she mailed the letter out of her office Oct. 19.

Snow said he received the letter in his mailbox at City Hall prior to a special council meeting Nov. 2. He said he believed the initials at the top of the page looked to be “JW” for city clerk Jane Wilms.

“Did I examine the initials? No, I didn’t examine the initials,” Snow said Monday. He said he was told by someone else the initials were “JW.”

“Should I call the city and ask if something I am about to say is correct? I didn’t say anything that is not correct. All I did was respond to the question that was asked me, that’s all I said,” Snow said.

The original mailed letter was not received by the city, Anderson said. Anderson said he found out about the letter on Oct. 31 during a meeting of the Bella Vista Sunrise Rotary Club. Anderson said Steve Lawrence, highway district engineer, asked him what he thought about the letter. Anderson said he had not received it.

Archer and Lawrence were at the meeting along with Dick Trammel of Rogers, a member of the Arkansas Highway Commission who was the featured speaker that morning.

Web Watch

Letter To Bella Vista

nwaonline.com/documents

The letter was sent by email later that day from Davidson at 1:02 p.m., and an additional copy was received through the mail Nov. 1.

Tony Licausi, spokesman for Citizens for Responsible Development, a group that opposes the rezoning of land, said a majority of those speaking against the rezoning at the planning commission and city council meetings would favor a mixed-use commercial development as opposed to a box store at that location.