ROGERS — Planning commissioners established Tuesday where liquor stores will be allowed now that voters have approved the sale of alcohol in Benton County.
“After talking with the mayor and the city attorney, we are recommending that liquor stores be allowed by right in downtown commercial, highway commercial and open display zoning,” said Derrel Smith, senior planner.
At A Glance
Commission Action
The Rogers Planning Commission met Tuesday and passed:
A request for a conditional use permit from Iglesia Evangelica Pentecostal Mana for a church in a light industrial zone at 215 S. Arkansas St.
The large-scale development plan for a Casey’s convenience store and gasoline station at 1531 S. Eighth St., a highway commercial zone.
A large-scale development plan for Highroller Cyclery at 402 Metro Parkway in a residential office zone.
The final plat of Avignon County Townhomes Phase I on North 24th Street. The site is zoned residential multifamily with 12 units per acre. The townhomes will be individually owned.
Source: Staff Report
“We also recommend allowing beer bars, places that only serve beer, in the same zone, but by conditional use only. Private clubs at restaurants will still be conditional use as well, because private clubs are allowed to sell liquor by the drink,” Smith said. “Package stores are come-and-go places; a beer bar will have customers who drink on the premises. This way you will have some control of where a beer bar is located.”
There was a question as to whether the city has control over convenience stores selling beer and wine.
Smith said the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Administration Division has complete control of such licenses.
“If the mayor or the police chief have an objection to a beer and wine license, the ABC director will decline the permit. Then it has to go to the full board for approval,” Smith said.
Planning commissioners also approved a conditional use permit for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas to operate a private school at 4301 S. Dixieland Road, the former Interior Galleria building.
“It’s really nothing different than the 12 other Career Centers we operate in Arkansas,” said Rebecca Brockman, a spokeswoman for Goodwill. “We help people with resumes, job searches, job placement, computer skills and can assist a person get their General Education Development degree.”
Andrew Francis, an attorney representing Goodwill, said the request was worded to fit the style of a Rogers city ordinance.
“It’s a private school, according to our ordinance because it doesn’t receive state education funds. Public schools don’t need a conditional use permit, but a private school does,” said Smith.
Goodwill expects to open the center in late spring or early summer, Brockman said.
The commission approved a conditional use permit for a Grub’s Bar and Grille to be in the 7,500-square-foot building which housed Fuddruckers, McB’s and, most recently, Boar’s Nest restaurant, all of which had conditional use permits for a private club.
Grub’s has two stores in Fayetteville.
Although Benton County residents approved allowing liquor stores and beer and wine sales, liquor by the drink can only be sold in a private clubs, according to city ordinance.
“A couple of our partners live in this area and we have had our eye on opening a store here for awhile. This just seems to be the time to do it,” said Wes Cooper, a partner in Catalina Inc. which owns Grub’s.
The full-service restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day but Saturday, when the it will be open until 11 p.m.
“We hope to be open by late December if all of our fixtures arrive on time. If not, we will open in mid-January,” Cooper said.