SPRINGDALE — A city business will be able to step up its security as a requirement for government contracts.
The Planning Commission approved a revised development plan Tuesday for NanoMech, 2447 Technology Way, that included a fence around its building in Technology Park.
Baybar Investments, which owns the property, applied to revise the development previously approved to add an 8-foot decorative-block wall. The wall will be needed for the greater security required by a government contract the company is seeking, according to the application.
NanoMech is a private company making products based on nanotechnology, including lubricants and coatings for cutting tools.
The wall required a variance from the commission since it would replace some of the landscaped frontage buffer required by code. The wall also would run by or across several utility easements on the property, including overhead electric lines and underground sewer, water, gas and data lines.
The Planning Department required the company to provide documentation from utility companies showing no objection to the wall.
A company approached the Springdale Public Facilities Board to buy more property in the park to expand its campus. Board representatives didn’t name the company, but Nano-Mech is the only business that fits the description given of the company. The board approved selling land to the company.
Commissioner Kevin Parsley questioned the fence design, saying he was concerned about the fence not having a break during its length. He also questioned how hard it would be to clean graffti from the fence.
Mayor Doug Sprouse said the city had a graff ti-abatement program that could clean the fence thoroughly.
“Our program has a pressure washer that could take the face oft the blocks if we turned it all the way up,” Sprouse said.
The variance was approved with Parsley casting the only opposing vote. Chairman Joel Kelsey abstained from voting.
The commission also approved development plans for Northwest Technical Institute.
The school asked for waivers and variances for a 6,500-foot building to be used in teaching diesel and truck technology, according to the application. The waivers and variances, for deletion of paved parking, landscaping streetlight and buried power lines, allow the building to be constructed without meeting requirements set after the facility opened, according to the application.
Sidewalks on Old Missouri Road will be built within a year and Ford Avenue within five years, according to George Burch, school president. The waivers have to be approved by the City Council, said Patsy Christie, city director of planning.
The estimated cost of the building is $450,000.
Northwest Technical provides vocational training under the guidance of the Arkansas Department of Career Education.