Planning Review Nears End

Committee Set To Tackle Final Four Chapters Of 'Blue Book'

BENTONVILLE — Benton County officials are nearing the end of their review of the county’s planning and development regulations.

The Legislative Committee of the Benton County Quorum Court is set to review the final four chapters of the county’s “Blue Book” of planning and development guidelines and regulations tonight. The committee has pored over the regulations chapter by chapter since the beginning of the year.

What's Next

Review

The Benton County Quorum Court’s Legislative Committee will continue its review of the county planning and development regulations when the panel meets at 6 p.m. tonight in the Quorum Courtroom of the County Administration Building, 215 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville.

Source: Staff Report

Chris Ryan, county planning and environmental director, said the committee will also look at revisions and suggested additions to the regulations that stem from earlier meetings. Among the possible additions is setting up a permanent appeals board that also would handle requests for variances from the county’s regulations. Ryan said the appeals board would replace the current system that has the county judge appoint a panel of justices of the peace to hear planning appeals.

Ryan also said the county is working to simplify the process for families who want to divide a parcel of land among family members. Currently, such a proposal would be treated the same as a lot split or subdivision meant for public sale.

“This would protect the ability of a family to pass land down among members of the family,” Ryan said. “The main difference would be they wouldn’t have to build a road to county standards.”

Ryan said the committee also will look at proposals to clarify regulations on in-home occupations, detailing what is allowed for a homeowner and what type of businesses will be required to go through the development process. Ryan said the panel also will review new rules for agricultural-commercial operations.

“This is something one of the justices of the peace has been really interested in,” Ryan said. “This allows people the flexibility to do additional commercial activity on their property as long as it remains a working farm.”

John Sudduth, county general services administrator, oversees the Planning Department. Sudduth said the aim of the review is to make it easier for property owners and developers to understand the county’s planning process while using or developing property.

“The value of this is it’s clarifying the regulations,” Sudduth said. “It makes it easier for people to develop, it makes it easier for them to do construction. A lot of it allows the planning staff to make administrative decisions, which shortens the time frame for people. They no longer have to go before a board. I think it’s very beneficial to developers, homeowners and property owners if we eliminate a lot of unclear meanings of the regulations. People know what they need to do with their property prior to coming in and going before the Planning Board.”

Justice of the Peace Tom Allen is chairman of the Legislative Committee. Allen said he has the final chapters on the agenda for tonight’s meeting, but with the changes, additions and clarifications the panel will discuss, another meeting may be needed.

“The goal is to finish, but we have those discussion items and four more chapters to review,” Allen said. “It’s a good possibility we may need to have another meeting to get everything done.”

Allen said the revised planning and development regulations will be sent back to the planning staff to compile a final draft that then will be reviewed by the Planning Board and go to the Quorum Court for final approval. He said having so many people involved in the process has been beneficial.

“To me, the more eyes we get on this the better,” Allen said. “I think it’s going to help the people of the county to have a more simple process, to have a less confusing set of rules to abide by. Nobody has really understood everything about the planning process in the past.”

Upcoming Events