BENTONVILLE — Despite opposition from some residents, the City Council approved a change Tuesday that could lead to a liquor store being built in the southwest part of town.
The council voted 5-3 in favor of amending the land use map from medium density residential to commercial for land at Southwest Bright Road and Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard. The move was necessary to make the map consistent with the property’s zoning, which is neighborhood commercial.
The state Alcohol Board has approved a liquor store at the site, but the council still must approve a zoning change to general commercial before a liquor store may open there. That change will be considered at a future meeting.
Numerous residents of the area showed up at Tuesday’s meeting to express their concerns, just as they did when the topic was presented at last week’s Planning Commission meeting.
Harley Jarvis, who lives about half a mile south of the site of the site, was one of two residents who addressed the council Tuesday. He said neighbors could accept other commercial uses of the site, but a liquor store is “not a good fi t.” He urged the council to postpone its vote on the change.
“We would love for the council tonight to encourage residents and developers to work together on this,” Jarvis said.
Jarvis said he was speaking for numerous residents of the area, many of whom turned out at Tuesday’s meeting.
Mayor Bob McCaslin reiterated to the council and audience members Tuesday’s vote was not about zoning.
“The land use must be changed before you can change the zoning,” McCaslin said.
The 5-3 vote for the landuse change included “no” votes from council members Leah Williams, Burton Head and Mary Baggett. Chris Sooter, Roger Thomas, Shane Perry, Jim Grider and Bill Burckart voted for it.
Williams said after the meeting she voted against it because she was disappointed she hadn’t heard from the developer, Morrison Tract, about its plans.
Jarvis said after the meeting the council’s vote wasn’t a surprise.
“This was a housekeeping issue,” he said. “We viewed (the meeting) as an opportunity to make our voices heard.”
Residents’ objections are based less on moral issues and more on fi nancial issues, he said.
Josh Kyles, a Morrison Tract representative who presented the firm’s plans at Tuesday’s meeting, spoke with Jarvis and said he was willing to meet with neighbors to discuss their concerns.