BENTONVILLE -- The Planning Commission approved plans for the Walmart Neighborhood Market on North Walton Boulevard on Tuesday.
The commission approved 7-0 development plans for a 41,839-square-foot market at 1400 N. Walton Blvd. It'll be built at the corner of North Walton Boulevard and Northwest 14th Street.
At A Glance
Commission Action
Bentonville’s Planning Commission met Tuesday and approved:
• Lot split at 1109 S.E. 35th St.
• Property line adjustment at lot 114 in the Stonehenge Subdivision, Phase One.
• Plans for a 16,000-square-foot office building at 3201 S. Walton Blvd.
• Rezoning 317 S.W. F St. from single family residential to central residential-moderate density.
• Rezoning 1002 S.W. I St. from heavy industrial to neighborhood commercial.
• A permit for Ramo D’ Olivo at 217 S. Main St.
• A preliminary plat for Creekstone Subdivision Phase Three at 3502 N.W. Riverbend Road.
Source: Staff Report
The market will be accompanied by a 740-square-foot fueling kiosk with six fueling islands, according to commission documents. The development will include 168 parking spaces.
Northwest 15th Street sits parallel to the northeast of the seven-acre development site and will be extended to North Walton Boulevard, the documents show.
Customers will be able to access the store along North Walton Boulevard, Northwest 15th Street and Northwest 14th Street.
Several residents expressed concern about the project during hearings July 15 and Aug. 5. Residents said it would emit noise and light pollution into their neighborhood and increase traffic, making streets more dangerous for children. Commissioners passed the rezoning 5-2 on Aug. 5.
The lighting didn't meet the city's dark sky ordinance when plans were discussed with commissioners at their tech review meeting last week.
The planning staff hasn't seen a revision correcting the issue yet, but Walmart plans on meeting the requirements and doesn't want a waiver, said Beau Thompson, city planner. Thompson said he expects to see revisions Monday.
Commissioners asked planning staff if the project would meet the requirements outlined to residents at the public hearings.
"It meets all the screening requirements to a T," Thompson said. "There's a few additional shrubs and some trees we put in there that go above and beyond the ordinance."
NW News on 09/17/2014