BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's Planning Board denied a request Wednesday for a company to use land in a rural and residential area for heavy equipment storage.
The planners voted 6-0 to deny the request from Trulove Construction. The property is at 3901 South First Street in the Rogers area.
Property in the area is designated for agricultural and residential use.
Cindy Jones, the project manager for Trulove Construction, told the planners a mobile home would be on the site and used for an office. Six dump trucks would be parked at the site.
A tanker truck would also be on the site to in order to fuel the dump trucks, according to Jones. Jones said there would be no maintenance of the trucks on the property.
Jones said a berm and trees would block the view of the property.
Rogers attorney Bill Watkins told planners he represented some of the property owners near Trulove's property and they were against the project.
Watkins said the area isn't compatible for heavy equipment storage and "it dropped in the middle of a pure residential and agriculture area."
Johnny Howell, who lives in the area, feared fuel from the dump trucks could get in the water system. Howell said the area isn't designed for heavy equipment storage.
Rey Hernandez told planners he had a cattle operation in the area and he also feels the project had been dropped in the middle of an agricultural area. Hernandez said he sat on the Quorum Court and he would have opposed the project.
Michelle Lee, who also lives in the area, also opposed the project. Lee said she loves walking in the area because of the nature and wildlife and she believes the Trulove's project would have a negative impact on the area and the wildlife.
Jones attempted to ease the fears. She told planners the dump trucks would be parked on a base so there was no chance fuel from the trucks would damage the water source. She also said trees would block the site of the trucks parked on the property.
The board then voted on the project and denied Trulove's application.
Mark Curtis, Planning Board chairman, said he voted to deny the application because he believes the proposal isn't compatible with the area.
Other planners said their denials were also based on the projects incompatibility with the area.
NW News on 08/06/2015