BENTONVILLE -- Benton County planners approved a proposal from a pair of businesses Wednesday and waived restrictions on septic systems for a residential property.
The Planning Board unanimously approved plans for the Michael Cabinet Shop on Raines Road near Siloam Springs. John and Cheri Michael told the board the proposed 2,280-square-foot building on the site of their home is meant to allow John Michael to continue with his custom cabinet work.
The board had raised some concerns at an earlier meeting about the size of the operation and whether it was a home business operation or a more traditional commercial operation. According to the Michaels, the business will have one part-time employee assisting John Michael, no commercial deliveries and minimal on-site customer traffic. The Michaels asked for and received a waiver from the county's parking requirements and will provide one handicapped-accessible parking space and two others, one for each of the employees.
"As far as the parking goes, there's not much in the way of customer traffic, so there's no need for parking," planning board member Jim Cole said during the discussion.
The board also approved plans to expand the Old Wire Storage business at 2715 S. Old Wire Road near Rogers. The business had been approved in 2004 with a plan showing seven storage buildings encompassing about 19,200 square feet of storage. The plan approved by the board adds one building, with 5,600 square feet of storage. The board required additional fencing at the site to screen the commercial use from adjacent residential property.
The board also approved a request from Rex and Helen Littrell to allow two septic systems on a single parcel of land. The planning and development regulations limit septic systems to one per parcel. The Littrells told the board at an earlier meeting they wanted to place a mobile home on the property for the use of one of their children.
Also Wednesday, the board voted to require plans for a propane storage tank to come before the board for review. Anderson Propane proposed placing a 12,000-gallon storage tank on land near some homes along Arkansas 43 in western Benton County. The planning staff said the regulations were unclear on how to treat the request and the board members agreed they want to review such plans.
"With there being residential property next door, we need to see where they're going to put it," board member Ron Homeyer said.
Ashley Tucker, board chairman, said the board has reviewed a plan for chemical tanks and other light-industrial storage uses and the propane storage tank seems to fit with those types of uses.
NW News on 08/04/2016