BENTONVILLE — The Planning Commission approved a rezoning to allow 10 townhomes to be built on Southwest D Street.
The commission approved 7-0 to rezone 502 and 506 SW. D St. from single family residential to downtown edge at its meeting Tuesday.
Roth Family Inc. owns the properties and is planning to develop 10 townhomes to be sold individually, according to a letter Jason Young with Bates & Associates wrote to commissioners. Bates & Associates is the civil engineers for the project.
“The appearance of the townhomes will be in a craftsman style as is used in newer developments in the surrounding area,” Young wrote. Rear garage parking along a private driveway will be proposed.
No one spoke in opposition of the rezoning during the public hearing, but two residents submitted written oppositions to the Planning Department.
Julie Fidler of Southwest D Street expressed concern with the increase in density the downtown edge zoning would allow. Gilmore Park is across the street from the properties and is heavily used.
“Townhomes with multiple units on two lots will generate increased residential traffic, creating serious safety concerns for neighbors who utilize Gilmore Park,” she wrote.
Fidler also said construction traffic hasn’t been managed well with regards to other developments on Southwest D Street, where several multifamily projects have been built.
“Trucks and building materials are frequently blocking streets,” she wrote. “This makes navigating the neighborhood by vehicle incredibly challenging and leads to major safety concerns.”
Four townhomes are planned for 301, 303, 309 and 315 SW. D St. as commissioners also approved an extension for development plans. Those townhomes will be two blocks north of 502 and 506 SW. D St.
MEP Enterprises is the applicant for the plans, which were approved Jan. 19. Plans expire six months. Commissioners granted an extension Tuesday.
Construction on the four townhomes is expected to start within the month, according to a letter from Dirk Thibodaux with Gray Rock to the Planning Department. Gray Rock is the project’s civil engineer.
“There was an initial delay of starting the project due to the financial burden of the two unsold units to the east,” he wrote. “The eastern most unit is now sold, and the second unit is under contract.”
Commissioners also approved the rezoning of nearly 16 acres on Southwest I Street between Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard and Southwest 41st Street.
The property will be subdivided into three sections. The largest will be rezoned from agricultural to high density residential for a potential apartment complex, according to meeting documents.
Two smaller sections at the north end and southeast corner will be rezoned from agricultural to neighborhood commercial.
No one spoke during the public hearing for that rezone request.
Melissa Gute can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ NWAMelissa.