FAYETTEVILLE -- Whoever sits in the open Ward 3 seat has to find ways to maintain the unique characteristics of the city while accounting for growth and development, north Fayetteville's three City Council candidates said.
Realtor Sarah Bunch, youth minister Benjamin Harrison and developer Tracy Hoskins seek the open Ward 3 seat. Alderman Martin Schoppmeyer Jr. didn't file for re-election.
Ward 3 encompasses northeast Fayetteville, including the Northwest Arkansas Mall, Washington Regional Medical Center, Lake Fayetteville and Gulley Park.
Bunch and Hoskins both touted their time on the Planning Commission during a candidate forum at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Harrison focused on his connection with the community.
Development and growth became a prominent theme of questions from audience members. All three candidates acknowledged the challenges of balancing developers' aspirations with the needs of a community and maintaining high environmental quality.
"In seven years on the commission, I have yet to meet anybody that ever came to me and said, 'I would really wish if you would find somebody to build something right behind my house,'" Hoskins said.
An out-of-date and cumbersome city code often compels city officials to approve developments regardless of compatibility or potential traffic impact, he said. Hoskins said he would focus on making changes to those policies and regulations.
Bunch spoke of a time when she was on the Planning Commission and a subdivision wanted to come in near her own neighborhood. She identified with the grievances residents often bring to City Hall, such as increased traffic, but her personal feelings didn't play into her decision to approve the development. An alderwoman has to set aside personal preferences when making a decision, she said.
Harrison said he wouldn't sacrifice the city's natural beauty in the name of development. He would support measures to make sure developers use native plant species and carbon sinks, rather than turf grass such as at a big box store, in their projects, he said.
Following a pattern of development like that of downtown would work brilliantly in the city's north side, Harrison said. Hosting regular Ward 3 meetings will create a sense of community more apparent in other parts of the city, he said. Ward 3 currently does not hold meetings like Wards 1 and 4.
"I think that's a giant mistake," Harrison said. "I think people are much more likely to support projects after they know the information."
Fayetteville's uniqueness from other cities in Northwest Arkansas warrants a certain type of growth and development, Bunch said. She praised the city's recent contract with local group Startup Junkie to bring outside businesses to the city.
Jobs in technology, innovation, entertainment and tourism represent the kind of businesses the city should want to attract, Bunch said.
"We're trying to be creative here in Fayetteville, and I want to support that," she said.
Growing the city's commercial base will prevent the problem of not having enough money to fund the things people love about the city, Hoskins said.
Already-established businesses usually don't have issues dealing the city, Hoskins said, but incoming businesses have great difficulty.
Hoskins called for streamlining the system through which developers and business owners go through to get their projects approved. The city's goals are admirable, but a distinction needs to be made between policy and regulation, he said.
Bunch and Harrison downplayed the idea that Fayetteville is unfriendly to businesses.
Hearing different things from different people within the city's departments makes for a frustrating experience, Bunch said, but those issues can be addressed as they come up, she said.
Harrison said education is key in making sure developers and business owners know the rules going in and access to that information need to be easy.
Early voting starts Monday for the Nov. 8 general election. Runoffs will be held Nov. 29.
NW News on 10/20/2016