FAYETTEVILLE -- A project to put a gas station near the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, campus will go ahead as planned after a City Council vote Thursday.
Council members voted 4-4 on an appeal of the planned Road Runner gas station at North Street and Garland Avenue. Mayor Lioneld Jordan declined to vote, meaning the motion to grant the appeal failed.
Resident advocacy group Fayetteville Strong filed the appeal. The group contended putting such an auto-centric land use at a busy intersection would exacerbate a dangerous traffic condition.
The appeal specifically was about a set of variances to city code the Planning Commission granted the project in July. The variances had to deal with building and site design to fit the gas station on the 1.3-acre property.
With the appeal denied, Road Runner will be granted the variances as requested, Senior Assistant City Attorney Blake Pennington said. Planning staff recommended denying the appeal and granting the variances.
Council members Teresa Turk, Bob Stafford, D'Andre Jones and Sarah Moore supported the appeal. Scott Berna, Sarah Bunch, Holly Hertzberg and Mike Wiederkehr voted against.
The site has been home to several business over the years, including Mr. Burger, Little Caesar's, Star BurgerHaus and NWA Gyros and Grill, as well as a gas station. It is zoned for strictly commercial use, meaning its use as a Road Runner station won't require rezoning.
The property has streets facing it on four sides. Driveways to the gas station are planned to be on Mount Comfort Road and Lindell Avenue, rather than North Street or Garland Avenue.
DeLani Bartlette with Fayetteville Strong said the proposed auto-centric project would stand in opposition to the city's conceptual plans promoting walkability, alternative transportation and a mix of land uses. The intersection is already dangerous, and having so many cars coming in and out would pose more of a danger to pedestrians and bicyclists, she said.
"It is not the best fit, safest, or most convenient in the eyes of the residents who have to live, walk and bike there," Bartlette said.
Attorney Jacob Newcomb, representing Road Runner, said the variances to code will make the project safer and the project team worked with planning staff to come up with them. Variance requests are commonplace for gas stations because city code doesn't accommodate them, he said.
"Wishful thinking about what you'd like to see here or what may be allowed or not allowed here in 20 years cannot be part of the analysis on whether or not these variances should be granted," Newcomb said.
Seven members of the public, mostly members of Fayetteville Strong, spoke in support of the appeal. Steve Clark, president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, spoke in support of the project.
Council members asked several questions about the project's design and the number of traffic accidents in the area. Police Chief Mike Reynolds said officers worked more than 15,000 traffic collisions in the city from 2019-23. North Street and Garland Avenue accounted for 22 of them, he said.
Berna said he was surprised at the relatively few number of accidents at the intersection. The city's future plans are conceptual, but the zoning code is the law, and the property is zoned to allow a gas station, he said.
"If it comes down to, 'We don't want a gas station there,' that's not right," Berna said.
Stafford said the zoning may allow gas stations, but no variances to code are guaranteed. He said he understood the development team has already invested money in the project, but that's the cost of doing business.
"Don't buy the furniture and appliances before you have keys to the house," Stafford said.
In other business, a decision to create a project budget to extend Stearns Street to Vantage Drive was held for the Feb. 6 meeting. The council voted 8-0 to table the item after several members requested a tour of the area. Neighbors in past council subcommittee meetings have opposed the project.
Council action
Fayetteville's City Council met Thursday and approved:
Applying for multiple grants to help pay for mitigating flooding near Hamestring Creek.
Adjusting the budget to provide 7 Hills Homeless Center and its partner organizations with up to $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act money for various projects addressing community needs.
Recognizing the National Day of Racial Healing, which was Tuesday. A ceremony will be held at City Hall at noon Wednesday.
Honoring the championship Fayetteville High School football team. Coaching staff and seniors will be invited to City Hall for the Feb. 6 meeting to be recognized.
Also, Steven Dotson, deputy chief financial officer, was awarded the city's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Brotherhood award to staff, and Sarah Bunch was selected as vice mayor.
Source: Fayetteville