FAYETTEVILLE -- A sliver of land southeast of Baum-Walker Stadium could become home to multifamily and commercial development after a Planning Commission recommendation Monday.
The commission forwarded to the City Council the rezoning request spanning the east side of Razorback Road, south of 15th Street. The single, elongated property makes up just more than 5 acres along 1,300 linear feet. The railroad line runs immediately east along the property.
Commission action
Fayetteville’s Planning Commission met Monday and approved:
• A permit allowing two duplexes in a single-family zoned district at 3035 W. Sandra St., north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Finger/One Mile Road. The property will undergo an engineering review to mitigate drainage issues as a condition of the approval.
• Rezoning about 2 acres south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, west of Hoot Owl Lane, from a residential or office zone to an urban thoroughfare. The request will go before the City Council.
Source: Staff report
Washington County property records show John Looney and Myriah Johnson bought the land, and another piece west of Razorback Road, in February for $150,000.
The request would change the property from two zoning designations to three.
The southeast corner of 15th Street and Razorback Road would stay the same, as an urban thoroughfare district, which allows a wide variety of commercial uses.
From there south to the floodplain at Town Branch, the zoning would be for multifamily housing up to 24 units per acre. A letter from the applicant, Bates & Associates, says potential development of the property will be limited in density because of the narrow width.
The southernmost end of the property, much of it in a floodplain, would have its zoning changed from a neighborhood services limited designation to neighborhood services general. The main difference between the two zones is neighborhood services general allows buildings to be built up to the front property line. Neighborhood services limited requires buildings to be set back at least 10 feet from the front property line.
The commission's discussion about the rezoning centered around access and how potential development would fit on the property.
"I like small, narrow lots, but I'm trying to wrap my head around how this would be developed," said Zara Niederman, a developer.
Chairman Matt Hoffman said the request was a little bit perplexing.
"My gut says if someone has indeed figured out a plan for how to develop this property, these zoning designations in these locations help them accomplish that plan," he said.
In other business, commissioners approved a permit allowing Prism Education Center to expand its classroom space. The private, nondenominational Christian school has about 160 students enrolled at its campus near Joyce Boulevard and Crossover Road.
The permit enables Prism to lease about 2,000 square feet in a strip mall immediately east of its building. The suite once served as home to a Jenny Craig franchise.
The school, established in 2012, consolidated its three campuses on the south side of town into one northeast site in 2017.
Misty Newcomb, the school's executive director, has said the extra space is needed for older students, advanced placement classes and new programs. The school already has an agreement with the owner of the strip mall property to share parking and an entryway.
Also, the commission signed off on a request to rezone the southwest corner of Rock Street and Mill Avenue, near the Yvonne Richardson Community Center. The property is zoned for multifamily development up to 24 units but is undeveloped. The request would change the zoning to one allowing residential uses in scale with single-family homes.
The requested residential intermediate urban zone allows single-family homes, duplexes, three- and fourplexes, accessory dwellings and cluster homes.
The applicant, Southern Brothers, made the request to be able to build single-family homes, according to city documents.
Brock and Sara Posey bought the lot in May for $80,000, according to property records.
NW News on 07/23/2019