SPRINGDALE -- Plans for a four-story, 80,000 square-foot office building at the intersection of Interstate 49 and Don Tyson Parkway won approval for development from the Planning Commission on Tuesday.
Approval of the development plan is a first step. City Council approval is also required, then more detailed plans. Plans unveiled Tuesday for the new building show on 8.8 acres and will have a total of 383 places to park vehicles.
Exact building internal size is 78,886 square feet according to plans drawn up by Crafton Tull, a civil engineering firm who presented the plan to the commission.
The plans also show a pedestrian walkway looping around the building's parking lot and grounds. No details such as cost of the project and projected completion date are available yet, according to a spokesman for Crafton Tull and city planning staff.
The project is identified on the commission's agenda as the "Terry Woods Inc. Office Building." Terry Woods Inc. is a Little Rock-based development company, according to corporate records at the secretary of state's office.
In other business, at least 40 attendees of Tuesday's 5 p.m. meeting at city hall came to oppose a rezoning request to allow building of a used car lot on 0.75 acres in the northwest corner of Michelle Street's intersection with Main Drive. The commission rejected the rezoning but the property owner said he would return to ask for a permit for the same project.
The property is zoned C-2 for office spaces and similar businesses. Owner Fadil Bayyari wanted a C-6 zoning, one allowing vehicle sales and other such large items. City planning director Patsy Christie told the commission the sought-for zoning wasn't consistent with city planning standards for the neighborhood.
Bayyari told the commission he was willing to do his best to reach an agreement with neighbors who oppose the plan but hadn't reached an agreement yet.
Attorney James Crouch of Springdale represented some of the homeowners. He said Bayyari was a well-known and respected developer but a C-6 zoning goes on forever.
"Obviously we know Fadil's a good guy, but what will the next use of that lot be?" Crouch said. "C-6 allows a lot of intensive uses." Neighbors also spoke against the rezoning. They gave objections ranging from traffic concerns to light pollution.
Bayyari said he wants the car lot as a business for his daughter and son-in-law. He also said the C-2 zoning would allow a restaurant, for instance, that would stay open late into the night and generate much more traffic. However, since the neighbors objected to the zone change, he would be back with a request for a permit. This would allow the C-2 zoning to stay in place but make a specific exemption allowing the car business. Such permits require detailed plans with restrictions.
NW News on 11/06/2019