FARMINGTON -- The Planning Commission last week tabled a land use plan for more discussion after members were presented with a proposal with new terms to describe residential land use.
"You've broadened it out and I'm not comfortable with it," commissioner Judy Horne told Sarah Geurtz, landscape architect with Earthplan Design Alternatives of Springdale.
The commission had been discussing a draft plan using the following land use terms: agriculture, low-medium residential, med-high residential, new neighborhood commercial, highway commercial and public.
One change the commission has been working on from the 2016 future land use plan is to define the categories so the public knows what is meant by each of the land uses when it comes to development.
An updated draft brought to the commission on May 24 had two new terms for residential development -- urban residential and rural residential.
Rural residential was defined as areas that include single-family residential homes on acreages 0.25 or larger in size. Urban residential was defined as residential areas of higher density than in the rural residential category. Densities could range from five to seven units per acre.
Geurtz said the commission talked about dividing the future residential land use into three categories, but she said she found it wasn't easy to do that without making a lot of changes the commission had not discussed.
"I'm not comfortable with this more generic setup," Horne said. "I'd like for this to be tabled."
When several commissioners indicated they agreed with Horne, Commission Chairman Robert Mann asked for a show of hands from those who wanted to table the draft. They all raised their hands.
Geurtz recommended the commission have breakout sessions on the draft plan and possibly go "lot by lot" in discussing future land use.
Even though the proposal was tabled, Mann said the commission would continue with its public hearing on the draft plan.
"We'll hear your input and discuss it again at the next planning commission meeting," Mann said.
Geurtz explained to those inside the room and about 20 people on Zoom that a land use map isn't the same as zoning.
"This is a land use plan of where the city is headed," Geurtz said. "Zoning is a completely different issue."
She said a land use plan is a guiding document to help determine where rezonings may occur in the future.
Comments from citizens included one from Brady Ghan, who lives on Locust Street. Ghan said he lives near two churches, but the future land use plan shows his neighborhood as highway commercial.
He said he was concerned about what kind of expansion would be allowed in that area.
Kara Gardenhire, who also is principal of Pop Williams Elementary School, said she believes the city has approved too many high density residential developments.
"You can't stop growth but you can manage it," Gardenhire said.
She asked for terms to be defined and clarified and also suggested one area at the corner of Wolfdale Road be changed to a lower density of housing.
Chris Bryson who lives on South Hunter Street said he wanted to know legally what the future land use map means to future development.
He said he was referring to 10 acres off Arkansas 170. This land has been before the Planning Commission and City Council several times to be rezoned from R-1 to a higher density, but the rezoning requests have been denied.
Bryson noted that the latest draft land use map shows the 10 acres as urban residential, which allows a higher density.
The argument made by the city attorney at the last City Council meeting, Bryson said, is the city is legally obligated to follow the land use plan.
City Attorney Steve Tennant responded a land use plan is "not written in stone," but it's a guideline for the city and for the public.
"You can see what's possibly going to be developed in the area," Tennant said.
City Council member Keith Lipford, who was attending the meeting in person, told commissioners he has been "bombarded" by people about the future of Farmington, and the one consistent theme he's heard is that residents do not want any more high density developments but want single-family residential subdivisions.
"I've heard from a lot of citizens and that's the direction most people are wanting to go," Lipford said.
Mann thanked everyone who participated in the public hearing.
"Everybody's input is vital," Mann said. "We want to represent the citizens. We live here too."
Planning Commission member Keith Macedo made two requests of city staff. He asked for a better quality PDF of the map that is easier for the public to view. He also asked that the city website have both the 2016 land use map and the 2021 draft land use map so people can compare both documents.
As a commissioner, Macedo said he too was concerned that what was discussed by the commission about the land use plan is not what was presented to them at the May 24 meeting.
Commissioner Bobby Wilson added a request that commissioners receive attachments sooner, not three to four hours before a meeting.
"If we're to be prepared, that is not acceptable," Wilson said.
Horne urged the commission not to rush approving a future land use plan.
"It's too important," she said.
Lynn Kutter may be reached by email at [email protected].