SPRINGDALE -- The City Council on Tuesday gave its approval 6-2 for the development of a unique subdivision.
Scout Enterprises proposed to move in existing homes, update them according to city code, remodel them, and sell or rent them, said Cammie Scott of Scout. Hawksview subdivision in far northwest Springdale also includes some features to lessen its impact on the environment.
Scout developers chose to build this project in a planned-use development agreement with the city, which allows for unique conditions not addressed by the city's normal zoning codes. Once the city approves the development plan, it stays in place until a landowner brings the changes to the council for approval, noted Patsy Christie, the city's planning director.
The council approved rezoning the land at 8915 E. Brown Road from agricultural use to planned-use development. It also approved the development plan and covenants for the neighborhood.
The city's Planning Commission rejected the rezoning request April 16. The developers appealed the decision to the City Council. The council on May 26 overturned the Planning Commission's decision but wanted to see some "tweaks" made to the development plan, said Ernest Cate, the city's attorney.
Council members Mike Overton and Jeff Watson voted against the development.
"Existing homes represent a significant source of scarce and expensive building material," said Larry McCredy, an attorney representing Scout. "Conventional demolition of existing homes not only wastes this resource, but uses up increasingly rare landfill space."
The developers plan to maintain natural drainage patterns, capture roof runoff in rain barrels and reuse it and use water-absorbing native plants to mitigate runoff.
The neighborhood also will feature gravel driveways to allow water to drain through rather than run off impervious concrete, said David Gilbert of Plymouth Engineering, the project's engineer.
Neighbors do not like the plan and have spoken at every city meeting concerning Hawkesview. At issue Tuesday were the rain barrels, with neighbors noting the plan for the development did not include calculations on exactly how they will impact the runoff amount in the Cave Springs recharge zone for the vulnerable karst limestone geology.
Gilbert said the calculations had not been made because the city required only a preliminary drainage report at this point in the development.
"We've barely dipped our toe into the detailed engineering documents," he said. But he promised he would make those calculations.
The development has several more levels of city approvals before building permits are issued, Cate said.
Neighbor Todd Stephens also claimed the runoff from the neighborhood would run immediately into a channel across his property when water left the subdivision. The development does not plan a retention pond which holds stormwater and releases it slowly.
Gilbert pointed out that a retention pond releases water at one point. He noted that curbs and gutters or sodded swales -- for which the developer has asked permission not to use -- also channel water.
"We are trying to prevent channeling," he said.
"None of this was set out to harm the health, safety and welfare of the surrounding neighbors," Gilbert said.
Because the council had to vote on the entire development plan, they asked many questions of McCredy and Christie about some of the smaller details.
"Larry, I'm going to nitpick you here," said council member Kevin Flores to McCredy.
"There are so many things we have to consider," added Watson.
Neighbor Jack Wolf noted the council's questions weren't ever finalized.
"I get nervous to hear you talk about these things and not understand them," he said. "Because those will be consequences I have to live with."