Bentonville's Future Land Use Map Nears Finalization
The Future Land Use Map: A Roadmap for Bentonville's Growth
The city of Bentonville is close to finalizing its Future Land Use Map, a crucial element of the city’s community plan. This map is designed to outline where and how the city should grow in the coming decades. The goal of the Future Land Use Map is to achieve coordinated and harmonious development while ensuring adequate provision of public facilities and services.
Public Engagement and Feedback
The process has been inclusive, with city officials gathering feedback from thousands of residents through online and in-person events. Residents have had multiple opportunities to comment on the proposed map, including public hearings and online submissions. The city’s planning and community development director, Tyler Overstreet, emphasized the importance of public engagement, stating, “From the beginning, we thought public engagement was so important. We were very intentional in our efforts to reach as many people as we possibly could through the avenues available to us.”
Key Aspects of the Future Land Use Map
– Growth Vision: The draft of the Future Land Use Map includes 12 new “place types,” which are activity centers, neighborhoods, and corridors at varying scales of development. These place types are arranged to create a comprehensive growth vision for the community.
– Activity Centers: These include areas where various activities will take place, such as downtown shopping and entertainment districts.
– Neighborhoods: Defined as residential areas with different characteristics and needs.
– Corridors: Strategic corridors that connect these activity centers and neighborhoods, influencing transportation and other city plans.
What the Future Land Use Plan Means
The Future Land Use Plan is not a regulatory tool. It does not change any zoning classification or affect existing rights. Instead, it visualizes city growth policy and serves as a guide for future decisions. Once finalized, this plan will inform zoning regulations and guide the development process in Bentonville, ensuring that the development meets the community’s vision for growth.
Aligning Vision with Zoning Regulations
The plan is divided into two phases. Phase one focuses on updating the land use and strategic growth chapter of the community plan, while phase two involves updating the zoning code to align with the long-term development objectives outlined in the Future Land Use Plan. This ensures a coherent framework for decision-making in the city, balancing individual property rights with the community’s aspirations.
How Residents Can Participate
The draft of the Future Land Use Map is available online, and residents can compare previous drafts with the latest updates using a new slider-bar functionality. Additional public hearings are scheduled for residents to provide feedback before the map is presented to the City Council for approval. If approved by the Planning Commission on December 3, City Council will then consider final approval on December 10.
The Future Land Use Plan serves as a foundation for decision-making for stakeholders throughout the community, aiming to achieve a more coordinated “collective impact” across all spectrums of community life. This vision reflects the community’s aspirations for thoughtful and equitable growth that addresses current issues and future challenges.
